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RAM upgrade question.

T

tenhead

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 2, 2008
112
3
california
I have two 1GB DDR3 1067 MHZ. I want to updgrade to 4GB RAM total. I went to crucial and put in MBP model and the one they shows are the two 2GB DDR3 1066 MHZ. Does the MHZ have to match?

Thank you for any advice.
 
Ok. Thank you everybody. Wow, I love this forum. So fast. I'll order them now, then. :)

ps. I might come back and ask you guys on how to install them later. he he first time doing this.
 
Upgrading RAM in MacBooks and MacBook Pros

Upgrading RAM in MacBooks and MacBook Pros

All MacBooks and MacBook Pros can be easily upgraded with more RAM. Below are guides on how to do it, specifications for what specific RAM is needed and links to places where to get RAM.
Upgrading RAM does NOT void the warranty.​
Every MacBook and MacBook Pro has two RAM slots available, no RAM is soldered to the logic board like with the iBooks and PowerBooks or the MacBook Air.

You can use Crucial's Mac System Scanner to find out what kind of RAM you need, but know, that the "Maximum Memory" listed in the results may not match the real maximum amount of RAM you can install, thus the sections below can help you too.

You can also use the About This Mac window to find out, what type of RAM (DDR2 or DDR3) you have.
2012_01_23_pC1_RAMguide_AboutThisMac_RAM.png

And you can use these sites to enter your serial number to get the specs of your Mac, but know, that the Apple site does not always state the correct amount of maximum RAM:

MacBook
There have been three different designs for the MacBook since its introduction in 2006.

13" White and Black MacBook (2006 - 2009)

In 2006 Apple introduced the 13" MacBook in white and black, as successor to the iBook line. The white and black MacBooks use Intel's Core Duo and Core 2 Duo CPUs.
id_mobileMac_wbMBs.png
  • The white and black MacBook (all models) use and accept 200-pin 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SO-DIMM SDRAM.
  • The Core Duo MacBooks (2006) can have a maximum RAM of 2GB. (info)
  • The first Core 2 Duo MacBooks (Late 2006 - 2007) can take 4GB, but only utilises 3GB of it. (info)
  • The Core 2 Duo MacBooks using the Santa Rosa platform (late 2007) can take up to 6GB of RAM and fully utilise it. (info)




13" Aluminium MacBook (2008 - 2009)

With the introduction of the 15" Unibody Aluminium MacBook Pros in late 2008, Apple also introduced the 13" Aluminium MacBook, which lacked a Firewire port.
id_mobileMac_alMB%20.png
The 13" Aluminium MacBook uses a Core 2 Duo CPU and 204-pin 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM.
The 13" Aluminium MacBook can at least support up to 6GB RAM, but it can use 8GB with an updated BOOT ROM version. (info)​




13" White Unibody MacBook (2009 - )

In 2009 Apple upgraded the 13" Aluminium MacBook to a MacBook Pro and "discontinued" the MacBook model for a while.
Later that same year, Apple introduced the 13" White Unibody MacBook.
id_mobileMac_wuMB.png
The 13" White Unibody MacBook uses a Core 2 Duo CPU and 204-pin 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM.
The 13" White Unibody MacBook can at least support up to 8GB RAM. (info)​






MacBook Pro
There have been two different designs for the MacBook Pro since its introduction in 2006.


Aluminium MacBook Pro (2006 - 2008)

In 2006 Apple introduced the 15" and 17" MacBook Pros, which are the successor to the PowerBook and sharing the same outer shell.
id_mobileMac_MBPs.png
The MacBook Pro uses Intel's Core Duo and Core 2 Duo CPUs and all models use and accept 200-pin 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SO-DIMM SDRAM.
  • The Core Duo MacBook Pros (2006) can have a maximum RAM of 2GB. (info)
  • The first Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros (late 2006 - 2007) can take 4GB, but only utilises 3GB of it. (info)
  • The Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros using the Santa Rosa platform (late 2007) can take up to 6GB of RAM and fully utilise it. (info)




Unibody MacBook Pro (2008 - )

In late 2008 Apple introduced the 15" Unibody MacBook Pros, which use a new unibody construction and a GPU switching system and much more.
In early 2009 the 17" Unibody MacBook Pro has been released, in the summer of the same year the 13" Unibody MacBook Pro has been unveiled.
With the 2009 update of the MacBook Pros, the battery was not user replaceable anymore.
id_mobileMac_uMBP.png
  • The Unibody MacBook Pros use Intel's Core 2 Duo and Dual Core iX CPUs and all models use and accept 204-pin 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM and in some cases even 204-pin 1333 MHz PC3-10600 SO-DIMM DDR3 SDRAM.
  • The Core 2 Duo and Dual Core iX MacBook Pros (2008 - 2010) can have a maximum RAM of 8GB (the 2008 models need an upgraded BOOT ROM). (info)
  • The first Quad Core iX MacBook Pros (2011 - ) use 204-pin 1333 MHz PC3-10600 SO-DIMM DDR3 SDRAM can take up to 16GB via two 8GB modules of 204-pin 1333 MHz PC3-10600 DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM (though their chipset supports up to 32 GB RAM, but no 16 GB sticks are available yet). (info)
GUIDES
WHERE TO BUY RAM
 
Last edited:
Missing a screw !

