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Max RAM in an iMac??

  • 30-12-2009 1:11pm
    #1
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭


    I have a 24" 2.8Ghz iMac from last december ('08) and I've heard stories of people putting 6GB ram in, when it "technically" only supports 4. ANyone know f it could take 8GB? I know the new ones can due to upgrades etc, but I want 8 in this one!


Comments

  • #2
    Jev/N
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,456 ✭✭✭Jev/N


    First things first, why?

    Secondly, what OS are you running?


  • #3
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Santa Rosa chipset, so 6GB will indeed work. Afaik 8GB will be recognised as well but apparently causes major problems - so don't attempt to install 8GB. Only the 2009 iMacs support 8GB.


  • #4
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭al12apl


    Jev/N wrote: »
    First things first, why?

    Secondly, what OS are you running?
    CS4, Final Cut Studio etc etc, so the more the merrier! Running 10.6.2.

    Any idea on the sort of major problems?? not planning on taking them on, just curious...


  • #5
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    al12apl wrote: »
    Any idea on the sort of major problems?? not planning on taking them on, just curious...
    It is supposed to be very unstable. Which for RAM means constant crashing, freezing, etc.


  • #6
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭al12apl


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    It is supposed to be very unstable. Which for RAM means constant crashing, freezing, etc.

    Ah grand, just looked there and a 4GB stick is no less than €140 :eek:

    Might hold off for now! Cheers though


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  • #7
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    What have you got in it at the moment? 4GB?


  • #8
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭al12apl


    Ye. Its ok but running pro app's really eats into it. i have a MacBook Pro as well, so I''m looking into a way of splitting the loads between the two machines to keep me going.


  • #9
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,696 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    i've 4Gb in mine had only 2Gb when I got it, at the time I thought it was the most it would handle. No problem with creative suite it runs very smoothly.


  • #10
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    al12apl wrote: »
    Ye. Its ok but running pro app's really eats into it. i have a MacBook Pro as well, so I''m looking into a way of splitting the loads between the two machines to keep me going.
    More RAM is always good of course. But you might not see that huge a benefit. OS X tries to put whatever RAM is there to some use. So the free memory stat is not necessarily a good gauge of needing more RAM.

    Keep an eye on the RAM prices though, they are always coming down.


  • #11
    Jev/N
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,456 ✭✭✭Jev/N


    al12apl wrote: »
    CS4, Final Cut Studio etc etc, so the more the merrier! Running 10.6.2.

    Any idea on the sort of major problems?? not planning on taking them on, just curious...

    Ah right, very good. I was just worried you were looking to put that much in with no real need!


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  • #12
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭al12apl


    @drunkmonkey: ye creative suit runs ok, but faster is always nicer.

    @Sad Professor: hadn't though about the ram gauge like that, it makes perfect sense rather than having ram waiting to be used, but there is a limit to what each program "needs" before speed can be compromised to have an even spread of ram throughout the programs, and i don't believe os x knows my priorities when it comes to which things i want done quicker!!

    @Jev/N: there's always a need for my computer upgrades! my budget isn't that ridiculous!


  • #13
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    al12apl wrote: »
    @Sad Professor: hadn't though about the ram gauge like that, it makes perfect sense rather than having ram waiting to be used, but there is a limit to what each program "needs" before speed can be compromised to have an even spread of ram throughout the programs, and i don't believe os x knows my priorities when it comes to which things i want done quicker!!
    You'd be surprised. OS X's memory management is very advanced. RAM is not evenly spread between apps. When RAM is there and unused, the OS will dole it out quite generously. But during intensive operations the app that needs the most will get the most. For example, in an extreme scenario an inactive app sitting in the background will eventually be swapped out so as priority can be given to the active processes.

    Also, when looking at the stats keep in mind that "inactive" memory is basically free.


  • #14
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭al12apl


    ye i've heard that about the background apps alright. pretty handy

    what is inactive memory though? what makes it different from free?
    Sad Professor wrote: »
    YBut during intensive operations the app that needs the most will get the most.

    see the app os x thinks needs it may not be the app i want to be the fastest if ya get me?


  • #15
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    al12apl wrote: »
    what is inactive memory though? what makes it different from free?
    Usually it is memory from a recently closed app. It acts like a cache. Instead of instantly releasing memory and making it "free", the system holds it in reserve in case the contents are needed again. If they are (lets say you re-open the app) the results are faster. If not, (you open a new app, or another needs it) it is reassigned as if it were free.

    It creates a lot of confusion though. In the past, admiring one's free memory stat was a favourite pastime of many users. Where as now, closing an app might not see the expected increase in "free" memory. So people think there is a memory leak or the OS isn't releasing the memory (which was a problem in OS 9 and Windows). When in actual fact the system is just being efficient. This is why the free memory stat is not an accurate indicator that you need more RAM.
    see the app os x thinks needs it may not be the app i want to be the fastest if ya get me?
    Well, CPU is a bigger factor in speed than RAM. But that's where the user comes in. If you want one process to complete sooner, pause the others.


  • #16
    al12apl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14 ✭al12apl


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    Well, CPU is a bigger factor in speed than RAM. But that's where the user comes in. If you want one process to complete sooner, pause the others.

    Ha that makes a good bit of sense i presume! i'd love to get a MP but the budget just wont allow! the inactive memory seems pretty clever, i've definitely made use of it in that case!

    thanks for the help


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