Can the Late 2009 27" iMac handle 32GB of RAM?

[sailingaction]

Spechs please

Yes, 32GB works just fine in a 2009 27" Quad i7. Will even run at 1333MHz instead of 1066MHz.

Image

(I cut off the screen capture to leave out my serial number.)

I'm thinking of changing my late iMac 2009 i7 2.8GHz for the new one.

I was really going for the new 13" Retina laptop but if I can have 32Gb of RAM, then I will for sure get the laptop. If someone can give me the spechs on the 8GB Ram sticks that works wold be awesome.

Thanxs

 

[Trivial rock]

Yes, 32GB works just fine in a 2009 27" Quad i7. Will even run at 1333MHz instead of 1066MHz.

Image

(I cut off the screen capture to leave out my serial number.)

Is it still working fine, any stability issues? I'm hoping to do this soon if all is well. Thanks

 

[Trivial rock]

Hi

I am running on the following Kingston RAM at 1333mhz , tested with Rember app , 100% error free .

Is it still working OK? Cheers!

 

[servus]

it seems to work, but:

Hi

I am running on the following Kingston RAM at 1333mhz , tested with Rember app , 100% error free .

it seems to work, but:

the cpu can only adress 16 GB of RAM, right?

 

[chiefsucker]

I am running on the following Kingston RAM at 1333mhz , tested with Rember app , 100% error free .

Today I bought the same RAM (also 4x8 GB modules) and work on exactly the same iMac. I’m waiting for the shipment, but I’ll try to tell you about my experience with those modules (if I won’t forget to revisit this thread).

Thanks for letting others know which configurations work for you guys.

 

[chiefsucker]

it seems to work, but:

the cpu can only adress 16 GB of RAM, right?

According to the official Intel specification, yes. But keep in mind that Intel could have just not tested the CPU with such high amounts of memory. The CPU is rather old and was introduced in 2009. I’ve already seen some used servers in the wild that were sold with the same i7 860 CPU and 32 GB RAM. When the system detects it, it should generally work. As I said, I will test the configuration when the RAM arrives and give a status update. I believe that it could work, although this configuration will be officially unsupported.

 

[BenLava]

When the system detects it, it should generally work. As I said, I will test the configuration when the RAM arrives and give a status update. I believe that it could work, although this configuration will be officially unsupported.

I look forward to your update. Would you be able to take a screenshot of programs using (in aggregate) more than 16 GB?

 

[GGJstudios]

So does everymac.com try different memory configurations, or do they just repeat apple specs, and include reported successes with attempted memory upgrades?

EveryMac.com relies on information from third parties, as stated in the specs for several models:

*Officially, this model supports a maximum of 16 GB of memory. However, third-parties have discovered that it actually will support 32 GB of memory using four 8 GB modules.

Based on the following statement, it appears that "third-parties" includes OWC:

However, third-parties, such as site sponsor Other World Computing have been able to expand the memory in the original Mac Pro models to 32 GB using eight 4 GB modules.

My guess is that "third-parties" doesn't include individual users, but rather companies such as OWC, and possibly others like Crucial, who have an economic reason and the resources to test various models.

 

[aliensporebomb]

I suspected this...

I suspected this system would run 32 and now that I know it can I'll give it a shot.

 

[ImAlwaysRight]

Is it still working fine, any stability issues? I'm hoping to do this soon if all is well. Thanks

Sorry, haven't been here in a while.

Yes, 32GB is running rock solid in my 2009 i7 iMac, and should in any i7 iMac, as long as the memory is good. Using the program TmpDisk I have a 18GB RAM disk running right now.

It identifies the memory modules properly at 1.33 GHz, that doesn't mean they're actually running that fast (they're not).

Just like with every other computer in history, you can run faster RAM of the same type, but it'll run at the same speed as the memory controller.

That is incorrect. Like every other Mac in history, when the RAM is downclocked to a slower speed, the Mac reports is as such. Which is why the 1600MHz modules (which ran at 1600MHz in a MacBook Pro, BTW) only ran at 1333MHz in this iMac, because this iMac can only run the memory at 1333MHz and no faster.

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it seems to work, but:

the cpu can only adress 16 GB of RAM, right?

The way I read the data off of your chart, 16GB x 2 channels = 32GB. I am running an 18GB RAM disk right now, plus the operating system and a couple apps. It is certainly addressing more than 16GB.

 

[ECJ]

Well.... I took the plunge and it worked great on my Late 2009 i7 27" iMac. About 4x 8GB sticks on ebay here. Only cost $102.

