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thl0103

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 24, 2009
62
43
San Jose, Seoul, Toronto
I had an old 2010 base model Mac mini sitting in closet storage for many years. I took it out and hooked it up to a monitor and upgraded its OS X to Sierra all the way from Mountain Lion.
With its base 2GB RAM it was a struggle just to install OS.
I then took out the rams from my 2012 Mac mini (2x2GB) and inserted it into the 2010 mini and brought it to Korea without testing it.
For the first time after the ram upgrade I turn on the Mac mini and it starts beeping and won’t display anything on our 4K TV or even the 27’ Thunderbolt Display or a Samsung monitor.

I am aware that if I inserted the wrong RAM it makes that noise.
The original RAM was
1GB 1066mhz 8500 DDR3
And new ram I put in is
2GB 1333mhz 10600 DDR3

Do I need the exact same speed RAM?

I tried doing all the basics like resetting PRAM and inserting just one RAM etc..
 
I had an old 2010 base model Mac mini sitting in closet storage for many years. I took it out and hooked it up to a monitor and upgraded its OS X to Sierra all the way from Mountain Lion.
With its base 2GB RAM it was a struggle just to install OS.
I then took out the rams from my 2012 Mac mini (2x2GB) and inserted it into the 2010 mini and brought it to Korea without testing it.
For the first time after the ram upgrade I turn on the Mac mini and it starts beeping and won’t display anything on our 4K TV or even the 27’ Thunderbolt Display or a Samsung monitor.

I am aware that if I inserted the wrong RAM it makes that noise.
The original RAM was
1GB 1066mhz 8500 DDR3
And new ram I put in is
2GB 1333mhz 10600 DDR3

Do I need the exact same speed RAM?

I tried doing all the basics like resetting PRAM and inserting just one RAM etc..
[doublepost=1551081745][/doublepost]This might help... https://blog.macsales.com/16302-some-2010-mac-owners-can-get-more-ram-than-they-thought

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Yes, you need exactly the same speed. You inserted 1333 mhz modules on a 1066mhz motherboard, that's the problem.
Get 1066 mhz modules and it will work again. Your mini can take up to 16 Gb ram.
 
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Yes, you need exactly the same speed. You inserted 1333 mhz modules on a 1066mhz motherboard, that's the problem.
Get 1066 mhz modules and it will work again. Your mini can take up to 16 Gb ram.

Thank you!!
Also is it bad to have different sized or branded ram on each slot?
So for example:
Slot 1 Samsung 4GB DDR3 1066mhz
Slot 2 crucial 2GB DDR3 1066 MHz
 
Thank you!!
Also is it bad to have different sized or branded ram on each slot?
So for example:
Slot 1 Samsung 4GB DDR3 1066mhz
Slot 2 crucial 2GB DDR3 1066 MHz
I wouldn't say bad, it should work, but not at the optimal configuration. I always advise to play it safe and get same speed, same size, same brand. This way it will work for sure and at the best performance.
Why that 4GB module? will you buy it? If your budget is limited, a single 8GB module is not that expensive nowadays and if you need more than that, you can always buy another one of the same brand later.
 
The beeps likely indicated bad RAM.
Put GOOD RAM into it and try again.
Matched pairs are best, but...
... the Mini can run with UNmatched pairs, and I think it can run with only one slot occupied.
 
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