iMac 8,1 2008 8gb ram upgrade

I bought this machine from a surplus store and I only paid 400 dollars for it. Since it is an old machine I really have nothing to lose. If this acts up...then I will simply bet another machine. I am a vintage kind of guy and I am also a geek. Thanks for all your responses and I will keep you up to date...

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities

That's what happens if you didn't have enough memory for the applications you use, and now, it's normal that you experience an improve in performance, just because you can run more applications and they can be faster.

Anyway, the Early 2008 iMac you have only supports 6 GB, so it's probably using only 6 GB of memory, and not all the memory you have installed. To check that, open  > About this Mac, and see Memory. What do you see there?

Apple uses regular old ram, if you know the specs, you CAN buy it from anyone.

That's not true with the newer systems and Mac models. Even if the specs read the same not all RAM modules are equal in quality. The only two vendors I would even think of using is Crucial.com and macsales.com. Search these forums and you'll find time and time again "local" or "bargain" modules that that the same specs not working in the Macs. There are numerous reports of modules working at first but after a while they start crashing.

Crucial and macsales tests it's offered modules in the Mac model they are offered for. Both have excellent customer support and warranties.

As previously stated, your can increase your RAM to 2 GBs.

Correct and reliable Mac RAM can be purchased from online Mac RAM sources Crucial memory or OWC (macsales.com).

If your Mac is slow, make sure your internal hard drive is not getting full.

Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible

You should never, EVER let a conputer hard drive get completely full, EVER!

With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.

If it does, it's time for some hard drive housecleaning.

Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.

Have you emptied your Mac's Trash icon in the Dock?

If you use iPhoto or Aperture, both have its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.

If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.

If you are an iMovie user, iMovie has its own individual Trash location that needs to be emptied, too!

If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!

Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.

Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.

STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!

Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.

Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.

To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.

http://www.omnigroup.com/more

Download an app called OnyX for your version of OS X.

http://www.titanium.free.fr/downloadonyx.php

When you install and launch it, let it do its initial automatic tests, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run the maintenance tabs that let OnyX clean out all web browser cache files, web browser histories, system cache files, delete old error log files.

Typically, iTunes and iPhoto libraries are the biggest users of HD space.

move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.

If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be archived or moved, also, to the optical discs, flash drives or external hard drive and then either archived to disc and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.

Moving iTunes library

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

Moving iPhoto library

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506

Moving iMovie projects folder

http://support.apple.com/kb/ph2289I

If your Mac is still slow, make sure you haven't installed any antivirus software. If you have installed antivirus software, do a Google search for the proper way of completely uninstalling the antivirus software. Antivirus software can slow down and impede/interfere with the normal operation of OS X.

Make sure you haven't installed any software that claims to "clean" , "speeds up" or "optimizes" your Mac.

Such applications are "garbageware" and "scamware" that, usually, do the opposite of what they claim and can do damage or corruption of your OS. X system.

Make sure not to run a lot of applications simultaneously and leave running in the background while using another app.

Make sure you do not have a lot of applications launchingand running in the background at startup/login.

Good Luck!

First,

Your iMac will not take any more than 6 GBs of RAM, max..

Second your iMac's hard drive is starting to get logon free space.

Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible

You should never, EVER let a computer hard drive get completely full, EVER!

With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.

If it does, it's time for some hard drive housecleaning.

Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.

Have you emptied your Mac's Trash icon in the Dock?

If you use iPhoto or Aperture, both have its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.

If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.

If you are an iMovie/ Final Cut user, both apps have their own individual Trash location that needs to be emptied, too!

If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!

Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.

Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.

STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!

Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.

Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.

To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.

http://www.omnigroup.com/more

Also, Find Any File

http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/

Download an app called OnyX for your version of OS X.

http://www.titanium.free.fr/downloadonyx.php

When you install and launch it, let it do its initial automatic tests, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run the maintenance tabs that let OnyX clean out all web browser cache files, web browser histories, system cache files, delete old error log files.

Typically, iTunes and iPhoto libraries are the biggest users of HD space.

move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.

If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be archived or moved, also, to the optical discs, flash drives or external hard drive and then either archived to disc and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.