Before

After

Thanks for the info.

 

[gatortpk]

Thanks for all your replies!

I'm the original poster. Thanks to all who helped me. I just installed 32GB of RAM in my late-2009 iMac. I bought 4x8GB 1066 MHz SODIMMs. But they sent me 1333 MHz SODIMMs instead. I remember that being one of my hold backs, I wanted to buy 8GB 1067 MHz SODIMMs (instead of 1333 MHz) and they didn't exist. It now appears that they do. Or, do they, and the eBay seller mislabeled the Memory?

In any case, I'm glad it works, now I need to find an App or process to use 17+ GB of RAM on it's own to verify that more than 16 GB is accessible!

 

[ECJ]

That ram is made only in the desktop version. The ram you have (1333 MHz) will work.

To get an app that will address that much, try aperture, photoshop or something like that. But all 32gb is addressable. I've opened Aperture with my large library and it at the ram like candy. Lol

 

[haddy]

If someone can give me the spechs on the 8GB Ram sticks that works wold be awesome.

Thanxs

Hi, Have just installed in my 27" late 2009 2.8 GHz i7: 4 x 8.0GB 1600MHz DDR3L SO-DIMM PC12800 204 Pin from OWC.

They are working fine..... 32GB. 8GB in each slot. However, the MHz is recorded at 1333 DDR3 not 1600 DDR3L. Looks like the memory controller doesn't go up to 1600...... and I don't know about the L ......low voltage.

But all is just fine touch wood

 

[gatortpk]

Happy to report 32GB works perfectly!

I ran Rember, a GUI Wrapper for Memtest on 24.71 GB of free RAM I had at the time the day after I installed the 32 GB of RAM. It took 2 hours and 51 minutes to do all the tests for just one loop. It passed all the tests, and it put about 3 hours of total CPU time on. Meaning it was using just over 100% CPU, it was just maxing one core after another as a single threaded process.

I was just surprised that not once during the 3 hours, a single little bit of a byte didn't go wrong! This also proved that I can not only use over 4 GB of RAM in a single process, but over 16 GB. Also, Wired memory was close to 27 GB during the test. I can't get the kernel to use over 2 GB of RAM though, but that's just because it doesn't need it yet. I did notice that my wired memory usage still went up again with the increase to 32GB from 16GB. So, again, the more RAM you have, the more the OS will use. (I wonder, if I could, would OS X use even more RAM at startup if I had 64GB of RAM? Where's the limit when the OS has everything it can load into memory?)

I also noticed that strangely, my iMac doesn't suddenly restart itself every few days (giving me that dreaded 5 language message saying the computer had to restart, similar to the "You must hold the power button down for 5 seconds..."). I thought it was the hard drive, but wow, I think I solved another mystery and had a bad batch of 16GB of RAM before! Do I need to worry about putting these four 4GB SODIMMs into two different MacBook Pros?

 

[ECJ]

Do I need to worry about putting these four 4GB SODIMMs into two different MacBook Pros?

I would test them fully before you put them in another machine. I had the same thing happen. I had what I thought was quality ram. I would get a restart or freezing about once a week. I upgraded the ram to 32gb and not a single issue.

 

[gatortpk]

I would test them fully before you put them in another machine. I had the same thing happen. I had what I thought was quality ram. I would get a restart or freezing about once a week. I upgraded the ram to 32gb and not a single issue.

Thanks for the post! I did test the RAM with Rember on one MacBook Pro with 8GB from the 16 GB batch, and not a single problem.

I'll try the second pair eventually, I sort of want to find a problem so it'll confirm my diagnosis of bad RAM in my iMac! Though it'll mean I'm out at least a 4GB SODIMM. Thankfully they are the cheapest 4GB RAM DDR3s you can get anyway. About $20 today?

 

[ajmerphull]

I am looking to upgrade my

iMac 27" 2.8GHZ QUAD-CORE i7 (late 2009)

to 32GB* and would like to know where would be the best prices for the specific modules i need.

Do i need 4x8G modules or can i get away with 2x16G (if they are cheaper to buy than 4x8G) and where to buy (i was looking on kingston.com)?

*I was going to go by the book and upgrade to 16G until i read and seen proof of 32G RAM working!!!

 

[ECJ]

I am looking to upgrade my

iMac 27" 2.8GHZ QUAD-CORE i7 (late 2009)

to 32GB* and would like to know where would be the best prices for the specific modules i need.

Do i need 4x8G modules or can i get away with 2x16G (if they are cheaper to buy than 4x8G) and where to buy (i was looking on kingston.com)?

