Don’t think me heartless for carrying on as usual. I just wanted to post this to give people an idea on how to upgrade their mac’s ram. As you will see over the next few posts I’ve been keeping myself busy. I’ve also made a new layout which you can see. More on that in upcoming posts. Though in theory this ‘tutorial’ applies to every laptop. Just ensure you have the right ram and then undo every screw until you find where it goes. Trust me, thats the way the professionals do it.
I’m not as good as this tutorial because I didn’t make a video of it, but if I’m honest it wouldn’t make for interesting viewing because halfway through I went home and then it took me 4 hours to get the last screw out, by which time you’d have gotten bored.
If you don’t trust my instructions (possibly a wise choice) be sure to print off the Apple official guide to have handy and don’t worry about your warranty, its considered a user upgrade so it doesn’t void it.
First you need to get the right RAM. This all depends on the configuration of your mac. Mines a 2.16Ghz Intel Core Duo with 1gig of ram (which is how I ordered it). To find out your computers spec click the apple in the top left hand corner of the screen and select About this mac a little window will pop up.
There we go, slow little bugger isn’t it. I’m upgrading because I need to run photoshop, flash, neooffice, firefox, adium and itunes all at the same time and it just makes my laptop die. I usually run with 10mb free ram! Damn this program intensive course!
ok, so now we know our computers spec we need the right RAM. Looking on the apple docs site shows us we need SDRAM in Double Data Rate Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (DDR SO-DIMM) format, 1.25 inch or smaller, 512 MB or 1 gigabyte (GB), 200-pin and PC2-5300 DDR2 667 MHz Type RAM. Gibberish
What you do is take the east way out. You go to Crucial.com and select your country. Type in your manufacturer (Apple in case you weren’t sure!) select your product line macbook pro – dont get confused with mac pro here! Then the model you found out from the about this mac. In my case 2.16Ghz Intel Core Duo. It’ll present you with the correct ram for your laptop at really good prices. No I’m not pimping them or anything – they really are pretty good prices. I ordered a 1gb stick.
Now wait a few days, Why not entertain yourself by commenting on every single entry on my photoblog?
When your post arrives take a moment to erase your address in photoshop.
Then you may open it. I was surprised at the lack of packaging tbh, but I’ve seen ram in worse state. I used to built little forts out of them when noone was looking! (they were just lying around!)
I laughed when I saw the label. I used to live in Singapore.
Turn your macbook off (gasp! I know I hadn’t rebooted for over a month let alone turn it off!) then turn it over I placed mine on a tshirt so I didn’t scratch my desk, I made it for my A level technology i’m allowed to be protective! Slide the two latches up and remove the battery. I’d suggest waiting till your laptops cooled before you do this, it gets HO.
At this point the apple guide recommends you touch a metal surface to remove static. Bollocks to that, onto the screwdrivers.
It was at this point I realised, as good as they are for almost anything else, my fluffy femdrivers weren’t quite up to this task. (yes I have pink fluffy screwdrivers!)
So I closed up the laptop, waited a day and bought some new ones in homebase. ¨£4.99 and they threw in a pair of tweezers, how nice 
You need a size 00 philips screwdriver
Once you’ve got your screwdrivers sorted out you need to locate the screws to the memory door.
Now for the gratuitous ‘screwing’ shot. (hey – it amused me so it should amuse you – geek pr0n)
If you can’t get the last screw out – make your dad do it – so he gets the blame if he stabs the motherboard with the screwdriver. Then mock him when he can’t do it!
