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27" iMac RAM Installation - What am I doing wrong?

D

danistyping

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 8, 2009
182
171
Boston, MA
So I have an i5 27" that came with 4GB RAM (two 2 gig chips). I ordered two more 2 gig chips for a total of 8. When I went to install the two new ones, I followed logical steps. Remove the flexible plastic strip, slide the ram into the slot. However, the ram doesn't click, slide, or pop into place, in any way. I have tried both sides, and I have tried flipping the ram over and doing it backwards. I tried booting the computer with them in there even though they weren't settled in and it froze. I took them out, put the cover back on, and rebooted, and now every time I boot i get a meter that takes forever to fill up. Once booted, the computer does work normally.

What am I doing wrong? And how can i fix this painfully long boot process? What have i done!?!?!

Any help is appreciated.
 
OK, you need to press really hard to get the RAM to seat. It will click into place, but you need to line up the grooves so that they match the holes and then press in. Don't be afraid to push hard, you won't break it.

As for the long boot process, it might be running some sort of memory test. Get your RAM installed first and then we can try to sort out the boot sequence.
 
I did the same thing, and had the same problem. Try yanking on that plastic thing to remove the Apple Ram, then put all of them back in together if you can. You DO have to press REALLY REALLY hard.

...when you boot up, zap your P-RAM.
 
Thank you very much guys...

I did end up getting the RAM in, as per your recomendation of more force. Damn...you seriously have to feel like you're almost going to break it just to get it in.

As for the boot problem....well, it turns out that since I booted the computer once with the ram in incorrectly, i corrupted part of the hard drive on startup because the weak connection to the ram confused it. I had to restore from a time machine backup.

I learned my lesson and ended up not breaking anything in the process! Pretty soon I'll be ripping open iMacs and installing SSDs and new processors.....right.
 
I too struggled to force the RAM into the slots. In the ignored I ignored Apple's advice and simply turned the computer upside down, with the screen vertical and the top of the screen resting on the desk. It was then very easy to simply press down on the RAM and it just gently clicked into place. Now why don't Apple suggest this way of doing it?
 
Haha, I remember when I had to fit my RAM into the iMac.. you really have to press a lot harder than you would expect.. I remember I was sweating like a pig, haha

It is, however, a very simple process, and I am glad I did it.
 
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