16GB upgrade issues with mid-2011 on High Sierra

[hamncheeze]

Hey folks, I am a forum newbie here, but I have lurked silently for a while. I have a mid-2011 Mac mini 2.5GHz i5 running the latest OS, High Sierra 10.13.3. Up until yesterday it was in original config with 4GB of memory. I bought a 16GB kit from OWC and with shipment to Canada it took a while to arrive. I did the OS update on Tuesday, and then installed the memory on Wednesday. 24 hours with the 16GB and I had no shortage of crashes, pretty much 1 per hour. Mostly kernel panics causing restarts or GPU restarts. I ran the Apple Diagnostics (hold D after power on) and everything checked out. I also reset the SMC and PRAM. No improvement.

Today I put the original 4GB back in and I have had a perfectly stable machine all day. No crashes, no reboots. I contacted OWC and they are going to refund me for the cards after I send them back. They wanted me to DL the Rember program to test the memory but I don't see the point, the fact that I have a stable system today makes it obvious the aftermarket memory is the issue. My questions:

1) Even though 16GB is reportedly OK with the mid-2011 Mini is it possible that High Sierra is making it no compatible. Has anyone done a RAM upgrade after running 10.13?

2) Is it worth trying another brand of memory such as Crucial? I seem to see more people recommending Crucial than other brands. If I do this, I think I'll try 8MB. That would probably be sufficient since I don't use it for gaming. Mostly routine use, photo management and editing, and MS Office (not installed currently).

Any other thoughts?

Thanks!
[doublepost=1516930230][/doublepost]Here is a copy of one of the kernel crashes:


Wed Jan 24 13:37:27 2018

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff800716e339): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f89bcde38, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x00000000009c96ec, CR3: 0x000000000b754000, CR4: 0x00000000000626e0
RAX: 0xffffff8026adb6b0, RBX: 0xffffff802e2f5030, RCX: 0x0000600000000000, RDX: 0xffffff81e4e7e000
RSP: 0xffffff92108ebd30, RBP: 0xffffff92108ebd40, RSI: 0x0000000000000000, RDI: 0x00000000009c966c
R8: 0xffff9fffffffffff, R9: 0xffffff80078c0180, R10: 0xffffff80078bed14, R11: 0x0000000000000000
R12: 0xffffff802e2f5030, R13: 0xffffff8026aff2e0, R14: 0xffffff8026afd290, R15: 0xffffff800706e200
RFL: 0x0000000000010086, RIP: 0xffffff7f89bcde38, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0x00000000009c96ec, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x0, PL: 0, VF: 1

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff92108eb7e0 : 0xffffff800704f606
0xffffff92108eb830 : 0xffffff800717c654
0xffffff92108eb870 : 0xffffff800716e149
0xffffff92108eb8f0 : 0xffffff8007001120
0xffffff92108eb910 : 0xffffff800704f03c
0xffffff92108eba40 : 0xffffff800704edbc
0xffffff92108ebaa0 : 0xffffff800716e339
0xffffff92108ebc20 : 0xffffff8007001120
0xffffff92108ebc40 : 0xffffff7f89bcde38
0xffffff92108ebd40 : 0xffffff800716b8f3
0xffffff92108ebd60 : 0xffffff800706abf1
0xffffff92108ebde0 : 0xffffff8007069e6f
0xffffff92108ebe30 : 0xffffff7f87d74899
0xffffff92108ebed0 : 0xffffff7f87d779af
0xffffff92108ebf40 : 0xffffff80075fa978
0xffffff92108ebfa0 : 0xffffff8007001906
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.kec.pthread(1.0)[71C5BFFF-88C9-3420-8F52-029FAFF0866D]@0xffffff7f87d71000->0xffffff7f87d7ffff
com.apple.driver.AppleHV(1.0)[1B4F136C-9465-379A-8D80-878A4AA2AF87]@0xffffff7f89bca000->0xffffff7f89bd2fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: com.apple.WebKit

