will a pc hdd and memory work in a mac?

[tuner1406]

not saying im going to go there but if i go to walmart and buy a hard drive and some memory(the correct type) will they work in a mac? or is there mac specific hdd's and memory?

[ziggyonice]

Yep, Macs and PCs are really compatible. Hard drives, flash drives, jump drives, memory... it all works the same way.

Note that, when you mention "memory", if you're talking about RAM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random-access_memory), remember that it comes in many shapes and sizes. While it will work in both Macs and PCs, you have to make sure the shape/size of the RAM stick matches the computer you're putting it in.

[rgarjr]

yeah bro it should work. Just have to make sure it's the right kind of memory though.

[mac2x]

HDD's are all the same; memory isn't. It's gotta be the correct type for the computer. Other than that, RAM is all the same.

[tuner1406]

ok thanks, ya i know i have to get the right type of memory

[Pocket lint]

HDD's are all the same; memory isn't. It's gotta be the correct type for the computer. Other than that, RAM is all the same.

Most likely the HDD's will be the same, but apart from size (1.8, 2.5, 3.5) there's also different connections to consider (IDE, SATA etc.).

However, chances are, that if it's from the same type of computer (portable, stationary) and from around the same year that they will indeed be interchangeable.

[gnasher729]

not saying im going to go there but if i go to walmart and buy a hard drive and some memory(the correct type) will they work in a mac? or is there mac specific hdd's and memory?

There is nothing specific about Macintosh hard drives and memory. There are things you have to watch out for: In a MacBook, you can fit any 2.5 inch 9mm drive. 2.5 inch 12mm drives won't fit (they don't fit into many laptops). So if you can't find "9mm" or "1/8th height" on the box, don't buy it.

With memory, there are so many different types, and you want the right one. At www.crucial.com they let you pick exactly which computer you have, and then they guarantee that you get the right memory. And to be honest, Walmart is not the place where I would buy RAM.

[J&JPolangin]

Yep, Macs and PCs are really compatible. Hard drives, flash drives, jump drives, memory... it all works the same way.

Note that, when you mention "memory", if you're talking about RAM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random-access_memory), remember that it comes in many shapes and sizes. While it will work in both Macs and PCs, you have to make sure the shape/size of the RAM stick matches the computer you're putting it in.

...not entirely true on the flash drives, many companies PC features don't work on Macs...

Take the Sony Micro vault for example, it has a virtual expander software that doesn't work on OS X (and that's just one brand)... always read the fine print.

[tuner1406]

And to be honest, Walmart is not the place where I would buy RAM.


im not going to walmart, i was just using that as a place i could buy them at