Macbook Pro (2010) 16gb memory

So..manage to disable the Intel HD Graphics via this command:

sudo mv /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphics.kext/ /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphics.disable

to revert back just

sudo mv /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphics.disable/ /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphics.kext

basically we disable the AppleIntelHDGraphics.kext file that relates to the Intel HD Graphics.

If you run gfxCardStatus, after disabling this .kext, it will only report Nvidia Geforce GT 330M. also if you go via About This Mac > More Info…> you will see that Nvidia Geforce GT 330M is you "default" graphics card. Been running this with 8GB (4GBX2) for around two weeks and so far so good.

Did manage to boot with one 8GB memory stick, but kernel panic still happen, unreliable.

The bad news is that we still get kernel panics with the 16GB installed…. so Im curious if you guys have trying the EFI string and how it goes.

I've got a 2010 MBP 15" (6.2) on ML 10.8.3

Before reading this thread I ordered 16GB of DDR3 ram to replace (2x8GB sticks). I encountered the same problems everyone here has had (failed to boot, kernel panic, etc.)

Booting into safe mode works fine and shows all 16GB of ram as accessable and healthy. Ran a test and could use all of the ram (got 15gb of active 1 of inactive viewed using activity monitor).

I tried the terminal kext disable that @bfer suggested and found the same problems that he did.

Since the issue is believed to be soeley related to the integrated Intel HD graphics chipset, would deleting that kext work? I'll work on that tonight and keep everyone updated. I was just wondering if anyone had been successful...

I have a MacbookPro7,1 13" mid-2010 2.66ghz, and the 16gb kit (2x8gb) pc3-8500 1066mhz ram does *NOT* work in my laptop.

In case anyone else is lookinga round, it appears as though only the MacbookPro7,1 13" mid-2010 2.4ghz laptop will work with 16gb of ram.

Been following this thread since the beginning since I have a mid-2010 15" mbp with 8gb and would love 16gb.

I found these helpful:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3246

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4110

This pretty much explains why the 13" works and the 15/17" models don't. It also sounds like ya'll pretty much determined the cause and that disabling graphics switching altogether would resolve the problem (just not how to do this reliably).

My guess is Apple won't do this for us because it would be disabling part of the energy save features of the machine by preventing from ever switching to the Intel HD Graphics. Seems odd that NVIDIA is used in safe mode, but maybe it is because the power save feature is off? You can always try disabling this in System Preferences.

I am sure someone with enough system knowledge can come up with a solution, but I wonder if it is worth the effort as future software updates may break the hack (depends on your tolerance for such things, I guess).

Anyway, just to clarify: it is a hardware issue with the dual graphics on the 15/17" models and specifically the Intel HD Graphics, but it looks like use of this feature is controlled by software, so a fix is possible. The fix will be a hack because it disables built-in energy save features, so an update from Apple is unlikely 😟 imho.

Is there a different 16gb kit I can buy for my 2010 MBP 13" 2.4 GHz 7,1 other than the OWC one? It's $149 on the site and used to be $99 I think. Somewhere around the original price would be awesome. Thanks in advance

Try getting the

Mushkin 997019 DDR3 SODIMM (2x8GB) 16GB PC3-8500 SODIMM kit or anyother that matches this specs

• Type: DDR3 SODIMM
• Voltage: 1.5V
• Speed Spec: PC3-8500
• Frequency: 1066MHz
• Capacity Kit Type: Dual Kit
• Module Size: 8GB
• TimingstCL: 7 tRCD: 7 tRP: 7 tRAS: 20

good luck!

I've been eagerly reading this thread looking for evidence that the 16GB upgrade will work in my MBP but haven't seen anyone specifically get it to work. I just wanted to throw this out in case anyone has tried the OWC 8GB modules in a MBP equivalent to mine.

2010 13" MBP 7,1 2.66Ghz Core 2 Duo

The OWC site shows that only the 2.4Ghz CPU will work with 16GB not the 2.53 or 2.66Ghz. My question is - has anyone gotten the 16GB to work with a 2.66Ghz CPU?

Hi all,

I've just read through this thread, and I'm grateful for those who've been investigating this for so long. Has anyone ever gotten a direct response from Apple regarding updating the EFI to address this? Is there an official apple feature request thread going somewhere?

Anyhow, keep up the good work. Ideally we'll get an official solution to this. But, if not, perhaps the route of disabling the IntelHD card will provide a usable workaround.

Hey Riallin,

did you update to the latest EFI and ensure you're running at least 10.7.5? I have exactly the same machine and the guys from OWC have stated it will work based on the info in the following link.

http://blog.macsales.com/16302-some-2010-mac-owners-can-get-more-ram-than-they-t hought

let us know if any of this works for you

Hey surry355f1:

If you look on the OWC website for the RAM set, you'll note at the bottom under compatibility that they even disclose that it only works with the 2.4GHz, *not* the 2.66GHz that I have.

I am completely updated to the new EFI (2.5) and SMC (1.6), and am running OSX 10.8.3, and pc3-8500 1066mhz 2x8gb does not work for my macbookpro7,1 mid-2010 2.66ghz 13" macbook pro.

Here is their kit website:http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/8566DDR3S16P/

And here's the compatibility:

Model ID: MacBookPro7,1 2.4GHz only

Hope that helps.

Yeah I did see that note about the 2.4 Ghz. I guess i'm mostly in denial. 😢

I was going to go for the 16GB and the Datadoubler.. but might just look at getting a new MBP, and give the wife this one with maybe the 8GB RAM upgrade.

Best of luck to the guys messing with the kernel extensions, and flashing their RAM chips. Dont have the time to do this, although it does sound pretty interesting.

Hi Riallin,

Would you like to share with us how it doesn't work?

Is it kernel panic or any beeping sound?

If the latter, it might be the slot issue instead of the ram amount limitation.

If I search via possible upgrades for the 2.66 MBP OWC list the 16GB kit as an option.

http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?sort=pop&model=388&type=Memory

You have to look for the Mac's model identifier, and the 7,2 at the end shows the models this will work on the page you link to. Many of us sadly have other versions of MBPs from 2010, mine is a 15" i7 2.66 but a 6,2 and I can attest top the fact the 16 GIG upgrdae does not work. In safe mode it seems to but normal booting produces a kernel panic. I keep checking this post to see if there has been a break through but I suspect it won't happen.

My MacbookPro7,1 2.66GHz (mid-2010 13") fails to start up when two paired 8gb pc3-8500 pieces of RAM are inserted. During bootup, the computer simply becomes unresponsive, displaying only the normal startup screen (grey background with white apple in center), and though it may start with a moving scroll wheel, the wheel either disappears, stops moving, or becomes oddly pixelated after a few seconds. I have left the computer thrice times for 4+ hours each, and the computer never moves past this.

I have, btw, also inserted a pair of faulty 4gb pieces, and the bios simply responds back to me by beeping and flashing the light in front. I have confirmed that this particular experiment refers to the RAM by placing them into my 17" 2.8GHz mid-2009 MBP and received the same response: beeping and flashing of front-light.

I had looked elsewhere before I made my own purchase, and saw that the 2.66GHz had not really been referred to, which led to my gambling. My gamble, however, did not pay off. It may for you <shrug>