RAM Upgrade Issue

[andyhe]

Just got a small issue here.

I did a RAM upgrade for my late 2011 MBP. However, it didn't work properly, like it's taking forever to empty my trash. I went to disk utility through RECOVERY interface, and did a disk repair. But it didn't solve the prob. So, I took out 8GB RAM, put back my original 4gb ram. The OS was still not working properly - same issue. I did a restore through Time Machine - taking my system back to the last saved point before I did the RAM upgrade. The OS was working properly, but I feel my computer is getting slower. I installed an app called "FREE Memory" to show the status of my RAM. It went down to 10MB if I open more than 4 apps. My system is freezing for a few seconds when the free RAM dropped to less than 50MB. Before I did the upgrade, my FREE RAM never went down to 300MB.

Anyone have the same experiences? Any solutions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[A7ibaba]

I also have late 2011 and upgraded to Kingston 2 x 4 GB. Occasionaly i got kernel panic in random cases with no order every day. I replaced with OWC and all back to normal with no single crash.My thinking about your situation is that u need to reset SMC and u have corupted data on disk because of incompatible memory.

 

[andyhe]

I also have late 2011 and upgraded to Kingston 2 x 4 GB. Occasionaly i got kernel panic in random cases with no order every day. I replaced with OWC and all back to normal with no single crash.My thinking about your situation is that u need to reset SMC and u have corupted data on disk because of incompatible memory.

I did it. It seems to be working great now. I'll follow it up after I'm running it for a few hours. Thanks a lot.

 

[user418]

You did what? Perhaps if you explained exactly what you did to correct your problem if might help someone else with the same issue now or going forward.

For example: SMC reset, reboot system, reseat RAM, reinstall, etc......

 

[andyhe]

You did what? Perhaps if you explained exactly what you did to correct your problem if might help someone else with the same issue now or going forward.

For example: SMC reset, reboot system, reseat RAM, reinstall, etc......

What I did was SMC reset.

1. Shut down your computer
2. Press left-side Shift+Control+Option and Power Button at the same time. (You don't need to hold these keys for a few seconds. Just press them.)
3. Release all of them at the same time
4. Press Power Button to turn on your computer

That's it.

 

[andyhe]

I also have late 2011 and upgraded to Kingston 2 x 4 GB. Occasionaly i got kernel panic in random cases with no order every day. I replaced with OWC and all back to normal with no single crash.My thinking about your situation is that u need to reset SMC and u have corupted data on disk because of incompatible memory.

Just want to follow up what I did yesterday. I was working great after I did SMC reset. However, it went back to the same situation after I turned on my MBP again this morning.

 

[A7ibaba]

Try to reinstall OS X like i mention before,because there is posibility that some system files are corupted due to incompatible memory. Possible slowdowns are caused by faulty HDD or damaged system files.

 

[mckim]

does more ram increase or decrease battery life?

 

[Pentad]

When I bought my 2011" MBP I ordered 8 GB of memory separately from Apple. Did the swap in probably 5 or 10 mins. The system had zero problems.


Last fall, I went from 8 to 16 GB of memory and again it was plug and go.

If you purchased the correct memory, you should not have any issues at all. I've upgraded the memory on all my MBPs going back to 2009 (always to 8 gb and 16 GB on my 2011).

Try to reinstall OS X like i mention before,because there is posibility that some system files are corupted due to incompatible memory. Possible slowdowns are caused by faulty HDD or damaged system files.

If the memory is incompatible or damaged, a reinstall will not help.



No kidding, you should be able to swap the memory, turn the computer on and fly. Nothing else should be required.

Some suggestions:

Are you sure the memory isn't bad? Are you sure you bought the correct memory and/or they sent you the correct memory? Was anything damaged in shipping? Are the DIMMS seated ok in the MBP?

Keep us updated,
-P

 

[GGJstudios]

does more ram increase or decrease battery life?

As I said in the other thread where you posted this question, neither, to any measurable degree, simply by having the RAM installed. If adding RAM reduces page outs, it would reduce power demands, as read/writes to a drive require more power than read/writes in RAM. There are many other factors that impact your battery life to a much greater degree. See the BATTERY LIFE FROM A CHARGE section of the following link for details, including tips on how to maximize your battery life.

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions:

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​