MacBook 2,1 (Late 2006) Ram Upgrade

Question

MacBook 2,1 (Late 2006) Ram Upgrade

http://support.apple.com/kb/SP23

Now on the site it says it can support only up to 2GB of memory if installed.

Now my question is, macsales.com says this version can ADDRESS up to 3GB of RAM. Does this mean it will see 3GB but can only use 2GB?

Also, when installing the memory does it matter if it is ONE 2GB stick or 2 1GB Sticks?

MacMini 1.4 ghz - 1GB Ram - 60 GB HD / MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo - 1GB Ram - 80GB, Mac OS X (10.5.4), MyBook 500GB HD, 4GB iPod Nano, 8320 Blackberry

Posted on Sep 10, 2008 5:29 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

GfulDedFan

Level 4

3,315 points

Sep 10, 2008 6:00 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

Your MB can use 3GB. You can put in a 1GB + 2GB to get 3GB or you can put in 2GB + 2GB to get 3.2GB. The reason for the difference is the improvement that you get with a matched pair in the slots as opposed to an unmatched pair.

- GDF

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Answer 2

Fortuny

Level 7

21,455 points

Sep 10, 2008 6:04 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

Hi Brian,

taken from the RAM Expansion Developer Note found here: http://developer.apple.com/documentation/HardwareDrivers/Conceptual/HWTechRAM/Articles/RAM_implementation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003899-SW181200331177

MacBook Computer (November 2006)

The MacBook computer introduced in November 2006, based on the Intel Core 2 Duo, provides two RAM slots that accommodate 200-pin DDR2 SDRAM SO-DIMMs up to 1.25” in height. The SO-DIMMs must be DDR2-667 (PC2-5300) compliant and must be unbuffered, unregistered, 8-byte, nonparity, and non-ECC.

The 1.83 GHz computer ships with two 256 MB DDR2 SDRAM SO-DIMMs for a total of 512 MB. The 2.0 GHz computer ships with two 512 MB DDR2 SDRAM SO-DIMMs for a total of 1 GB. The largest capacity SO-DIMM supported is 1 GB, so the maximum memory capacity is 2 GB.

The memory controller supports 256 MB, 512 MB, and 1GB SO-DIMMs. However, because the memory in the two slots is configured as a contiguous array of memory, both SO-DIMMs must be the same size and type for the interleaving function to be used to improve performance. The MacBook supports a CAS latency of 5.

The width of each 667 MHz memory bus is 64 bits.

The EEPROM pin is powered by 3.3 V.

The maximum number of devices per SO-DIMM is 16.

According to that because of the 1GB limit per module, 2GB is the maximum.

Regards

Stefan

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Answer 3

Sep 10, 2008 6:11 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

Why is everyone so split on the real answer here?

Can i do 3GB or only 2GB?

That is the only thing i'm trying to get answered. Cause a GB more of memory could be very useful to me.

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Answer 4

GfulDedFan

Level 4

3,315 points

Sep 10, 2008 6:24 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

If it will help, I withdraw my post above because I'm as confused as you are. I haven't had to deal with this because I have a 1,1 (First Gen) where the limit is definitely 2GB and that's where I am.

Sorry for the confusion that I may have caused. -GDF

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Answer 5

GfulDedFan

Level 4

3,315 points

Sep 10, 2008 7:32 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

Sorry to double post but after some reading, I conclude the following:

*Core Duo* - Maximum Ram that can be installed 2GB, Maximum Ram it will use 2GB

*Core 2 Duo* - Maximum Ram that can be installed 4GB, Maximum Ram it will use 3GB (with a slight increase to 3.2GB for matched pairs)

*Core 2 Duo with Santa Rosa* - Maximum Ram that can be installed 4GB, Maximum Ram it will use 4GB

If this is incorrect, please explain. -GDF

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Answer 6

y_p_w

Level 6

17,642 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:13 AM in response to GfulDedFan

GfulDedFan wrote:
Sorry to double post but after some reading, I conclude the following:

*Core Duo* - Maximum Ram that can be installed 2GB, Maximum Ram it will use 2GB

*Core 2 Duo* - Maximum Ram that can be installed 4GB, Maximum Ram it will use 3GB (with a slight increase to 3.2GB for matched pairs)

*Core 2 Duo with Santa Rosa* - Maximum Ram that can be installed 4GB, Maximum Ram it will use 4GB

If this is incorrect, please explain. -GDF

I believe that's correct. Apple only officially supports 2 GB for the Intel Napa chipset (earlier Core 2 Duo), but in practice people have reported that 3GB usually works and 4GB generally works. I've heard of some strange cases where specific modules didn't work w/ 2x2GB. If one buys through Crucial.com, their guarantee of compatibility only applies to officially supported configurations.

