4gb memory stick for mac? does it work?

[chuchichan2524]

I'm thinking about buying a 4gb memory stick for the PSP. However I heard that there are some compatibility issues with a 4gb memory stick and the mac. Is this true?

[phungy]

I would assume so since (on the Apple site) that memory can only be maxed out at 16GB with 8 slots meaning that only 2GB per slot can be used. I'm assuming it is the hardware?

[mustard]

I would assume so since (on the Apple site) that memory can only be maxed out at 16GB with 8 slots meaning that only 2GB per slot can be used. I'm assuming it is the hardware?

I believe that when the OP says "memory stick" they mean Sony's removable media. I have no real reason to believe that it shouldn't work with the appropriate card reader. I personally have multiple 4gb compact flash modules.

[phungy]

I see, that's what I was confused on...thought he meant memory stick as in RAM.

[Erasmus]

I doubt whether a 4 GB RAM stick would work in any mac, excepting the slight chance of a Mac Pro. I should think there would be no chance of it working in an iMac. Aren't they limited to 3 GB anyway? Can you even get 4 GB RAM sticks?

Otherwise, Problems with a 4 GB Memory stick? Never heard of any, and it sounds a bit like you've either gotten confused with something, or would be some kind of problem with specific card readers. It is my understanding that any SD card, compact flash, flash disk, memory stick, XD, etc. are seen by computers as nothing but external USB disks. It seems far fetched that there would be any mac-specific compatibility issues with any card, at any size. More likely their 4GB cards are screwed. I don't think the computer cares how much space the card has.

[balamw]

I don't think the computer cares how much space the card has.
4 GB is a common size limit since it is the biggest number that can be expressed as a 32 bit integer. Thus, some poorly written firmware and/or drivers may actually see this as a -2GB drive since the high bit usually represents negative numbers for signer integers.

This is also why many of the recent Macs can't use 4 GB or RAM since some of that maximum address space is already taken.

B

[Erasmus]

4 GB is a common size limit since it is the biggest number that can be expressed as a 32 bit integer. Thus, some poorly written firmware and/or drivers may actually see this as a -2GB drive since the high bit usually represents negative numbers for signer integers.

This is also why many of the recent Macs can't use 4 GB or RAM since some of that maximum address space is already taken.

B

If we are talking about sony memory sticks, the computer sees it as a hard drive, not RAM. Therefore any limits would be much greater than 4 GB, ie. my computer only recognises 128GB HD space. If a Mac couldn't recognise 4 or more gigabytes of external hard disk space, iPod Video owners would have somewhat of a problem, wouldn't they? ;)

I was previously unaware that 4GB RAM sticks existed.

If you are talking about RAM, I believe the Intel mobile chipset platform is incapable of recognising four gigabytes of RAM, no matter how it is arranged, or what CPU it has stuck in it, hence Apple's otherwise bizarre 3 GB RAM BTO limit on the MBP's.

I think the OP needs to come back and clarify if he/she meant Sony Memory Sticks, or RAM memory sticks.

[beige matchbox]

Surely the fact the OP said

thinking about buying a 4gb memory stick for the PSP

should clearly indicate it's a 4Gb Sony Memory Stick Duo hes after :) http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Memory-Stick-PRO-MSX-M4GS/dp/B000GBO9IM/sr=8-3/qid=1170510839/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-9086892-8180726?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

[balamw]

If we are talking about sony memory sticks, the computer sees it as a hard drive, not RAM.
You're assuming that the firmware in the USB to memory stick doohickey (the thing that makes it look lite a HDD to the Mac) expects 4GB or larger sticks. I would expect that to be a problem for older devices, especially given the Memory Stick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_stick) architecture, which was originally designed for no more than 128 MB, and even required a mechanical switch to go from 128MB to 256 MB. Anything larger than 128 MB is technically a Memory Stick Pro.

My guess is that someone stuck a 4GB Memory Stick Pro into a device that wasn't designed for it and blamed the Mac for the incompatibility.

B

[Erasmus]

You're assuming that the firmware in the USB to memory stick doohickey (the thing that makes it look lite a HDD to the Mac) expects 4GB or larger sticks. I would expect that to be a problem for older devices, especially given the Memory Stick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_stick) architecture, which was originally designed for no more than 128 MB, and even required a mechanical switch to go from 128MB to 256 MB. Anything larger than 128 MB is technically a Memory Stick Pro.

My guess is that someone stuck a 4GB Memory Stick Pro into a device that wasn't designed for it and blamed the Mac for the incompatibility.

B

mmm.

I think we can say that there is no compatibility issues between Sony Memory Sticks and Apple Computers.

I wasn't even aware that Memory Sticks came in 4 GB! (Note to Self: Get with the times!)

Mmm. Should have clicked with the PSP and all. Anyway... If you get one, and it doesn't work, can you connect a PSP directly to a computer? Either that or just buy a newer card reader. Then find the blasphemer and shoot them. ;)

(Brief point about stupid short-sighted tech people with a mention of DOS ;-)