Q: how do i tell if my mid 2009 macbook can run 8gb of ram

6gb of ram max

•MacBook  EFI Firmware Update 1.4:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL974

if a mid-2009 macbook...

...according to http://mactracker.ca

•MacBook: How to remove or install memory:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1651

(The late 2008 MacBook 13-inch, required a different EFI update.

And that is model MB 4.1; not Aluminum MB 5.1 that uses max 8GB.)

At this late a date, noises from a hard disk drive in such an old MB

may be due to wear factors & a pending need to replace the drive.

In addition to that idea check the running specs in the MB to see if the

EFI update 1.4 was already applied at some point in the past.

Good luck & happy computing!

you are welcome

I'm confused by this.

My partner has a Macbook Pro 5,5 (Mid 2009) and I put 8 GB in it and it appears to work.  A quick google check shows that there were two differnet models for Mid-2009, so maybe the one I stalled 8GB into takes 8GB rather than 6GB.

For two different Mid-2009 models see here.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4132

A digression:  But maybe I just put 8 GB in and it works?  But not recommended? I've read elsewhere, for example, that on my Mid-2011 15" MacBook Pro that you can put more RAM into it than Apple recommends.  I don't recall what the exact figure is, but I did come across a discussion of such when I was looking at updating the RAM on the other machine.

Anyway, I came across this thread because I wanted to insure I had the most recent firmware installed on 13" Mid-2009 Macbook Pro 5,5 model.  Can someone confirm that the above data applies to both Mid-2009 Macbook Pros please?  (I need to insure firmware is updated to most recent because apparently it's recommended when you install bootcamp, which is what I'd like to do).  THANKS!

  Sudden Motion Sensor:

This topic thread was about a MacBook model, not a MacBook/Pro.

So there is a difference between products. To verify you could

look up details in several sources, including everymac.com,

mactracker.ca (download), Apple Support, +indentify by serial nos.

Also there are similar build numbers with different specs due to

the display size + graphic processor (video RAM) etc.

If you have a question about a MacBook/Pro, please consider there

is a discussion area specific to that. The MacBook series itself has

been discontinued as of July 2011 (Mid-2010) though both the Air

and Pro models each have their own discussion area, & specs.

To avoid confusion, is the reason for my

reply, to an essentially answered thread.

Good luck & happy computing!

Hi K Shaffer:  I'm so sorry!  Didn't notice this was just for the MacBook and not MacBook Pro!  Thanks for the the info and the links and I'm sorry to have posted in the wrong forum!

So I wonder what is really going on, to be that far off; if double-checked against

the serial number lookup, plus MacTracker, everymac.com, & the Apple spec

for the two MacBook5.2 model identifier numbers, (under Model A1181) since

there are two EMC numbers, and a different order number for each.

Anyway, you should be able to do some memtests and hardware tests to see if the

computer really can use the RAM it says, & what the performance results relate to.

Hopefully that works out for you.

Good luck & happy computing!

hi cameron. i know we are in 2016 now but can you provide more information on the performance of the computer and exactly what ram you got. also can you give your model identifier if you didnt already. thanks

If your MacBook (13-inch Mid 2009) is further identified through

this information; other than the build dates and processor speed

of 2.13 GHz, Sales order number is an identifier that is different, too.

• MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009) specs: from http://mactracker.ca app

Introduced    May 2009

Discontinued    October 2009

Model Identifier    MacBook5,2

Model Number    A1181

EMC    2330

• (Sales) Order Number    MC240LL/A

•Processor    Intel Core 2 Duo (P7450) ("Penryn")

Processor Speed    2.13 GHz

Architecture    64-bit

This model is said to be able to use 800MHz speed memory chips:

Maximum Memory    6.0 GB (Actual) 4.0 GB (Apple)

Memory Slots    2 - 200-pin PC2-6400 (800MHz) DDR2 SO-DIMM

The older build has different (sales) order number, different CPU speed,

and different build dates. But has the same Model Number, EMC #, and

also same Model Identifier (both Early + Mid 2009 13-inch MacBook.)

So to detail this matter involves further study, that I've already done.

However if you misidentify the computer by any important factor, the

results vary; sometimes they can be useful & other times not so much.

• MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009) : specs from mactracker.ca application

Introduced    January 2009

Discontinued    May 2009

Model Identifier    MacBook5,2

Model Number    A1181

EMC    2300

• (Sales) Order Number   MB881LL/A

Maximum Memory    6.0 GB (Actual) 4.0 GB (Apple)

Memory Slots    2 - 200-pin PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 SO-DIMM

•Processor    Intel Core 2 Duo (P7350) ("Penryn")

Processor Speed    2.0 GHz

You may be able to install two 4-GB 667MHz chips in the earlier model

(Early 2009) and have them physically fit; they may even show up as 8GB

total, but according to Apple specs, only 6GB would be functional. If you

can test to see if there is actual gain in performance, by thorough tests.

Clearly two different build machines, processor series, dates, etc.

You can use a Lookup by Serial Number online service, or use the

Apple support database articles on how to identify your MacBook.

Either way should help; if you get the correct proper information to use.

Mis-identification can lead to various mismatched parts. Some may be

backward compatible (if researched, to learn which ones) while others

not so much; or not at all. ~Like the guy who put incorrect chips in an

older G4 portable and somehow toasted the logic board. Way different

chips, where the pin count and alignment were incorrect. But they 'fit.'

An earlier 'aluminum' 13-inch MacBook (Late 2008) uses faster speed

RAM and it can use 8GB total, in 204-pin 1066MHz DDR3 SODIMM.

Sometimes this model is mis-identified as a MacBook Pro.

• Mac Serial Number Info - Lookup your Apple Serial Number:

https://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php

If the need to speed up these older machines is worth the upgrade path,

an SSD would surely speed up the overall general functions.

In any event...

Good luck & happy computing!

Hi. Thanks for the quick response. Do you think it might be worth buying a 4 gb stick of ram. my machine has 2 1 gb sticks now so i could run 2 different sticks, 4 and 1= 5gb. If I did what cameron said in the future  and bought 2 4gb sticks at 667 mhz, i would already have one in there to offset the apparent cost. Also, do you think what he said is correct because i have found one other source that was definitely for the mid 2009 2.13 processor computer that said it worked. However, i cannot find it in my history anymore. i also might get an ssd in the future, but since im running el capitan on this old computer ram is more important. Thanks, Josh