I got the RAM from Crucial today and installed them. The system shows that I now have 4 Gig of RAMs.

However, while putting back the cover panel. I couldn't find one of the screws that's on the bottom. There are five holes but I only found four screws on the table! I must have dropped it somewhere. Can't find it.

I tried to find it online to purchase but couldn't find any.
My MBP model No. is A1286. The 2.4 GHz Late 2008 Model.
What size are those screw? Some website says it's 3.5mm some says it's 3mm.

See picture of the missing screw hole. It's around the lower right corner area of the big cover.

I know missing that one screw is not gonna make the back fall off. But I just don't feel complete without it. Where can I buy them?

Thank you.
 

Attachments

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    screw.jpg
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alust2013 said:
There are only four screws that go along the bottom and four on the top for a total of 8
Click to expand...

Oh, I think you're right. Maybe I put a screw in a wrong hole. Damn. I'll open it up and look at it again in the morning.

I was wondering how did I just missed one screw because I carefully put them out on a large table.
 
tenhead said:
Does the increased RAM help the download speed on the internet? I feel like webpages are loading faster.
Click to expand...

No, but pages may seem to load faster if your browser is using a lot of RAM and does need to swap (copy from RAM to HDD) a lot in order to free RAM for new content. More RAM may reduce this process.
 
simsaladimbamba said:
No, but pages may seem to load faster if your browser is using a lot of RAM and does need to swap (copy from RAM to HDD) a lot in order to free RAM for new content. More RAM may reduce this process.
Click to expand...

Oh, ok. I should have upgrade my RAM long time ago. Anyway, very happy I did now. Everything seems snappier.

Thank you for all the help.
 
simsaladimbamba said:
The first Quad Core iX MacBook Pros (2011 - ) use 204-pin 1333 MHz PC3-10600 SO-DIMM DDR3 SDRAM can take up to 16GB via two 8GB modules of 204-pin 1333 MHz PC3-10600 DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM (though their chipset supports up to 32 GB RAM, but no 16 GB sticks are available yet).
Click to expand...

You forgot to mention the 1600 MHz support.
Why not add a few bucks just because 1600 MHz is 20% faster than 1333 MHz? ;)
 
simsaladimbamba, great write up!

I just bought a used 2.66GHz iCore7 Macbook Pro (mid 2010). One of it's RAM slots is broken. Can I buy one stick of 8 GB memory to max out my machine?
 
tenhead said:
However, while putting back the cover panel. I couldn't find one of the screws that's on the bottom. There are five holes but I only found four screws on the table! I must have dropped it somewhere. Can't find it.
Click to expand...

Looks like you got help with the rest of it, but I thought I'd post my favorite stupid trick for storing screws when I disassemble something: Take a piece of scotch tape or masking tape, make a loop out of it with the sticky side out and stick it next to where you're working. Just drop the little screws on it while you're working and they'll stay there in plain sight. If I have to stop what I'm doing, I can peel the loops off the table and stick them to the computer. (Plus it gets a little adhesive on them, which makes it a tiny bit easier to screw them back in)

Sorry if that's off-topic, I just figured I'd share :D
 
Since I'm getting the original MacBook Air with 1.6ghz 2gb of ram could I upgrade it to 1.8ghz and 4gb of ram? If so can you recommend some brands that would work?
 
thei0009 said:
Since I'm getting the original MacBook Air with 1.6ghz 2gb of ram could I upgrade it to 4gb of ram? If so can you recommend some brands that would work?
Click to expand...

RAM is not upgradeable with any MacBook Air, thus you have to get the right amount of RAM upon purchasing the correct model, in your case a model, that comes with 4 GB of RAM.
 
It turns out my 13-inch 2010 MBP actually supports 16GB RAM. I purchased the kit from OWC (who confirmed it would work) and I will fit it once it arrives. It is cheaper for me to do that than to shell out for a new cMBP at this time.
 
Hey guys,

I own a late 2009 white macbook (not pro). I was wondering if I could install one 4 gb Ram module and leave one of the original ones (i think 1 gb module) in as well (therefore having 5 gb of RAM).

Do you think this will work:
http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Valu...r=8-4&keywords=kingston+so-dimm+ram+4+gb+cl+7
(I am form germany so I would be buying this: http://www.amazon.de/Kingston-SO-DI...R3-RAM/dp/B001PYDKWU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top but I think they are the same)

And do you know what the different CL stand for (CL7 vs CL9 (http://www.amazon.de/Corsair-Arbeit...1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1363554620&sr=1-2))

Thank you for your answers :)
 
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