Boosting RAM for mid 2011 Mini?

It can take 16 GB (2x8) of RAM. Make sure you get it from a manufacturer who says it will work with the 2011 Mini.

What do you mean by slow?

Officially a 2011 Mini can take a max. of 8GB, although some RAM sellers say a 2011 can take 16GB.

On my 2011 the most I ever managed with 12GB (8 + 4 GB); 16GB would cause beeping at startup.

I tried a bunch of Crucial RAM (with several RMAs inbetween) -- guaranteed compatibility --- and I could not get 16GB to work with my 2011 Mini (Server quad core i7). I took it to a Genius Bar, where they said that the official specs are for 8GB and since it works with that, they couldn't intervene further.

Eric. wrote:

Officially a 2011 Mini can take a max. of 8GB, although some RAM sellers say a 2011 can take 16GB.

On my 2011 the most I ever managed with 12GB (8 + 4 GB); 16GB would cause beeping at startup.

I tried a bunch of Crucial RAM (with several RMAs inbetween) -- guaranteed compatibility --- and I could not get 16GB to work with my 2011 Mini (Server quad core i7). I took it to a Genius Bar, where they said that the official specs are for 8GB and since it works with that, they couldn't intervene further.

I have a 2011 Mini Server and I have been running with 16GB of RAM for well over 2 years

from Mountain Lion thru Yosemite.

I have Corsair Mac branded RAM, CMSA16GX3M2A1333C9.

While you can upgrade ram and it is easy to do - that may not be your issue - have you cleaned up your hard drive in a while - how full is it? Also, I recenlty switched to using external SSD Thunderbolt (LaCie) for my OS drive (with applications on it as well) and the performance (speed) impact was considerable (now use my internal drive for storage). Did the SSD change over first - tremendous impact - then little later upgraded from 4 to 8 GB ram and could not notice any improvement. RAM upgrade was done in preparation of doing some video editing soon, so more RAM may help, but my 4 GB of ram seemed fine for normal use like you have described. You can google RAM amount and will see that there is diminishing returns for adding more. Personally recommend to take the money you would spend on the RAM and put it towards an external SSD (google that), or if your current drive is cluttered and/or full - try a clean OS install (google that as well).

All this on mid-2011 Mac mini.

when running slow run this and post the results here:

EtreCheck

You can definitely run 16GB RAM with the 2011 Mac Mini. I've been running 16GB for almost a year now with no problems. After installing Yosemite at the beginning of 2015 my mini began crawling through everything when it still had the factory 4GB of RAM. After the RAM upgrade it's been great.

I'm having issues with slow start up and general use on my Mac Mini Mid-2011 that has 8Gb of RAM installed, 135gb storage remaining and 5 users with accounts. I have a memory cleaner that tell me i generally have 2gb on RAM free. Below are the results of EtreCheck, is there any advice you can give me?

Many thanks in advance.

EtreCheck version: 2.9.9 (260)

Report generated 2016-03-13 15:06:12

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime 2:44

Performance: Excellent

Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.

Click the [Remove] links to remove adware.

Problem: Computer is too slow

Description:

I run five users of this mac mini 2011 but still runs slow even though i have upgraded the RAM to two slots of 4gb each. General switching between programs, slow start up, issues switching through pictures in PHOTOS, some slow typing issues too.

Hardware Information:ⓘ

Mac mini (Mid 2011)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

Mac mini - model: Macmini5,1

1 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information:ⓘ

Intel HD Graphics 3000

M227WDP 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz

System Software:ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.3 (15D21) - Time since boot: less than an hour

Disk Information:ⓘ

TOSHIBA MK5065GSXF disk0 : (500.11 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.25 GB (137.14 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

USB Information:ⓘ

HP Deskjet 3050A J611 series

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Logitech USB Optical Mouse

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Information:ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper:ⓘ

Anywhere

Adware:ⓘ

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.spigot.ApplicationManager.plist

One adware file found. [Remove]

