Mid 2010 mac mini Ram upgrade help.

[zowenso]

Hello, people. Im sure this question is just beating a dead horse, but i need some help. I have, from what apple tech support told me, a mid 2010 mac mini with the disc drive. I called apple care to find out what exactly i needed to upgrade my Ram. I was told DDR3 SD 1,066 mhz ram. Does that sound right? I dont see 1,066 mhz anywhere in my overview. Also, i searched for that exact ram and there doesn't seem to be many options. Could anyone shoot me a few links with exactly what i need or what you recommend? Im currently at 2 gig and would like to replace that and make it 4 gig. Any help would be great. Owen.

Here is my overview

Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini4,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MM41.0042.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.65f2
Serial Number (system): C07F35ZADD6H
Hardware UUID: A24C3427-D853-5DFE-9DF7-6F11EFE4B36E

 

[Intell]

Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz

That's it. 1.07Ghz is 1066Mhz.

 

[zowenso]

Thanks, Intell. Is the ram that i need, one that isnt available in huge numbers or made by most companies? When i search for it, i dont come across many options. Thanks again, O

Is this an option?

http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=75926DAAA5CA7304

 

[Intell]

It is fairly common. It runs at 1066/1067Mhz, but its actual name is PC3-8500 SO-DIMM ram. Try searching for that.

 

[philipma1957]

best buy has this same that you picked. free shipping or maybe it is at a store near you



http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Crucial...6997&skuId=1360023&st=pc3-8500 ddr3&cp=1&lp=6

 

[zowenso]

Thanks a lot for the best buy link. Ill check my local store. Another question, I thought I read on the apple site that the Mac mini has two slots that hold a max of 2 gig, each slot. That can't be right, right?

 

[Intell]

Thanks a lot for the best buy link. Ill check my local store. Another question, I thought I read on the apple site that the Mac mini has two slots that hold a max of 2 gig, each slot. That can't be right, right?

That Mac Mini can hold a maximum of 8GB.

 

[philipma1957]

hence my best buy link to 2x 4gb sticks = 8gb total of ram.


to the op that year of mac mini is a picky mofo with ram.

I would say it is the hardest intel mac mini when it comes to accepting ram.

the 2011 and 2012 are much more easy going about ram compatibility..

 

[zowenso]

Great. Figures. How will I know if the ram is not accepted and can any damage be done or can I lose anything on my computer? And there isn't one particular company that is known to cause less of a problem with the upgrade?

Is the process of replacing it still, fairly, easy? I watched a video on YouTube and the dude just pushed two tabs back and popped each stick out and to add the new one he just pushed in the new stick in on a slight angle and then pushed it back and it snapped into place.

Thanks for everything, guys. O

 

[philipma1957]

I have done lots of upgrades.

pny has been decent was 20 for 20 then a bad batch about 5 of 10 bad

crucial was good 8 or 9 of 10

samsung was really good = the only perfect record 10 for 10

gskill was decent 8 or 9 of 10.

it won't kill your machine if the new ram is bad.

sometimes you just get beeps with no boot.

sometimes it runs but flakey.

you can make the swap pretty easy just be gentle with those little clips

 

[zowenso]

I have done lots of upgrades.

pny has been decent was 20 for 20 then a bad batch about 5 of 10 bad

crucial was good 8 or 9 of 10

samsung was really good = the only perfect record 10 for 10

gskill was decent 8 or 9 of 10.

it won't kill your machine if the new ram is bad.

sometimes you just get beeps with no boot.

sometimes it runs but flakey.

you can make the swap pretty easy just be gentle with those little clips

Thanks for the feedback. So, it seems i should shoot for Crucial, Samsung or gskill. When you talk about a "batch" and "8 or 9 of 10" are you saying you buy in bulk and a certain percentage of ram that you buy is bad? Thanks.

 

[philipma1957]

Thanks for the feedback. So, it seems i should shoot for Crucial, Samsung or gskill. When you talk about a "batch" and "8 or 9 of 10" are you saying you buy in bulk and a certain percentage of ram that you buy is bad? Thanks.

yes. I have upgraded 50 to 100 machines each year since 2006.


the 2010 was a tough one with ram.

If and when you upped it to pc3-8500 1066 4gb sticks

a lot just did not work. So with trial and error I would need to get good sticks and buy in bulk.

I would test with this program


http://www.kelleycomputing.net/Rember/


all 2010 ram in 2x 4gb would fail to memory lock.


the first thumbnail shows 16gb ram in a 2012 and it passes memory lock.


I will walk to a 2010 with 8gb ram and do a thumbnail that will show memory lock fails.

this is true of all 2x 8gb ram in a 2010 mac mini. I do not know exactly why the lock fails but I believe this is what make the 2010 mini so picky with 2x 4gb sticks of ram.


@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

I am now on my 2010 mini with 8gb ram 2x 4gb sticks the second thumbnail shows failed memory lock. I will run an hour ram test to the end and show what a passed test looks like. in the case of this 2010 the only fail allowed is memory lock.

in a 2011 or a 2012 no failures of any kind should happen

 

[zowenso]

Man, thanks for all the info. This sounds like a headache already?...lol. I almost dont want to even get into now...lol. Do you find this issue with installing 2 x 4gb sticks only? How about if i went with 2 x 2gb sticks, giving me 4gb instead of 8gb? Maybe 8gb is overkill for me. Im just experiencing some sluggishness when i have photoshop, safari and iphoto open and i wanted to try to fix that. Would i have an issue with 2 x 2gb sticks as well?

Also, do you have to replace both sticks when upgrading? If i got a single 4gb stick, would that work?

 

[philipma1957]

you can use a 4gb and a 1gb sometimes it works .

if you want a 2x 2gb kit it may be good enough.

the switch of sticks is pretty easy.

 

[Giuly]

Why don't you just use RAM that states compatibility and call it a day? 8GB and 16GB from Crucial, as well as 8GB Kingston, 16GB Patriot and also 8GB resp. 16GB G.Skill come to mind.

And yes, it runs with 1333MHz RAM, it may or may not be faster than 1066MHz, but it's definitively easier to find and for the most cases less expensive these days.