Moving iTunes library

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

Moving iPhoto library

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506

Moving iMovie projects folder

iMovie '11: Copy or move a project to an external hard disk

Third,

You have the Conduit adware/malware installled

Use Adware Medic to uninstall this.

http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php

Fourth,

If you no longer use a RIM Blackberry cell phone , you should uninstall all Rim Blackberry software from your Mac , as it is no longer valid or p to date software and Rim does not have any updates to this software any longer.

http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/btsc/viewdocument.do?noCount=true&externalId= KB18771&sliceId=1&cmd=displayKC&dialogID=1693797&docType=kc&isLoadPublishedVer=& stateId=1693905&docTypeID=DT_SUPPORTISSUE_1_1&ViewedDocsListHelper=com.kanisa.ap ps.common.BaseViewedDocsListHelperImpl

FIfith,

MacFUSE has been replaced with FUSE for OS X.

I can also confirm that my iMac 8.1 (early 2008) works well with 8GB of RAM. As far as I can see, it's stable and doesn't crash, uses all the RAM well and doesn't page out even when used RAM is up to 7GB or more. Photoshop loves it.

I did run memtest check the other day, and even though it took a long time (it complained that it couldn't lock memory for testing and that it would be running much slower), it managed to get through and to OK my memory modules. Btw, the memory I use is from Crucial, modules are 4GB each with part number CT51264AC800. CAS latency is 6, so a bit slower which probably suits this mbd. OS is Snow Leopard 10.6.8.

For many Mac models, OWC and Crucial list specifications greater than the specifications Apple lists officially. I am running 16 gb on my MBP 8,2. OWC extensively tests the models beforehand and offers 1 year warranty on their modules. User member Kappy previously explained to me that the reason why Apple doesn't officially awkwoledge RAM specifications that are greater than originally listed is probably because they would have to subject the models to extensive QT testing again, which they have no incentive to really to do. Furthermore, the failure rate required to pass this testing by Apple is much smaller than the aforementioned companies. Apple has only officially increased RAM specifications on a few of its models.

If you start having issues with your iMac, you may well have to get a 2 Gb RAM module +4 GB RAM module to,bring your iMac to a physical RAM total of 6 GBs.

OWC (macsales.com) does a lot of RAM testing on Mac models to see if more RAM can be installed than what Apple's own specs specify.

Correct and 100% reliable Mac RAM can be purchased from online Mac RAM sources Crucial memory or OWC (macsales.com).

Both Crucial and OWC have lifetime replacement guarantees on their RAM modules if they ever fail

Hey Umberto! Sorry to take so long in responding. I am now running on the 8 GBs. It is working and it is running just fine. Right now I am thinking of going up to 16GBs as mentioned by nbar. So it works! Good Luck

deafwarrior, 8gb? really? I just chatted with crucial & OWC. Crucial's rep said 4gb max, with a good risk of instability if I went to 6gb (I've got 4gb). OWC said 6gb was tested and works. (I would need to replace a 2gb mod with a 4gb mod). I don't think crucial will warranty out of spec use.

Are your serious about trying a push to 16gb? The 8gb sticks are the same specs (except for size)?

I want to run windows 7 pro in VMware Fusion. That needs/consumes a lot of ram and my 4gb isn't doing it well at all.

My one is working like a charm. I've also added an SSD and the system feels snappy and happy. Couldn't wish for more. Haven't restarted for a month, have done some extensive PhotoShop work and it just flies.

To (partially) echo this sentiment, not going by Apple's RAM specifications is one thing. You should not increase your RAM above the Maximum specifications listed at Crucial for your specific model.

"I don't think crucial will warranty out of spec use."

They will not (though this could be easily bypassed by simply stating you installed the modules on a compatible machines).

"You should not increase your RAM above the Maximum specifications listed at Crucial for your specific model."

Crucial does not recommend even what OWC tested and suggests (6gb total, a 4gb mod and 2gb mod). Even OWC does not mention trying to get to the 8gb total that deafwarrior has.

Yet deafwarrior seems very happy. I'm nervous to try it.

OWC thoroughly tests Macs to see if they can take more RAM than Apple's recommended specs.

Even with installing 8 GBs of RAM won't brick your iMac.

It'll either run the a total of 8 GBs of the correct RAM, only run with 6 out of the 8 GBs of RAM or your iMac will beep in 3 beep increments and not start up indicating failed, defective or wrong type or amount of RAM.

This is only a temporary thing and putting in either the recomended 4 or 6 GB of actual RAM, total, would return your iMac to normal working order.

Hello, today I tried to upgrade my imac 2008, from 4gb to 8gb, I bought SAMSUNG M470T5267AZ3-CF7 0926.

I put two moduls of 4gb inside, but when I turn on my IMAC it beep 3 times.

Now I put 2gb + 4gb and it works fine, more quick than 2gb+2gb but it doesn't increase very much, only few seconds.

Do you thoink that if I try with CRUCIAL CT51264AC800 IT WILL WORK with 8gb?

thank's.