Advice & Help on RAM Upgrade

[azurikai]

Searching this forum is overwhelming as I'm not accustomed to MacRumors. I'm sorry if there are threads like this all the time, but I really am in need of help. I'm not very good with the whole hardware aspect of my Macbook Pro, but I have read tutorials and have a friend that's going to help me install.

Here are the specs of my Macbook Pro:

http://i.imgur.com/MH07m.png
http://i.imgur.com/HxfVU.png

According to those images and what I've read, I've got the Late 2008 Model of the Macbook Pro. According to the official Apple site it says that I can replace my RAM with a maximum of 4gb chips.

My questions are...

1. What chips are recommended?
2. I can get two chips of 4gb to install?
3. Is it possible to stick 8gb even though it's not "supported"? (I'd read that the hardware can handle it, but it doesn't properly know how to use all 8gb).

If you guys need to know anything else, please barrage me with questions!

Thank you so much, I hope I haven't offended anyone by posting such a generic question,


Austin

 

[T5BRICK]

1. Corsair, Crucial and OWC make good RAM. I've used g.skill before and it worked fine. Read through the reviews on newegg or Amazon and you'll find people with Macs reviewing the RAM.

2. & 3. Yes, you can buy an 8GB kit, 2 x 4 GB should work fine.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...-2.4-aluminum-15-late-2008-unibody-specs.html

Just make sure you're running the MBP51.007E.B05 boot ROM.

 

[azurikai]

1. Corsair, Crucial and OWC make good RAM. I've used g.skill before and it worked fine. Read through the reviews on newegg or Amazon and you'll find people with Macs reviewing the RAM.

2. & 3. Yes, you can buy an 8GB kit, 2 x 4 GB should work fine.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...-2.4-aluminum-15-late-2008-unibody-specs.html

Just make sure you're running the MBP51.007E.B05 boot ROM.

1. Would these work? http://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-Vengeance-204-Pin-1600MHz-CMSX8GX3M2A1600C9/dp/B006EWUOL8
2. and what do you mean the Boot ROM?

 

[T5BRICK]

1. Would these work? http://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-Vengeance-204-Pin-1600MHz-CMSX8GX3M2A1600C9/dp/B006EWUOL8
2. and what do you mean the Boot ROM?

I'm not sure. Did you skim through the reviews? I saw at least one saying that it worked on their late 2011 MBP.

In one of your screenshots you have a window that has a button that reads "System Report." Click that and it should bring up a screen with a bunch of detailed specs. On the main screen you should be able to see "Boot ROM version:"

 

[snaky69]

Your computer will take up to 8GB of 1067MHZ 204-pin DDR3 RAM.

Your computer has two RAM slots, so you'll need 2x4GB sticks to give it maximum RAM. Your computer will not be able to boot with more RAM, so don't bother trying to stick more in there, your chipset does not support it.

Go to newegg.com and pick out laptop memory with the aforementionned specs, check for memory with good rating and a decent warranty and buy away.

As far as installation, if you know which end of a screw driver to use without poking someone's eyes out, you're skilled enough. Just don't forget to touch something metallic before digging in to discharge any static electricity you may have accumulated.