I installed more RAM on my late 2012 iMac but I'm not sure if I put them in the correct order. When I opened the back there was an empty slot between the two 4GB sticks. I moved them together side by side. This is what the system report looks like:
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How to Arrange RAM?
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The original two sticks were already in the "normal" slots for one pair, but there's no requirement for specific arrangements, and your arrangement works fine.
All of your memory is recognized. You COULD boot to the diagnostic/hardware test, and run the extended test (Restart, while holding D).
The test will take quite a long time (maybe an hour with that much memory, IDK), but you probably don't need to run the test, unless you think you are having some problem with the hardware.
Are you having any actual problem?
All of your memory is recognized. You COULD boot to the diagnostic/hardware test, and run the extended test (Restart, while holding D).
The test will take quite a long time (maybe an hour with that much memory, IDK), but you probably don't need to run the test, unless you think you are having some problem with the hardware.
Are you having any actual problem?
Not having any issues. All RAM is recognized but I've been reading conflicting information on how the RAM should be organized in the back of the computer for optimal performance. I just opened it up again and changed it based on some info I read online. The original factory configuration had an empty slot between the two 4GB sticks. I replaced the original sticks with the 8GB sticks and placed the original 4GB sticks in the empty slots. The back of the computer from top to bottom looks like 4/8/4/8. Is that more correct? I guess I was confused originally reading that the RAM had to be side-by-side and thought it was physically side-by-side. Please see images below. Thanks!
Nope.
The iMac doesn't particularly care which slots are loaded, and in which order.
A Mac Pro, for an example, is a very different animal for RAM configuration. Some other Macs can have (slight) performance increases if matched pairs are used. Your iMac is not so critical.
And, adding a significant amount of RAM, as you have already done, would be of greater advantage than setting up exact sets in exact slot locations.
Or, if you are more geeky - 4/4/8/8 or 8/4/8/4 are other possibilities, with the same advantage - none over the same sticks installed in different slots...
Note also that your iMac can be used with just 8/0/0/0 (if you want to try!)
You can also refer to the Apple support article that covers memory installation.
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1423