Bought a refurb 2011 MBP - arrived with extra RAM?

It happens from time to time. Consider it a gift! Apple also sometimes does things like this to compensate customers for problems or inconveniences, such as delayed shipping, having to return items, etc.

 

I had something similar happen to me in late 2008 when I purchased a refurbished early 2008 model MBP. It was specd out with 2GB of RAM and when I got it it had 4GB. I looked on several forums and discovered that any refurbished unit gives you what was returned to Apple. So if the system had PhotoShop on it you got that software for free. Mine happened to have double the memory. It is one of the benefits of getting a refurbished Mac. Good for ya.

 

I've heard of getting more memory than was specified, but not software. As far as I know they format the drive and install the clean OS + iLife that the machine originally shipped with.

 

Seriously? Are you people really that naive? Apple doesn't give you Photoshop for free if someone returned a computer with Photoshop on it. Give me a break!! First off, it's a copyright violation; Apple may like to sue folks, but they don't like to get sued in return. That copy of Photoshop that you claim they give away if it is already on the "returned" computer's hard drive, is licensed to someone else, not Apple. Second, Apple reformats every drive they get back...they test it and test it again, then reformat it with a clean install of OS X for resale purposes. No copy of Photoshop going on that computer, I can promise you that.

As for the hardware, I don't have the bottom line answer on that one. My guess is that they throw in an extra gig of ram here and there just to massage the customer with a gesture of good will. Either that, or like you said, the previous owner had upgraded the computer before returning it, and forgot to take the ram out, etc. etc. But...extra RAM is NOT a copyright violation in any shape or form; it's just a piece of hardware with sole ownership going to the one who has possession of the item in question. But Photoshop? Seriously? Someone's been hitting the bottle a little too often.

 

lol (popcorn)

 

Exactly what happened with mine. Nothing to worry about - one of the nice things that occasionally happens with refurbs. Enjoy...

 

Not true. All refurbs have the drive wiped and the original OS installed that shipped with it. No files or apps installed by the original owner remain.

 

I hope my next refurb comes with Angry Birds

 

You should call them and let them know they made a mistake and offer to pay $100 for the extra ram lol

 

It's not actually a mistake anyway. A lot of refurbished units are returns, and the listed specs are essentially guaranteed. If it says 4GB of ram, it's guaranteeing that much. If it shows up with 8 instead, it's just a matter of what happened to be available for shipment.

 

You really need to turn your high horse around and ride off into the sunset because your naïveté about the whole thing is really off-putting. The reality of the situation "Mr. I think I know it all" is this; when I got my refurb not only did it have the extra RAM, it still had the previous user's account on it. I didn't want to mess with that, so I formatted the drive myself. While I understand why they wouldn't want to keep stuff like that on the computers, the evidence suggested otherwise. I guess your proof regarding the reformatting off the hard drive is nonexistent. Or maybe the person who posted that they got Photoshop, (btw, not me) when I was researching the refurb systems was like me in that their Mac was somehow overlooked upon going through the certification process. So, unless you personally certify each refurbished Mac yourself, you can't categorically say that they don't give the software that is on them.

 

That is true. I've read a few things about the company that really are nice.

If Apple quietly added the RAM, or if somebody returned theirs after upgrading it and plum forgot about it (oops), or for any other reason, at this juncture - just enjoy it.

 

Congratulations!

And be sure a buy a lottery ticket, to see if your good luck follows thru!

 

Shh dont say that here. People will tell you to return the macbook for less ram cause you "stole" it