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Q: OSX 10.9 and Mac Mini Ram

My late 2009 Mac Mini Intel Duo Core 2.53 has slowed dramatically under 10.9.1.

What else is new, with 4 GB base Ram, it's probably Memory Challenged.

I'm thinking about expanding the Memory, and am starting to see 16 Gig options along woth the more common 8 Gig updates.

 

What's the Maximum Ram my Late 2009 Mini-Server can take to expand itls current 2X2 Gig DDR3 1067 chips....can I get it up to a safe, reliable 16 Gig or is a 2X4 expansion max?

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9), 20 Gig Ram, 3.5 GigHD's Bluetooth/A

Posted on Feb 6, 2014 7:52 AM

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Q: OSX 10.9 and Mac Mini Ram

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Feb 6, 2014 8:01 AM in response to drshame
    Level 10 (189,740 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 6, 2014 8:01 AM in response to drshame

    Max is only 8 GB

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Mini

    What would speed it more is an SSD. I upgraded my 2009 2.26 GHz Mini first with an SSD and it really sped up. When I then upgraded to 8 GB (from 4) ther was not much improvement is non-memory intensive apps.

  • by drshame,

    drshame drshame Feb 6, 2014 8:13 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (103 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 6, 2014 8:13 AM in response to lllaass

    So you're saying it';s probably not a RAM issue, but Hardrive?

     

    It';s a Mac server with 2 HD's and boots up ok, It's slow after I try opening apps, sometime I get a bouncing app logo, and often get a "spinning beachball".

    I've run disk repair a few times and don't get much to clean up or repair.

    I blew out the original server software and updated it to 10.9.1 which my wife HATES.

  • by rkaufmann87,Helpful

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Feb 6, 2014 9:01 AM in response to drshame
    Level 9 (58,870 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 6, 2014 9:01 AM in response to drshame

    To check and see if you need more RAM please follow Apple's advice in Using Activity Monitor to read System Memory and determine how much RAM is being used (OS X Mountain Lion and earlier) you can find it at:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1342

     

    It hasn't been updated since Mavericks was released but the information still pertains and should be heeded.

  • by drshame,

    drshame drshame Feb 7, 2014 7:58 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (103 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2014 7:58 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    I've used activity monitor to check RAM useage:

     

    Physical Ram 4.0 GB

    Used: 3.16

    Virtual: 4.00

    App Memory: 1.06GB

    File Cache: 1.33 GB

    Wired Memory: 538.1 MB

     

    This is with ONLY Mavericks running, Activity Monitor and a few applets like the trackball mouse, a weather watcher and a few more.

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Feb 7, 2014 8:32 AM in response to drshame
    Level 9 (58,870 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 7, 2014 8:32 AM in response to drshame

    To get an accurate test you should run AM when you are using the computer under normal use. For example if your habit is to  have several apps open and perhaps several tabs in your browser open then run AM then and post the results. Then we can get a better idea if your machine could use more RAM.

  • by drshame,

    drshame drshame Feb 7, 2014 9:03 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (103 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2014 9:03 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Good advice:

     

    Mac Mini, 4GB Ram, 2 Hd's., running Activity Monitor, Safari, Mail and Itunes.

    3.54 GB Memory in use

    App Mem: 1.34 GB

     

    Safari: 24Mb  ITunes: 71.6Mb  Mail: 29.4Mb  Activity Monitor: 13.9Mb

     

    Windows open smoothly, no bouncing icons or "Beachballs"

     

    Looks to me any performance issues probably are NOT Memory Related and I probably won't see much of a gain going from 4-8 Gigs, or am I wrong?

     

    Hate to say it, maybe I need to research going back to Snow Leopard or Moutain Lion on this Late 2009 Mini.

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Feb 7, 2014 9:39 AM in response to drshame
    Level 9 (58,870 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 7, 2014 9:39 AM in response to drshame

    How much Free RAM is showing in AM?

  • by drshame,

    drshame drshame Feb 7, 2014 9:56 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (103 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2014 9:56 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    Activity Monitor is now showing 3.60 GB Memory in Use.

