confused about RAM in my Macbook Pro

bruce wayne

Hi Guys,

I recently bought some new memory to increase the RAM in my 2009 Macbook Pro. According to the Apple website and the Crucial Memory website configurator and Mactracker installed on my machine - my model should be able to support a max of 8 gigs. So i bought an 8 gig kit from Crucial (2x4 gigs). When I installed them and powered the machine back on I was met with 3 beeps followed by a 5 second break and another 3 beeps....and so on.

So after a bit of experimentation swapping the various RAM modules around it seems to accept 6 gigs - but not the 8 I was expecting. during the swapping I checked both 4 gig modules in the pack and they both work in the 6 gigs config.

My question is am I doing something wrong here. when a variety of sources tell you the machine should take 8 but the reality is that 8 causes the beeps!

my machine is the mid 2009 13 inch 2.26 GHz Intel Core Duo - model identifier MacBookPro5,5

any thoughts ?

thanks in advance

ED E

Might be better off in the Mac forum. Mods can move it if you ask.

1 tone, repeating every 5 seconds: This indicates no RAM is installed.
3 successive tones, a 5 second pause (repeating): This indicates RAM does not pass a data integrity check.
1 long tone while holding down the power button: Indicates an EFI ROM update is in progress on a computer manufactured before 2012.
3 long tones, 3 short tones, 3 long tones: Indicates EFI ROM corruption is detected and the computer is in EFI ROM recovery mode.

Some of the boards from that era (I still run a C2Q thats slightly older) are very picky when you max out the RAM. Mine say likes 1x8GB but not 2x4GB. Theres also some that will take single sided fine but not double sided.

The fact that 6 works and not 8 hints maybe its drawing too much, did you buy 1.5v instead of 1.35v maybe?

bruce wayne

Mods - can you move to the Mac forum please?

Thanks ED E - I bought the 1.35v