I'd also say that the developers note doesn't match what I've seen in the Intel Napa and Santa Rosa chipset datasheets. The Napa chipset theoretically supports DDR2-400(PC2-3200), DDR2-533(PC2-4200), or DDR2-667(PC2-5300). The Santa Rosa (late 2007) chipset theoretically supports DDR2-533(PC2-4200) or DDR2-667(PC2-5300). There's going to be a performance hit from going to the slower modules, but I've tried out (in my Santa Rosa MacBook) a couple of older PC2-4200 modules as well as a PC2-4200 module with a PC2-5300 module. If you mix speeds the system defaults to the slower module. System Profiler noted the speeds were slower, but everything otherwise worked.

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Answer 7

Sep 10, 2008 9:24 AM in response to GfulDedFan

I also believe you are correct. I have a late 2006 MB Core 2 Duo, and I installed 4GB of RAM, which my MB clearly sees in the System Profiler. Activity Monitor also sees 4GB, but I believe I've been told that only 3GB are actually being used.

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Answer 8

Sep 10, 2008 9:25 AM in response to GfulDedFan

I bought the 3GB package from macsales.com , I'll come back with a report so for future reference people won't have mixed answers.

Hopefully if it doesn't work macsales.com will assist me in a return and swap. ANyone ever dealt with macsales?

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Answer 9

GfulDedFan

Level 4

3,315 points

Sep 10, 2008 10:12 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

Brian Cinelli wrote:
Hopefully if it doesn't work macsales.com will assist me in a return and swap. ANyone ever dealt with macsales?

I have but I've never had a problem for them to fix. I'm confident that they will stand behind their products and make good on any issues. -GDF

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Answer 10

Sep 13, 2008 1:36 PM in response to Brian Cinelli

The memory came quick as ****. I paid the $9 for 2nd-Day shipping instead of the $6 for standard. RAM came in a small discreet box, I popped open my MacBook slid the two memory sticks in and prayed.

Mac Powered on immediately and has been working fine ever since. Screenshot of the "about my mac" as proof it worked.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2853473755d01a24135ao.png

So to all that were in my predicament you now have a solid answer

Message was edited by: Brian Cinelli

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Answer 11

Dave B.

Level 4

2,080 points

Sep 13, 2008 2:32 PM in response to Sandra Foster

I also believe you are correct. I have a late 2006 MB Core 2 Duo, and I installed 4GB of RAM, which my MB clearly sees in the System Profiler. Activity Monitor also sees 4GB, but I believe I've been told that only 3GB are actually being used.<<</div>

Sandra (and others):

I have the same set up as you (Core 2 Duo with 4GB) and all this can be confirmed in Activity Monitor under System Memory. There are 5 categories listed: Free, Wired, Active, Inactive, and Used. The important thing to note is that Wired, Active, and Inactive add up to Used. Then if you add Used to Free you get total. One problem with trying to add up the numbers is that they are changing as you watch, so you have to do a screen shot to get an accurate picture.

Point is that even though the pie chart next to it (as well as the total listed in About this Mac/System Profiler) says 4GB, when you add up the numbers as I am describing you only get around 3GB. That is what people are talking about when they say the system recognizes 4GB as being physically present, but can actually use only 3GB of it.

The extra 1 GB isn't completely lost. The other factor is the small difference in video performance with a matched set of 2 X 2 (4GB) versus 2 X 1 (3GB). That difference can't be measured in Activity Monitor. You have to go to other sites that have tested for that, but the answer seems to be that 4GB is faster but only marginally so, such that you will likely never be aware of it. All of this is because MacBooks don't have a separate video card but instead share system RAM for video.

The only reason I got 4 instead of 3 was so that I wouldn't ever have to worry about it again. Practically speaking I don't think there is any real performance difference between 3 and 4 - it's only in my head - and the small price difference was worth it to me.

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Answer 12

Sep 13, 2008 2:55 PM in response to Dave B.

Thanks very much for that clear and very logical explanation, Dave! I was pretty sure I was right about only 3/4 of my RAM being used, but I couldn't find a way to confirm it. 🙂

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Answer 13

Sep 29, 2008 11:14 AM in response to Brian Cinelli

I have a Black MacBook 2.16 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Leopard v. 10.5.5. Am I going to see a good difference if I upgrade to 4GB RAM vs. the 2GB I currently have? Or would it be better for me to just save my money?

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