    I do not see a Free Memory Category.

    Simple math looks like with 4 apps running and all my other applets active for now, I've got about .4 GB available for actual Ram, plus whatever "Virtual Memory" it might take.

    I have plenty of HD space available both on my Primary and Secondary Internal HD's.

    Again, this was originally set-up as a Mac Mini Server with the approprioate server software.

    I recently laid Mavericks over it since it's a single user now and I don't need all the server capabilities and limitations. I did a routine Mavericks Update, had no installation issues and it's been stable. Just a little slow, some bouncing Icons, delays in opening files and "Beach Balls".

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Feb 7, 2014 10:49 AM in response to drshame
    Level 9 (58,870 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 7, 2014 10:49 AM in response to drshame

    OK, then if you have 3.6GB of RAM in use and a total of 4GB that only leaves 400K of Free RAM which is pretty small amount of RAM. So my guess is yes you should upgrade to 8GB.

  • by drshame,

    drshame drshame Feb 7, 2014 1:12 PM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (103 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2014 1:12 PM in response to rkaufmann87

    I visited my local Apple store and checked out their latest offerings and spoe to them about my Mini Issues under Mavericks.

    I was told downgrading OSX to an earlier release might be a solution, but I'd have to wipe my HD to install everything clean.

    Since it's a dual HD System, I'm guessing I could move all the data, pix,music to one drive...and wipe the other///or since my "secondar drive" is basically just for back-up, wipe it, lay a new System OSX on it and use it as a newboot drive.

     

    If I need to, that's a decent option.

     

    Expanding Ram: Cheap enough, it's always nice to have a little extra headroom.

     

    BUT the Mini's at the Apple Store were running Mavericks just fine with no delays, no problem. And when I checked their available Ram, they were running with 4GB just fine.

     

    So I am still not sure my issues are all Ram-Related.

     

    It's a 4+ year old System, seems to be working OK now, and as long as I don't run more than 2-3 full Apps, may still have some life left. I blew out a some logs and other files, found an attached external drive wasnt working right, unplouuged it, did some Disk Utility Permission/Verify runs on the Mini's Intyrenal Droves and the Icon Bouncing, Beach Balls have stopped. Hopefully it'll last. Ram is cheap enojugh, I might upgrade to 8 Gigs at some point too just to increase the headroom a bit.

     

    Help/Advice Appreciated

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Feb 7, 2014 1:41 PM in response to drshame
    Level 9 (58,870 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 7, 2014 1:41 PM in response to drshame

    Good work and now you seem to have a viable plan.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Feb 7, 2014 1:43 PM in response to drshame
    Level 10 (189,740 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 7, 2014 1:43 PM in response to drshame

    Get an SSD.  I had problems with my late 2009 Mini like yours (4GB memory) and it got worse until it just would not work because of disk failure. I first replaced the HD with another rotating drive and that was fine, Then I replaced it with an SSD and what a change.

    It is not that difficult to replace the HD, the same amount of disassembly is required as for replacing RAM

  • by drshame,

    drshame drshame Feb 17, 2014 10:37 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (103 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 17, 2014 10:37 AM in response to lllaass

    Got my upgared set of 4 Gig chips and had them installed in about 1/2 an hour. Found a local Mac shop, liked the idea of having someone who knows what they're doing working on the wife's Mac...support local companies at the same time.

    It went un-eventfully as expected...and fired up/recognized the new Ram just Fine.

    Swtoching between pages/apps seems a little snappier, nothing major but seems like still a bit of an improvment.

     

    The original ram out of my Late 2009, 2 (2) Gig chips would be nice to put into my Early 2009 MacMini under OSX 10.8..would it fit..same spec?

     

    Too bad these older Minis are NOT user friendly when it comes to uograding.

     

    My guess is intentional obsolecense...though the newer ones seem to be better designed for some user installs.

     

    My older Mini under 10.8.5 seems to run just fine for basic single app use, and still works as a video server just fine with my HD Bigscreen.

     

    But I don't think I'm going to Mavericks anytime soon on it.

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