Kernel Extensions:ⓘ

/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv (4.2.6 - 2016-02-29) [Support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp (4.2.6 - 2016-02-29) [Support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt (4.2.6 - 2016-02-29) [Support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB (4.2.6 - 2016-02-29) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungComposite (1.4.20 - SDK 10.6 - 2016-02-29) [Support]

[not loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.ControllerMateFamily (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6 - 2016-02-29) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions/ControllerMate.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.CMUSBDevices (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6 - 2014-07-26) [Support]

[not loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.CMUSBKeyboard (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6 - 2014-07-26) [Support]

[not loaded] com.orderedbytes.driver.CMUSBPointer (4.6.0 - SDK 10.6 - 2014-07-26) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions/ssuddrv.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungACMControl (1.4.20 - SDK 10.6 - 2014-03-11) [Support]

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungACMData (1.4.20 - SDK 10.6 - 2014-03-11) [Support]

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungMTP (1.4.20 - SDK 10.5 - 2014-03-11) [Support]

[not loaded] com.devguru.driver.SamsungSerial (1.4.20 - SDK 10.6 - 2014-03-11) [Support]

Startup Items:ⓘ

EyeConnect: Path: /Library/StartupItems/EyeConnect

VirtualBox: Path: /Library/StartupItems/VirtualBox

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

System Launch Agents:ⓘ

[not loaded] 7 Apple tasks

[loaded] 157 Apple tasks

[running] 72 Apple tasks

System Launch Daemons:ⓘ

[not loaded] 42 Apple tasks

[loaded] 156 Apple tasks

[running] 90 Apple tasks

Launch Agents:ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a...plist (2016-01-20) [Support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (2015-03-21) [Support]

[running] com.orderedbytes.ControllerMateHelper.plist (2012-09-04) [Support]

Launch Daemons:ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (2016-01-20) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (2016-01-20) [Support]

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2016-03-07) [Support]

[loaded] com.ea.origin.ESHelper.plist (2016-02-12) [Support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (2010-08-25) [Support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (2015-03-21) [Support]

[loaded] com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper.plist (2016-03-13) [Support]

User Launch Agents:ⓘ

[failed] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (2012-02-06) [Support]

[failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[...]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

[loaded] com.bittorrent.uTorrent.plist (2016-02-20) [Support]

[failed] com.google.GoogleContactSyncAgent.plist (2013-09-14) [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (2016-03-03) [Support]

[running] com.spigot.ApplicationManager.plist (2016-02-20) Adware! [Remove]

~/Library/Application Support/Spigot/ApplicationManager

[loaded] com.spotify.webhelper.plist (2012-12-16) [Support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.vboxwebsrv.plist (2013-02-09) [Support]

User Login Items:ⓘ

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

WD App Manager Application (/Applications/WD App Manager/WD App Manager.app)

Other Apps:ⓘ

[running] P72E3GC48.com.dashlane.DashlaneAgent

[loaded] com.dashlane.DashlaneAutoStartHelper

[loaded] com.fiplab.MemoryCleanHelper

[running] com.fiplab.memoryclean.48672

[running] com.getdropbox.dropbox.80992

[running] com.hp.scanModule3.80352.E5902727-1D5F-4F58-B01A-A2441AC86A74

[running] com.wdc.branded.WD-App-Manager.88032

[loaded] 401 Apple tasks

[running] 182 Apple tasks

Internet Plug-ins:ⓘ

FlashPlayer-10.6: 21.0.0.182 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-11) [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2016-01-14)

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 15.010.20059 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-03) [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: 15.010.20059 - SDK 10.8 (2016-03-03) [Support]

Flash Player: 21.0.0.182 - SDK 10.6 (2016-03-11) [Support]

Default Browser: 601 - SDK 10.11 (2016-01-14)

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.6.0 - SDK 10.6 (2016-02-01) [Support]

Unity Web Player: UnityPlayer version 5.2.0f3 - SDK 10.6 (2015-10-10) [Support]

Silverlight: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 (2014-08-09) [Support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 73 build 02 (2016-02-29) Check version

Safari Extensions:ⓘ

Add To Amazon Wish List (2014-01-11)