Once you have those removed you can lift off the memory door cover. You’ll see an odd arrangement. You want to get your ram and align it so the small tabs on the left and the large bits on the right and insert it at a 25% angle. (its at this point the video I linked earlier really comes into its own) I ran out of light at this point so no photos :S) Push quite hard until you can just see a glint of the silver connections. You’ll feel some resistance then it wont go any further, you’ll hear a click too. Give it a little prod to make sure its gone in. Then do up the screws, click the battery in and turn your laptop back on.
mac ram
Nice post. I enjoyed it. My parents got me a MCB Pro last year, I already had an Ibook G4, and I’d performed a similar procedure. Here’s a hint for those who haven’t upgraded to the new model, your ram is hidden under the keyboard most likely and very difficult to change. The new design allows for greater heat dissipation and therefore, faster, safer, less damaging operation. As for the ram in a MCB Pro, be careful how you buy. There are many who report problems addressing over 2GB of ram. A single card could hold 2GB now, and are usually sold in stores in packs of 2. However, the documentation for the MCB Pro states that you can only address 3GB of ram. With newer firmware upgrades, you might be able to go over that limit, but remember, most computers don’t take kindly to putting in two different ram cards. They like things to be the same, so they can use them in the same way. If you have a 1GB card and a 2GB card, it’s a fair bet you won’t be able to use both of them, even if they are the same brand, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try. Tip: try to keep anything that was originally installed by apple in the same slot, and anything you wish to add, put in the remaining slot. This will keep some continuity, and you might be able to change it later after you startup and load the OS properly. Sorry this was so long, but I thought this addition might prove useful.
thanks so much for this. You are very generous of your time and it helped me enormously, way across the pond.
Thank You
Oooh wow, im actually gonna get a mac book for my bday! Dont know yet whether i will get a pro or not. Are they good? Do you reccomend them to me lol.
dang, you’re awesome. i maybe-kindof want a macbook, but i’m unsure, because i’ve been a pc lover all my life.
thanks for your amazing tutorial
typo lol!
Oh the joys of being able to brag and say that I don’t need a schtinkin’ tutorial to help me along
Though I much rather prefer sticking my hand into a desktop and jamming in some more ram in the dimms. You know, the whole chance of shocking the mobo is quite enough to give one an orgasm.
(Now how’s that for increasing the pron referrals!)
It looks like a really good tutorial. My favorite is – “IǃÙd suggest waiting till your laptops cooled before you do this, it gets HO.” Haha.
Hey, cool tutorial, although I’d be too scared of harming my computer to use it, lol. And, lmao at the geek porn!
Just like paddy… i read this despite the whole thing being of no use to me….
im still wondering why!
do like the new theme though
Lovely tutorial! and the new theme is great x
Informative tutorial. Too bad I’m not a MAC user. I’ve grown up on PC’s, so its just too hard for me to learn. Nothing ever is really “too hard” – more like too lazy.
Sorry, you lost me at “install”.
But MacBook’s always look pretty… I’m becoming slowly converted… buy me one?
x
yeah, thats why I learnt the american alphabet!!
My dad was working there.
I agree. its cool of you to write this extensive tutorial but too bac i dont have a mac book. let alone ‘pro’ haha. Cool you used to live in SG? heh
It’s nice of you to post a helpful tutorial. Hope it helps people.
hehe well I get enough porn referrals I thought i might as well play up to it
**diggs**
Love the gratuatous screwing shot
and I love the new theme!
I’m still on a powerbook, I don’t even think I can put more RAM in…! (the bottom of my computer looks nothing like yours) – yet I just read the whole tutorial. WHY?
“If you canǃÙt get the last screw out – make your dad do it”
Haha, I love it.
I want a MacBook Pro so badly, but I’ve already got 2 pcs and can’t justify the purchase to myself… yet. LOL. *Drool*.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my latest entry. Re: Max. Yes, the furball is fat. Yes, he only eats less than ¨Ê cup of low fat vittles for the entire day. Yes, he gets annual vet checks – no ailments for the last 12 years. Yes, he’s an inactive, indoor cat. Yes, I care a lot. Regular readers of my blog, of course, know all about my futile attempts to get the beloved, furry footstool – slash – family member to lose weight.
L8tr days.
Oh, now that looks like an awesome tutorial. Too bad I don’t have a macbook pro, though, it sounds awesome.