Ram upgrade to 2GB - fan running faster

I have some updates about the problem.

I was thinking that it was a my fault about some missing setup needed when installing more ram to mac mini.
So, today, I have moved to a local apple center and I have asked them to install the RAM for me... they do, and it happens the same thing: the fun was running very fast quite often under OS X and was always fast under bootcamp-XP.
I have asked them why this happens and if that was normal, but they have no other mac mini with such amount of ram and they never see it before. They suggest me to test it for a week and eventually to give them the mac for a day to make some hardware tests.

Later, back into my office, the noise was too high and too annoying so I have called again apple to explain the situation.
They told me that they have no reports about similar problems, that it should not make more noise when adding RAM. They suggest me to try remove and reinstall better the RAMs or to try different RAMs (I am using kingston kit KTA-MB667K2/2G).

So I have also phoned to kingston support, and they say that it is a strange bahavior, that they don't have reports about that too. They are now investigating the problem and they let me know something in next days.
They also put to my attention the fact that the computer is able to see and work well with the 2GB memory, so the memory is working correctly. They think this is something related to apple hardware/firmware and could be that apple should fix it in next realases.

Unfortunatly, all this new infos and all the time lost for a "simple" memory upgrade didn't solve my troubles and I still cannot use the mac like I need.

So I have continued my tests by changing the kensington Dimms with other 2 GB dimms by Nanya technologies that were installed on my centrino duo notebook.

Mac mini was able to see and work well with them too, now the fun speed is a little bit slowly then using kingston ones but still more fast than with 512MB.
Bootcamp-XP is still not usable due to high fan speed and the high noise. OS X seems to control better the fan speed but it goes high there too for any little thing you do.

So I have made one more test suggested by kingston:
I have started mac mini while only one kingston dimm were inside.
In this way the mac mini was making some less noise that using the two nanya dimms, but it was still to high.

The last test I made was to check the cpu temperature with different amounts of RAM and results were interesting.

Using OS X with 512MB, the cpu temperature is about 33 C while iddle; if I try to start parallels desktop with guest windows XP, temperature goes up to 40 C and the fan is still running at quite low levels.

Instead, while 1 GB of RAM was installed, cpu iddle temperature was 35 C and starting parallels desktop will result in temperature levels till 50 C.

So there was a difference of about 10 C.

While doing these test I have left the mac mini open, so once stopped, I was able to quickly feel the RAM temperature with my finger and it was quite hot.
I didn't try temperature with both 2GB dimms, but I belive it will be surely more high.

So what I am thinking now is that probably apple is aware about higher temperature inside when using more RAM, so the bios starts the mac mini with the fun running faster because it detects the 2 GB memory.
OS X is able to control someway the fun so it is not always running fast (but quite often) while using boot camp with XP becomes impossible due to the fan always at max speed.

I don't think apple's rams could work at lower temperature than kingston ones, so the dubt now is that things are correct in this way.. so intel mac mini with 1/2GB could be a shame due to high level of fan noise... or... my mac mini has something wrong.

Is anybody here with a mac mini and 2 GB of RAM?

Anybody could make some test about that?

Thanks a lot for any help

thanks for the reply and for the useful link.

It seems that 2GB of RAM should not make temperature differences like here with kingston memory kit.

Mario, did you try bootcamp too while using 2 GB?

Or did you try parallels desktop with windows XP?

How about your fan?

Thanks

May I ask you if when booting in windows XP using bootcamp and 2GB memory, you mac mini fan is always at lowest level?

I mean from when you boot till you are in windows or while you are scanning, is your fan always very low or does it go up till very fast ...may be like when in os x a screen saver is starded?

Kingston is going to send me two different dimms so that I can test if there is any difference.

If you have the time, I would like to ask you to check which kind of Dimms do you have in your mac mini, you can easily get this info by starting under windows XP this little application:

http://www.cpuid.com/download/cpu-z-134.zip

My originals 512MB are made by Micron Technology, part number: 4HTF3264HY-667B3.

Thanks a lot!

Thanks a lot Mario!

When you say "faster" under windows, you mean that it is running near to top speed or "at the middle" or a little bit more then at slower speed?

Here with 2 GB under windows the fan is running near to top speed for all the time.
With 512MB under windows it is always at slower speed...it is going a little bit faster when you scroll web pages, so may when you require some graphic performance.

mhmm no, here windows fan speed is really fast since start up.
I am using apple's win drivers.

I have found these two pages comparing Dimms:

http://www.samsung.com/products/semiconductor/DDR_DDR2/DDR2SDRAM/Module/SODIMM/M 470T2953CZ3/M470T2953CZ3.htm


http://www.micron.com/products/partdetail?part=MT4HTF3264HY-667

unfortunatly I cannot find more details about kingston ones, they just confirm everywhere that my kit is 100% tested on mac mini as the best solution :-/

Using CPU-Z kingston timings seems to be equals to yours 2GB memory.

Thanks

I have made all the tests provided by apple care CD, all hardware test have passed. The mini is working fine with the 2 GB only the fan is crazy.

I have re-opened the mini and made some recording job about the fan...I hope you can listen them and compare with yours...better results with headphones.

This is my fan with 512 MB when doing normal operations:

http://217.64.202.115/mac-mini/fan.amr


This is my fan when using bootcamp & win XP

http://217.64.202.115/mac-mini/win512.amr


This is my fan when using bootcamp & XP with 2 GB memory

http://217.64.202.115/mac-mini/win2gb.amr


This is my fan when booting bootcamp & XP with 2GB memory

http://217.64.202.115/mac-mini/bootxp2gb.amr


This is my fan when I boot OS X while using 512MB

http://217.64.202.115/mac-mini/bootosx512.amr


This is my fan when I boot OS X with 2 GB memory

http://217.64.202.115/mac-mini/bootosx2gb.amr



Do you have similar results there?

I have tried to disconnect all cables and, after 15 seconds re-connect the power cable while I was pressing down the power button.
By doing that in the next boot the fan will run at max speed for all the time. You have to shut down and restart it again to work in a normal way. But with the same 2GB fan issues.

I have also hit the keys command + option + p + r, but again it makes no fan difference.

I have tried to hit D key while booting but it does nothing here :-?

Is there any other key sequence I can try?

Is there any way to login into the bios like on PCs?

Thanks again

Yes, I have made SMC reset too, there isn't any difference with the fan 😟

But it seems today, that after I have used XP for some time in such way (fan running fast) now it is going to run slower and stay running quite slow... like some kind of self-regulation.

May be I notice it mouch due to the continuos sound "rrrrrrr" coming from my fan...if I consider air flow sound only, the issue could be less considered.
Mostly is the rrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRR sound very annoying... it is louder then hard disk sound.

Do you have rrrrrr sound too? Like if the fan rotation, not the air, is always making a background and quite acute sound?

Thanks