I need to upgrade my iMac's RAM. I am concerned that I have confidential information in my Contacts app (like passwords). Is there a way to wipe clean the contents of Contacts before taking my iMac in for service, and then later syncing it with my iPhone to restore the contacts? Thanks.
iMac
What model of iMac do you have? Some iMac's are pretty easy to update/add more memory, so you might be able to do it on your own.
First, you could easily install RAM yourself (what model do you have?):
iMac: How to remove or install memory - Apple Support
If you still want to take it in, then I'd suggest a full backup with Time Machine or a bootable clone onto an external hard drive first. You could then just delete them and restore from your backup later. Or, you could severely restrict anyone's access to various things by establishing an account (name it 'test') and only allow very basic access - no apps for instance. that would work as well.
It's an iMac that's about 4 years old. I'm not sure what other information to provide. It's a 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3, 21.5 inch monitor.
If I could install the memory myself, that would be ideal. Is there a website which shows how/where to purchase the memory and how to install it? I currently have 4 GB memory in 2 slots. I want another 4 GB for the remaining 2 slots (2 GB each).
If you click on the Apple icon in the top left corner and select "About this Mac" you get a dialog box. It says the version of the OS, and right under that is will give the exact model, e.g. iMac(Mid 2010) or something similar. That's the important info to know to be able to know how to add/change memory.
You can get the app called Mactracker from http://www.mactracker.ca/ and it will give you a link that shows you how to install memory - located in the "Memory and Graphics" tab after you tell it which model of iMac you have. It has dozens of all the Mac's ever made and is a great resource.
Good luck...
Yours should be a mid 2010; the link I provided shows how to and, this site has install videos:
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/
That vendor is also one of the two recommended Apple RAM vendors with lifetime warranties (the other being Crucial).
It says: iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010)
Thanks. I'll give it a try and report back.
One more question. Is there a recommended amount of RAM? It looks like I have the option of 4GB (2x2GB) 8GB (2x4GB) or 16 GB (4x4GB [meaning I'd have to switch out my current 2GB memory chips]). Since I'm operating with 4GB now, I'm inclined to go with an additional 8GB (2x 4GB), which costs $100. I don't know if it's worth spending and additional $100 for just 4GB more. Thoughts?
It really depends on what you do with your computer: if you're into games, the more RAM the better. If you're only browsing online, doing email and some word processing, 4 - 8 GB is plenty. I do a fair amount of video and graphics editing and I've been happy with my total of 12 GB (2 x 2 GB original plus 2 x 4 GB added) - not sure if 16, 20, or more would result in faster video rendering (which is a very demanding process and will always take time).
Other than web browsing, I do photo and video editing using Aperture and iMovie, respectively. Since it works for you, I'll go with the total of 12GB. Thanks!
Good luck!
Installation of an extra 8GB successful. It definitely sped up my computer. I still wish it was a bit faster, but it is 5 years old now. Thanks for your advice.
You're welcome, glad to hear you're happy with the results!
How to Protect Contacts Before Servicing iMac
