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Late 2008 MBP not compatible with 2012 Mac Mini RAM

V

VTECaddict

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 15, 2008
392
61
I just got a 2012 Mac Mini and wanted to swap the ram between that and my 2008 uMBP. I have Crucial 2x4GB in the MBP and the Mini came with the stock 2x2GB. The 2x2GB works perfectly fine in the Mini, but when put into the MBP, the MBP does not boot.

Both are DDR3 obviously, and I know the MBP is spec'd at a slower 1067mhz/PC3-8500 speed vs the Mac Mini at 1600mhz/PC3-12800, but memory should just clock down to the lower speed rating. I would expect stock Apple supplied RAM to be more compatible, if anything, rather than being not compatible between Apple products. Anything I'm missing here or is it simply not going to work?
 
VTECaddict said:
I just got a 2012 Mac Mini and wanted to swap the ram between that and my 2008 uMBP. I have Crucial 2x4GB in the MBP and the Mini came with the stock 2x2GB. The 2x2GB works perfectly fine in the Mini, but when put into the MBP, the MBP does not boot.

Both are DDR3 obviously, and I know the MBP is spec'd at a slower 1067mhz/PC3-8500 speed vs the Mac Mini at 1600mhz/PC3-12800, but memory should just clock down to the lower speed rating. I would expect stock Apple supplied RAM to be more compatible, if anything, rather than being not compatible between Apple products. Anything I'm missing here or is it simply not going to work?
Click to expand...

Some computers are finicky with RAM, that's just the way it is. Not all logicboards/RAM downclocks well for some reason.
 
In theory it should work.

I mean, I have RAM that works fine in my 2012 MacBook Pro, but isn't detected by my 2012 Mac Mini (I'd get the beeps on boot).... Granted it's not Apple's Elpida RAM.
 
I figured as much. Was hoping to use my 2x4GB to tide me over until Black Friday when there will hopefully be a deal on 2x8GB for the mini. Guess I just have to suffer with the 2x2GB for now.
 
The rule of thumb I use for this is that you can put RAM that's one speed faster than your machine in. In your case you've skipped two: 1067 -> 1333 -> 1600.
 
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