Mac OS version:
17D47

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 17.4.0: Sun Dec 17 09:19:54 PST 2017; root:xnu-4570.41.2~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 18D901F1-4A03-3FF1-AE34-C26B2732F13C
Kernel slide: 0x0000000006c00000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8006e00000
__HIB text base: 0xffffff8006d00000
System model name: Macmini5,2 (Mac-4BC72D62AD45599E)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 245222440096
last loaded kext at 148291457931: com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 3.2.1 (addr 0xffffff7f87cc3000, size 434176)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 3.2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch 92
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.70
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0
com.apple.driver.ApplePlatformEnabler 2.7.0d0
com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver 1.0.3d2
com.apple.driver.AGPM 110.23.30
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 131
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 280.12
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy 3.16.21
com.apple.AGDCPluginDisplayMetrics 3.16.2
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry 1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.4
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.5.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver 280.12
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 6.0.2f2
com.apple.kext.AMDLegacyFramebuffer 1.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 280.12
com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl 3.16.21
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1
com.apple.kext.AMDRadeonX3000 1.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1
com.apple.driver.eficheck 1
com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl 3.16.21
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleFIVRDriver 4.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP 3.1.1
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.kext.AMD6000Controller 1.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD3000Graphics 10.0.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB 10.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothUSBDFU 6.0.2f2
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 352
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 3.0.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 40
com.apple.filesystems.hfs.kext 407.30.1
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 5.5.8
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 800.21.30
com.apple.driver.AppleSDXC 1.7.6
com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet 10.3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 329
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4360 1220.18.1a2
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 220.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 183
com.apple.security.quarantine 3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 220.0.0
com.apple.IOBufferCopyEngineTest 1
com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothHIDKeyboard 203
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 203
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 6.0.2f2
com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 1204.13
com.apple.driver.AppleInputDeviceSupport 1201.8
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 280.12
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 526
com.apple.driver.AppleSSE 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.18d1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.8
com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2 376.6
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 209.2.2
com.apple.AppleGPUWrangler 3.16.2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 3.16.21
com.apple.kext.AMDSupport 1.6.0
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.16.21
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 280.12
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 280.12
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 206.5
com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSink 4.1.2
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d8
com.apple.kext.AMDLegacySupport 1.6.0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 517.22
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 517.22
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 6.0.2f2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 6.0.2f2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerTransport 6.0.2f2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 6.0.2f2
com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.cdc 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.networking 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub 1.2
com.apple.filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext 1
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter 5.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPOutAdapter 5.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily 5.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 2.1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleXsanScheme 3
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 301.40.2
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI 4.5.6
com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily 6.6.3
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.6.8
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController 1.1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 288
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 1200.12.2
com.apple.driver.mDNSOffloadUserClient 1.0.1b8
com.apple.driver.corecapture 1.0.4
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBUHCIPCI 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBUHCI 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostPacketFilter 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties 1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox 300.0
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleEffaceableStorage 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTDM 439.30.4
com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageDriver 140.30.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 404.30.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 404.30.2
com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
com.apple.driver.KernelRelayHost 1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBCommon 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleBusPowerController 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSEPManager 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.IOSlaveProcessor 1
com.apple.iokit.IOBufferCopyEngineFamily 1
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 480.30.2
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 31
com.apple.iokit.IOTimeSyncFamily 650.5
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.4
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCRTC 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.9
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4
com.apple.kec.Libm 1
com.apple.kec.pthread 1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0

EOF

System Profile:
Network Service: Ethernet, Ethernet, en0
Thunderbolt Bus: Mac mini, Apple Inc., 22.2
Boot Volume File System Type: hfs
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 8 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x0000, -
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 8 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x0000, -
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: IR Receiver
Serial ATA Device: TOSHIBA MK5065GSXF, 500.11 GB
Model: Macmini5,2, BootROM MM51.007B.B00, 2 processors, Intel Core i5, 2.5 GHz, 16 GB, SMC 1.75f0
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Built-In
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6630M, AMD Radeon HD 6630M, PCIe, 256 MB
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xE4), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.102.30)
Bluetooth: Version 6.0.2f2, 3 services, 27 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

 

[California]

Uh, I believe the mid 2011 Mac Mini was an i7 2.5 with the HD3000 graphics card. Only the 2012 2.5 was an i5... with the HD4000 better graphics... which one are you using?



