Q: Mid 2012 MacBook Pro 13 16GB RAM Upgrade

HI,

i have upgraded my mid 2012 MacBook Pro to 16gb  using 2x 8gb ATech DDR3 12800 1600MHz  and to start with everything was fine, booted up quickly etc.. But then all of a sudden about 5 mins into surfing the web the screen went blank and it started to restart itself. Sometimes it restarts itself even if I'm not using it. It has only done this since I put the new RAM in.

I have checked the system report and the ram memory is recognised correctly as 2x 8gb slots.

have you got any tips that might help me out?

my MacBook is fully updated to OS X El Capitan....I've read on similar threads that downgrading to OS X Yosemite might help????

another thought I had is that I've read that some people only swap one of the RAM chips, so I would have 1 of my original 2gb Ram chips and one 8gb upgraded chip, so having a total of 10gb which would be much better than my original 2x 2gb Ram.

has anyone had this same problem? I'm rather amateur with this sort of tech so any help would be great!

thanks

I ran into the same problem, and in this thread (Macbook Pro screen glitches, 3 beeps, NOT THE RAM) discovered that pretty much everyone with upgraded RAM in their mid-2012 Macbook Pro experiences this problem (including myself, which is why i was searching for answers like you are). The problem apparently lies in the bottom slot (the one closest to the keyboard), and if you house your memory only in the top slot, you should be good. Nobody knows why Apple hasnt issued a recall, seeing as its such a widespread/consistent issue. Go here and leave feedback, maybe someday we'll get the recall to get these fixed: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

So when you say only house the memory in the top slot do you leave the bottom slot completely empty or have you kept the original ram card in it?

ie. top - 8gb ram (upgrade)

bottom - 2gb ram (original)

iI tried swapping just the top slot so i had the configuration i mentioned above but i still had the same problem.

The strange thing is that my macbook does seem to work for a short while and then crashes, which makes me think that it is compatible at 16gb ram upgrade and then something else is causing it to reboot. any ideas?

I'm thinking of exchanging the ram to the 2x 4gb which is the maximum apple advertise being compatible (even though apple users have said they have upgraded the Pro's to 16gb)

thanks

Correct, the bottom slot of left empty, and I put an 8gb in the top slot. That is what several folks recommended, so I followed suit and I have not had a single issue since. I really wish apple would just recall these so I could use both slots and get 16 gb in there. But until then, I'm running very well on one 8 gb of RAM housed only in the top slot.

i Believe that putting a card of any kind in the bottom slot is what causes the problems.

8 GB of RAM is installed as two 4 GB modules, no slots free.

ADDING OVER THE 8GB CAPACITY WILL VOID APPLE WARRANTY AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED BY THEM

on the retina display MacBooks, the RAM is soldered to the logic board and cannot be replaced

• MacBook Pro with Retina Display 15" Mid 2012 Repairability Score: 1 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).
• Proprietary pentalobe screws prevent you from gaining access to anything inside.
• As in the MacBook Air, the RAM is soldered to the logic board. Max out at 16GB now, or forever hold your peace—you can't upgrade.

*Apple officially supports a maximum of 8 GB of RAM, but third-parties have determined that this model actually is capable of using up to 16 GB of RAM with two 8 GB memory modules. You can essentially support 16gb, however your computer may become hotter than normal. Installing iStatMenus or Macs Fan Control can help you control your fan speed exactly. Macs Fan Control will even let you set rules of how hot you allow certain components like the CPU or hard drive to get. If you do upgrade to 16gb, do this only because you need the extra RAM for photo, video processing or game applications. And if you do, ensure to set fan control rules to keep your computer running nice and cool. Apple keeps their CPU PECI at around 130 degrees F, but you should keep your computer at about 100 degrees F for longevity.

I have upgraded my RAM with no problem. It is not actually wrong to go over capacity with RAM, the only thing that might happen is that some of the registers might not be filled as all of the additional ram may not be necessary at points. If you do not cool your computer properly, you run the risk of deteriorating its life, however if you cool it correctly, since the 16GB RAM upgrade is the same voltage as the 8GB stock RAM (1.35v), you should be ok. This whole upgrade is not recommended because the additional RAM is not supported by the Logic Board, essentially the computer might not even have the capability of using the additional memory even though it displays that the additional RAM is installed. It is questionable whether the RAM actually has an affect on the speed. If it does have the capability of actually allocating the memory, it might also cause problems if it is not supported. It's like putting 91 into an 87. But what is weird is that I have upgraded my ram to 16GB and the computer recognizes it I just don't know if it allocates it. I would like to see some proven tests that it does, as I do not know. I will possibly post some here in the future.

Onyx and CleanMyMac are other good ways of keeping your Mac fast if that's what you're looking for.

Model number of comparable memory: PC3L-12800S-11-13-B2

Make sure the ram you put in your mid 2012 13" macbook pro i7 2.9 ghz is:

- SODIMM

- PC3L (1.35v)

-  204 pin

- 1600mhz

- DDR3 type

- 12800 speed

- 11 cas latency

Model of RAM that comes stock:

Micron MT8KTF51264HZ-1G6E2 4GB 1RX8 1.35V 204-Pin SODIMM PC3L-12800S-11-13-B2 1600MHZ DDR3

Where to find

In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this MacBook Pro.

In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro.

In Australia, site sponsor RamCity sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro.

In Southeast Asia, site sponsor SimplyMac.sg sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro.

Sources/Links:

Programmer & owner of this specific computer: http://techmaster.mooo.com/

Apple memory upgrade/max capacity: MacBook Pro: How to remove or install memory - Apple Support

Third Party max capacity: http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-i7-2.9- 13-mid-2012-unibody-usb3-specs.html

Current 4GB Ram: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micron-MT8KTF51264HZ-1G6E2-204-Pin-PC3L-12800S-11-13-B2 -Notebook/dp/B015VAH5LA

RAM Upgrades have controversial affects on gaming: http://www.gamespot.com/forums/pc-mac-linux-society-1000004/is-too-much-ram-bad- for-gaming-29025348/

Happy upgrading!

I am struggling to find the motherboard for the late 2012 MBPR 13" with 16 GB.So they were made! Now to find one!

hi simon,

good to hear that you r a musician/entertainer. well, me too a dj and dvj from india, use serato video & virtual dj etc few heavy softwares . so i want to know is 8 x 8 = 16gb will be compatible and till now you get into trouble while 16gb ?