Adblock Plus (2016-02-20)

Dashlane (2016-01-28)

Save to Pocket (2016-01-27)

Pin It Button (2016-01-28)

3rd Party Preference Panes:ⓘ

Flash Player (2016-03-07) [Support]

Java (2016-02-29) [Support]

Time Machine:ⓘ

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 499.25 GB Disk used: 362.11 GB

Destinations:

TimeMachineBackup [Network]

Total size: 1.92 TB

Total number of backups: 5

Oldest backup: 24/02/2016, 17:06

Last backup: 28/02/2016, 09:14

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 1.92 TB > (Disk size 499.25 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU:ⓘ

5% WindowServer

2% HP Scanner 3

1% kernel_task

1% fontd

0% P72E3GC48.com.dashlane.DashlaneAgent

Top Processes by Memory:ⓘ

3.01 GB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(9)

694 MB kernel_task

369 MB Safari

254 MB mds_stores

188 MB DashlanePluginMASService

Virtual Memory Information:ⓘ

928 MB Free RAM

7.09 GB Used RAM (1.39 GB Cached)

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information:ⓘ

Mar 13, 2016, 02:09:44 PM Self test - passed

Mar 13, 2016, 01:21:24 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2016-03-13-132124_[redacted].crash

com.apple.finder - /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/MacOS/Finder

Mar 13, 2016, 01:01:42 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/mds_stores_2016-03-13-130142_[redacted].crash

/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Metadat a.framework/Versions/A/Support/mds_stores

Mar 13, 2016, 11:14:58 AM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.sbd_2016-03-13-111458_[redacted].cra sh

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CloudServices.framework/Versions/A/XPCService s/com.apple.sbd.xpc/Contents/MacOS/com.apple.sbd

Mar 12, 2016, 07:52:09 AM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.sbd_2016-03-12-075209_[redacted].cra sh

Mar 11, 2016, 01:18:15 PM ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.sbd_2016-03-11-131815_[redacted].cra sh

It is strange that your virtual RAM is standing at 7GB. I'd suggest upgrading your RAM to the maximum that your mini can handle which is 16GB. I'd also consider swapping out one of your HDDs for an SSD. Remember that the larger the SSD the more performance you're likely to get so go for at least 500GB. That'll give you a huge performance boost. After that there is really very little else that you'll be able to do in the way of upgrades.

Make sure you restart your computer every now and again to reset the cache memory as that can sometimes chew up all of your RAM.

Thanks Jrrorerenuiarua

How many HDDs does this model have? I assumed it just had one 500gb one? Can an SSD be self installed?

Thanks again!

The poster's Mini only has one HD installed

Disk Information: ⓘ

TOSHIBA MK5065GSXF disk0 : (500.11 GB) (Rotational)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.25 GB (137.14 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

A second disk, either HD or SSD, can be installed with the necessary parts and tools. See:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMM11D2/

The poster should remove Spigot since it is adware

[running] com.spigot.ApplicationManager.plist (2016-02-20) Adware! [Remove]

~/Library/Application Support/Spigot/ApplicationManager

http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-spigot/

That may account for the high memory usage since Webkit is browser

3.01 GB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent(9)

Also bit torrent can also slow down the computer

Thank you lllaas, I'll have a look into those links etc

ANY other tips and links would be greatly received.

Cheers

This is being typed on a mid-2011 Mac mini with 8GB RAM (upgraded from original 4GB), and booting from a third-party (OCZ) 120 GB SSD, that was installed with the OWC Data Doubler kit, and their specific video for adding a second drive to the mid-2011 Mac mini. I performed this upgrade in Sept 2011, about 4 days after first powering on the original mini. I watched their installation video on a nearby laptop while the mini was in surgery.

This mini has been flawlessly stable, and interactively quick since the original upgrade. There was one SSD firmware upgrade since the original install that improved drive performance. I have run all releases of Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, and now El Capitan 10.11.3 on the mini without any stability or performance issues. It just works.

Nothing that I do requires 16GB RAM upgrade.