*****

Oh, you have the 2.5 i7 2011. All 2011 Minis and laptops have problematic graphics cards. I ran 16gbs on my 2011 mini (not the quad, though) with no problems. Probably bad ram. It happens.

 

[keysofanxiety]

As advised above, it's likely faulty RAM.

 

[California]

Yeah 16GB is fine, your model even supports up to 32GB RAM (4x 8GB 1333MHz SODIMM).

As advised above, it's likely faulty RAM.

Am I missing something here? 32gbs of ram? Where exactly would that ram go in a Mac Mini 2011?

 

[keysofanxiety]

Am I missing something here? 32gbs of ram? Where exactly would that ram go in a Mac Mini 2011?

****, I read it as a 2011 iMac. Boy I need some more coffee.

 

[California]

****, I read it as a 2011 iMac. Boy I need some more coffee.

That would be amazing if they made 16gb ram chips... that worked...

 

[keysofanxiety]

That would be amazing if they made 16gb ram chips... that worked...

Heh, there are 16GB 1600MHz SODIMMs but sadly they won't work, even if the CPU supports 32GB RAM. The 2012 quad MM/cMBP's CPU does support 32GB RAM so in theory it should work but the Logic Board/controller doesn't support or recognise 16GB DIMMs.

 

[hamncheeze]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to return the 16GB kit to OWC and order an 8GB of Crucial from Amazon. 8GB will be plenty for this old girl.

 

[frank4]

Uh, I believe the mid 2011 Mac Mini was an i7 2.5 with the HD3000 graphics card. Only the 2012 2.5 was an i5... with the HD4000 better graphics... which one are you using?



*****

Oh, you have the 2.5 i7 2011. All 2011 Minis and laptops have problematic graphics cards. I ran 16gbs on my 2011 mini (not the quad, though) with no problems. Probably bad ram. It happens.

Never had a problem with the graphics on my 2011 Mini. Except it won't let me rotate the image 90 degrees on my 2 monitors when I rotate them from landscape to portrait orientation (it can do this OK with just 1 connected monitor).

 

[titangears]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to return the 16GB kit to OWC and order an 8GB of Crucial from Amazon. 8GB will be plenty for this old girl.

8 GB Crucial works pretty well in mine.

 

[uller6]

I'm using 16 GB Crucial in my base 2011 Mac mini 2.3 and I've never had any issues. Running 10.13.3 now.

 

[chabig]

They wanted me to DL the Rember program to test the memory but I don't see the point, the fact that I have a stable system today makes it obvious the aftermarket memory is the issue.

Their request is very fair. You can’t just assume the memory is bad. It’s not always easy to get memory chips well seated in their sockets. Maybe you didn’t get it quite right with the new memory but did it right when you put the old back in. Commonly, memory troubleshooting starts with a recommendation to reseat the chips.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to return the 16GB kit to OWC and order an 8GB of Crucial from Amazon. 8GB will be plenty for this old girl.

This is what I had to do on my 2011 Mac Mini. 8GB. And yes, it's great. I can have XCode opened, Word, Chrome with 20 tabs and it's happy. CPU comes on now and then but it's doing great going out to my dual monitors.

 

[hamncheeze]

Just an update:

Bought a Crucial 8GB kit (2x4GB) direct from Crucial and everything seems to be working well. Had a small issue after replacement where no media would start to play (iTunes, YouTube, etc) but a reboot with a PRAM reset seemed to cure the problem. Speed seems great, can easily run multiple applications and have music playing in the background and hop around from app to app with no lag.

For those asking about the original OWC 16GB kit, I had tried re-seating the cards in the slots, swapping the lower to the upper, multiple times. It did not seem to matter, crashes were inevitable.