*I was going to go by the book and upgrade to 16G until i read and seen proof of 32G RAM working!!!

It can't take 16GB sticks. Just 8GB sticks. You need 4X 8GB sticks. I bought these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148469 and it works great. Also it's cheaper than Kingston.com. Good luck.

 

[ajmerphull]

It can't take 16GB sticks. Just 8GB sticks. You need 4X 8GB sticks. I bought these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148469 and it works great. Also it's cheaper than Kingston.com. Good luck.

Thanks ECJ. Do you know if the iMAC relies on ECC or Non-ECC or does it not matter?

I had a look online for 4 x 8GB module kits, but prices seem to have gone up by 40-50%, i was expecting to find a 32GB kit (Kingston) for somewhere in the £100-£150 region, but the cheapest i can find is from Stash Monkey at over £200

I am in the UK and therefore probably need to find a UK/Europe based retailer. I have seen Crucial and Corsair modules and like most people, its a fear of never having used them and not wanting to risk buying them, but i will have a look.

 

[ECJ]

Thanks ECJ. Do you know if the iMAC relies on ECC or Non-ECC or does it not matter?

I had a look online for 4 x 8GB module kits, but prices seem to have gone up by 40-50%, i was expecting to find a 32GB kit (Kingston) for somewhere in the £100-£150 region, but the cheapest i can find is from Stash Monkey at over £200

I am in the UK and therefore probably need to find a UK/Europe based retailer. I have seen Crucial and Corsair modules and like most people, its a fear of never having used them and not wanting to risk buying them, but i will have a look.

Yeah the prices have gone up. When I bought mine a few months ago, it was $160 USD for 32GB. Not's it's about $240 for the same thing.

To answer your question, it's non ECC.

 

[densmy]

8GB Doesnt work on C2D Late 2009 IMac 27

After reading the thread, I went and buy those 2x 8gb kingston dd3 1333mhz sodimm, and try it on my Late 2009 IMac27 C2D, too bad, they dont work. system simply cannot detect it, and cant mix it with my existing 2gbx2 and 4gbx1 at 1066mhz.

I guess it could be the chipset or BIOS firmware, upon checking support site, strange enough these C2D iMac 27 late 2009 model do not get any update, while the i7 do get updates.

so I am stuck with 2x 8GB kingston ddr3 1333mhz sodimm now.

anyone in Malaysia wanna buy it off me at a discounted price? comes with full life time warranty and just bought from LowYat today with invoice of course.

Bought at RM166 per 8gb ram. (SOLD)

I m now using 4 x 4GB @ 1066Mhz. Total is 16GB now.

 

[ECJ]

I've never heard of a C2D iMac being able to handle 32GB. It's only for the i series iMacs.

 

[ajmerphull]

Being stubborn and sticking with Kingston I have found different models of the same 8G SODIMM 1333GHz 204pin module

Click on Kingston Memory Search to see results


Buying one wouldn't really be an issue (well, it would really) since the price varies between £35-£50 for the different modules, but when i need 4 modules you can see how a possible £60 can make a huge difference.

Here are the different part numbers, for what effectively appear to be the same module

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KFJ-FPC3B/8G

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KTA-MB1333/8G

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KTD-L3B/8G

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KTH-X3B/8G

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KTL-TP3B/8G

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KTT-S3B/8G

8GB Module - DDR3 1333MHz
Part Number: KVR1333D3S9/8G

 

[Nukenow]

Late 2009 iMac with 32GB = YES!!!

Hello everyone! My first post here, im getting nervous here!

I have a Late 2009 iMac myself and I have been wondering the same thing for the longest time, saved up some cash, and splurged for two 8GB memory sticks. Originally I had 2GB sticks in all four memory slots (8GB total). I took two of the 2GB sticks out and replaced them with the two 8GB sticks and... CHANGEO PRESTO!! 8+8+2+2= 20GB!!! It worked! Computer started up in under 18 seconds as usual and no errors have taken place! No reason I could replace the other two slots with 8GB if I already broke the 16GB barrier that everyone is skeptical of, 20GB is plenty for now, but only thing is my *GB sticks are 1333Mhz and my other two 2GB sticks are 1066mhz. With that being said the computer runs at 1066mhz not 1333mhz, selecting the lower of the two. But I believe if all four slots are replaced with 1333mhz it will run at 1333mhz. Alas, 20Gb of Ram will do me just fine for now! Hope this helps!

I bought it on ebay right here, SUPER CHEAP! Only $89.99 for two 8GB's!!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250961364716?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649