Macbook Pro 7,1 mid 2010 1333mhz ram issue

Appleteam: Yes, I learned about the 1066/1333 issue last week...so I returned that RAM. I went to the Apple store and purhased their $ 200 worth of 1066 only RAM and it didn't seem to work either.

I am willing to try out the Kingston memory you recommended...so has these Mid 2010 13 inch models been that picky or might their be another problem?

Thanks for your thoughts and I am willing to try whatever. BTW...I had heard about the 16 GB before...so yeah, that would be great, but anything beyond the odd pair 6 GB would be good for today.

Dino

Hey!

Exaclty, those Mid 2010 13-inch have been the tricky ones (but they also seen special with their 16GB capability). I can't tell you regarding 15-inch, 17-inch Mid 2010, cause I don't have any experience with them in that context. That's very very ODD. Getting RAM from an ORIGINAL Apple Store. I assume you told them exaclty which machine. And they gave you incompatible RAM? Either that or you ran into some bad luck (faulty Memory modules). It cannot be you memory sockets in your machine 'cause otherwise that other thing you did wouldn't had worked.I vouch for Kingston and wish you good luck! BTW you might wanna google on "Macsales". And get Mactracker (Mac App or iOS App).

As for the 6GB Combination. Well, 6gb is of course better than 4. An 64-bit app always get more nurtured the more ram it can get ahold of. But even modules increases the performance somebody told me, although it's marginal. Good luck,

A

Appleteam and all...got my Kingston Memory in today...(2) 4 GB KTA-MB1066K2/8G (kit that comes with 2 4GB chips). And WORKED like a champ.

I appreciate this post and I am sure it will serve many to come...this is and was a very frustrating thing...especially since I went to 2 Apple Stores and called Apple Care twice too...use their RAM the last time and still didn't work...I will have to try the 16 GB next time down the road...right now I just wanted 8 GB to work and it does.

Dino

I'm having a problem similar to Dino5150's:

I upgraded my mid-2012 MacBook Pro 13" from 8GB to 16GB with memory modules from Crucial. No problem! But when I tried to use the old modules to upgrade an older mid-2010 MacBook Pro 13", I got the following conditions:

1. With two 4GB memory modules, it wouldn't boot.

2. With one 4GB module (from the newer MBP) and one 2GB module (original) it boots and correctly shows 6GB.

3. Behavior is the same with all combinations of modules and memory slots.

I didn't know the old 2010 could potentially support 16GB, but thought swapping the memory modules from my newer machine would be a no-brainer. Not.

Is this a known problem? Is there a ready solution?

Thanks in advance!

GringoViejo,

Your old machine uses a slower speed (1066MHz) than your 2012 RAM (1600MHz), so it's simply not going to work.

Clinton

Thanks for the reply, Clinton.

Here's what I don't get, though: The old machine is fine with one module from the newer machine and one original module but not with two new modules. If the clock speed is the critical factor, shouldn't the old machine either fail to run the new memory or else accept both modules but run them at the slower speed?

GV

So long as you have one 'good' module installed, the MBP will function. It will use that module and ignore the newer one.

Ciao.

Apparently not.

The old (2GB) memory modules work fine.

The newer (4GB each) memory modules work fine.

Any combination of one old and one new module works fine.

So far, so good.

But with the two newer memory modules, the MBP fails to boot.

Thanks!

If the OSX in your 2010 MBP is not Mavericks, open Activity monitor and see if it is using more that 2 GB RAM. I would be curious as to the result. (Wired and Active are the important categories.)

I did install RAM from my late 2011 MBP (1333 MHz) into my 2010 MBP and it was accepted, but ran at 1067 Mhz.

Ciao.

Wired 1,0032 GB

Active 709.7 GB

Inactive 3.63 GB

Used 5.31 GB

5.75 GB on the pie chart

Thank you for your reply. Did you try just one 4 GB module and no 2 GB module? What are the results? That might give us a clue.

Ciao.

I'm getting tired of dealing with those tiny screws!

But yes, the 4GB modules both work; that is, I can insert either one in either slot and have the MBP boot successfully. I can also add one of the original 2GB modules, again in either slot, and have the MBP boot and use 6GB of memory.

Let me repeat: All of the memory modules are good and can be used in either slot.

The problem is that if I use both 4GB modules, it doesn't boot.

Thanks for your attention,

GV

GringoViejo wrote:

I'm getting tired of dealing with those tiny screws!

I understand, having done this often myself. It is a real nuisance if you drop one of them on the floor. 🙂 Note that the screws are magnetic and that is a way of finding them.

Your results do not make sense to me (not a criticism of you). If one works alone, why not both? To complicate the issue, both modules are not within the called for specifications for that MBP. There have been cases of backward compatible RAM with frequencies higher that prescribed, but I am not aware that this is one of those cases.

I don't hava an answer, yet. I think I know where I might be able to find the answer. Again, thank you for your cooperation.

Ciao.

GV,

It won't work and if you follow my posts, you are experiencing EXACTLY the same issues I had. You can even boot up in Hardward test mode and it will show a full 8 GB, but yet it won't boot fully...Apple tried to tell me I needed a new mother board...It wasn't logical and it will never be logical...maybe some engineer...and the one who created these "special' 2010 MBP...I would use the word "qurcky"...but special only becuase I guess you can put 16 GB IF you use the right Chips...but if you don't, you can only get 6 GB...

So don't waste your time with those screws (I did it too) with those existing RAM chips...if you really want 8 GB..the purchase the EXACT brand and model in this tread...just above my last post...it will work or at least it did for me perfectly...I don't understand it and not many or any really do understand why...1066 clock speed might have something, but it's way more technical than that I believe...I haven't tried the 16 GB solution, but as long as you order what they say on the other pages, I would guess it would work too. I only needed 8 GB.

So sell your other chips and buy these Kingston chips KTA-MB10664G (for the 4 GB module)

Dino

Thanks, Dino and Oglethorpe,

Now we're back to where I started, trying to understand why the older, late-2012 MBP can be upgraded to 6GB but not to 8GB using perfectly good original memory modules removed from my 8GB mid-2012 MBP (both 13").

The one I actually use (2012) now has 16GB of memory and shows some improvement; at least I don't run out of headroom so quickly. When my wife gets back from a family visit, she'll notice a slight improvement in her 2010 MBP. I would like to have utilized all 8GB of memory from the old machine, but it doesn't matter much in real life (just in my mind ;-)), since she relies more on her iPad and iPhone than on the MBP.

I rely on my MBP (and an excellent old Sun 24" monitor) for work, but I only keep it as long as the Apple Care contract is in effect, so when the old MPB expires, I'll get a new one and pass the current one along to the wife, who consumes media but doesn't create so much, and is fine with her other devices.