MacBook Pro3,1 A1226 RAM upgrade to 6 GB?

After a frimware update, a lot of the older computers could then see a 4Gb RAM module. 3rd party RAM suppliers say the MacBook Pro 2008 can go to 6Gb RAM, 1x 2Gb RAM and 1x 4Gb RAM. Your MacBook Pro would have shipped with 2x 1Gb RAM. You will need to take both the 1Gb RAM out and put in the above RAM to take it to 6Gb.

http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-PC2-5300-200-Pin-Notebook-CT51264AC667/dp/B001RB21 JY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1377748134&sr=8-8&keywords=pc+5300+so-dimm+667

http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-PC2-5300-200-Pin-Notebook-CT51264AC667/dp/B001RB21 JY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1377748134&sr=8-8&keywords=pc+5300+so-dimm+667

Don't even look at cheap RAM - PNY, perhaps the cheapest, very, very often doesn't work with MacBook Pros. Buy Crucial or OWC - they work and you'll hva eno problems with either (and Crucial is usually less expensive than OWC).

Clinton

I suggest using newegg.com for checking out computer hardware ratings and feedback.

You can see all of your computers specifications here at everymac.com. Yours specifically here. Make sure you get the right kind of RAM.

And then you can use the easy to follow guide on ifixit.com. Your model MacBook Pro is here.

Well we can't really suggest one or the other for as it is just a personal preference.

How much longer are you planning on having the MacBook Pro 15 2008? I used to have the same exact MacBook Pro until it was stolen 😟 and noticed that it had started becoming the bottom of the food chain. So how much money are you willing to put into this MacBook Pro knowing that in a couple of years it may not be able to run the most current Operating System?

I personally only had 4GB of RAM in that MacBook Pro, I don't know what 6 GB would have looked like but I was definitely happy I upgraded. So if you think you would utilize the 6 GB of RAM often then it might be a good idea.

My new MacBook Pro has 16 GB or RAM and when I am casually using it I only use about 7 GB or RAM. Unless I'm using Safari which can always somehow manage to drop my 16 GB of RAM to its knees. So I have to use Google Chrome now.

You should fix your Safari problem rather than using a 3rd party browser.

intzap wrote:

Thanks everyone for their help on this. One last question: Would you recommend just upgrading to 4GB, going 2x2, so that they match OR should I go with the 4X2 approach to max out at 6 gb? It seems like a lot of people have been using the 4x2 approach with Crucial's 4 gb RAM and 2 GB (with the same exact specs, minus the gigs, of course); however, it seems like a lot of people recommend always matching sticks, so the 2X2 approach would be the way to go. What do you guys think?

If I were to go with the 4x2 approach, I'd go with:

http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-PC2-5300-200-Pin-Notebook-CT51264AC667/dp/B001RB21 JY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1377748134&sr=8-8&keywords=pc+5300+so-dimm+667http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-PC2-5300-200-Pin-Notebook-CT51264AC667/dp/B001RB21 JY/

And

http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-PC2-5300-200-Pin-Notebook-CT25664AC667/dp/B000F7QR TG/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_y

Buy direct from Crucial or preferably OWC

Buy 2 x 4GB chips only 6GB will be recognized but you will still get the performance advantage of using a matched pair.

I've looked into it and don't know the cause and can't find a solution. Do you have any suggestions?

I'd rather use Safari. But I had maybe 10 tabs open and it took all of my RAM so until I find a fix or there is a Safari update I'll be using Google Chrome.

I would suggest that you start a new thread for this question, we don't want to hijack this one.

Post a link to it here.

Csound1 wrote:

Buy 2 x 4GB chips only 6GB will be recognized but you will still get the performance advantage of using a matched pair.

Csound1, are you saying that he wouldn't be able to utilize the 6GB of RAM? Becuase he would be able to accoring to all the people who have put in 6GB instead of 4GB.

That is not what I said,

Buy 2 x 4GB chips only 6GB will be recognized

Oh ok. I was just a little confused from that last post.

Although you can fit 8GB (2 x 4GB) the machine will only recognize 6GB of the total. But having 2 identical chips allows the Mac to run them in Page mode for slightly faster performance.

Ram is very cheap, no need for the owner to be the same 🙂