HT5540: iMac (27-inch, Late 2012 and later): Installing or replacing memory

Learn about iMac (27-inch, Late 2012 and later): Installing or replacing memory

mike sanders3

Level 1 (30 points)

Q: Adding memory to iMac 27in late 2013

Is there a specific order in which the modules should be placed i.e. I have two apple dimms and two kingston dimms, in which slots should they be placed? I cannot remember which slots the original dimms were.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9), new iMac27in iMac20in iMac24in MB

Posted on Apr 30, 2014 8:48 PM

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Q: Adding memory to iMac 27in late 2013

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by MichelPM,

MichelPM Apr 30, 2014 8:53 PM in response to mike sanders3
Level 6 (14,255 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 8:53 PM in response to mike sanders3

Before you attempt to install any RAM, I can tell you that the Kingston RAM will not work in your Mac.
Macs are very, VERY picky about the RAM specs they need.
Wherever you purchased this RAM, return it and get your money back!
Correct spec and reliable Mac RAM can be purchased from online Mac RAM sources Crucial memory or OWC (macsales.com).
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by babowa,

babowa Apr 30, 2014 8:55 PM in response to mike sanders3
Level 7 (32,347 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 8:55 PM in response to mike sanders3

In the brand new iMacs - with 4 vertically arranged slots - the factory RAM is usually in slot 1 and 3. It doesn't matter though if you put those in slots 2 + 4 and the new ones in 1+ 3 - as long as those (1+3 and 2+4) are matched.

FWIW, I'd recommend you return the Kingston RAM and buy from either OWC (macsales.com) or Crucial.
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by MichelPM,

MichelPM Apr 30, 2014 8:57 PM in response to mike sanders3
Level 6 (14,255 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 8:57 PM in response to mike sanders3

It doesn't matter which slots the RAM modules go into, but the have to be installed in matching pairs.
So, the lower slots can have two matching size pairs of RAM and the upper two slots can have a pair of matching size RAM.
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by den.thed,

den.thed Apr 30, 2014 9:03 PM in response to mike sanders3
Level 7 (27,755 points)

Apr 30, 2014 9:03 PM in response to mike sanders3

In this > OWC Installation Video the original modules were in slots 1 and 3
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by babowa,

babowa Apr 30, 2014 9:10 PM in response to den.thed
Level 7 (32,347 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 9:10 PM in response to den.thed

Cool - I had not even looked at that; but I was about to post Apple's instructions:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1423?viewlocale=en_US#1

FWIW, I think it's strange that the matching slots aren't next to one another, but if you do have the RAM in 1 + 3, it will still show as matched horizontally in About this Mac > Memory.
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by MichelPM,

MichelPM Apr 30, 2014 9:18 PM in response to den.thed
Level 6 (14,255 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 9:18 PM in response to den.thed

When I installed all of my RAM I wasn't really paying attention as all my RAM modules were all the same.
I always thought they were side to side too!
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by babowa,

babowa Apr 30, 2014 9:20 PM in response to MichelPM
Level 7 (32,347 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 9:20 PM in response to MichelPM

Not in the new iMacs; mine (mid 2010) has two rows of two next to one another and they should be matched horizontally, but not any more......
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by MichelPM,

MichelPM Apr 30, 2014 9:23 PM in response to babowa
Level 6 (14,255 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 9:23 PM in response to babowa

AAaaahhhhh...That's why. My iMac is a late 2009 model, too!
This is good info to know.
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by den.thed,

den.thed Apr 30, 2014 9:43 PM in response to babowa
Level 7 (27,755 points)

Apr 30, 2014 9:43 PM in response to babowa

Watching it a couple of times made me late to the party.

Not really all that strange different when you compair it to the side by side layout.

_____1 _____ 3
_____2 _____ 4
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by babowa,

babowa Apr 30, 2014 10:07 PM in response to den.thed
Level 7 (32,347 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 10:07 PM in response to den.thed

Yeah, but in the side by side layout, you match them horizontally; I think they should now change the graphic image in About this Mac to show them the way they are actually installed:

____1
____2
____3
____4
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by den.thed,

den.thed Apr 30, 2014 10:50 PM in response to babowa
Level 7 (27,755 points)

Apr 30, 2014 10:50 PM in response to babowa

Good luck, the only Designer and Engineer-Programmer's even close to being on the same page was Jobs and Woz.
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by babowa,

babowa Apr 30, 2014 10:58 PM in response to den.thed
Level 7 (32,347 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 10:58 PM in response to den.thed

Always nice to dream......
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by den.thed,

den.thed Apr 30, 2014 11:02 PM in response to babowa
Level 7 (27,755 points)

Apr 30, 2014 11:02 PM in response to babowa

.......
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by babowa,

babowa Apr 30, 2014 11:04 PM in response to den.thed
Level 7 (32,347 points)

iPad

Apr 30, 2014 11:04 PM in response to den.thed

You know, I think this will be an ER coming up - may not result in anything, but won't hurt either.
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