Early 2009 imac 24"
Can I put an 8gb memory module into one slot of imac that has 8gb max (using 4 in each slot) My problem is that the two 4's I currently have do not work together well. I did a PRAM reset and tried out each 4gb individually in each slot and they work, but of course were really slow. I'm thinking if I used 8gb in one slot that would work - is this possible?
iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), 24" Early 2009
Macs work best when they have matched RAM in each slot. For example if the computer has 2 slots and has the ability to have up to 8GB as your early 2009 iMac has then it's best to install 2x4GB of RAM in each slot. RAM is cheap, put in the correct RAM. Because iMacs are sensitive to RAM only use Crucial (buy direct) or OWC (www.macsales.com), both vendors sell high quality RAM at reasonable prices.
I forgot to say that when the two 4's are installed at the same time I kept having the computer crash and give "panic reports" . The continual need for restart was horrible. Now with only one 4 installed, it's slower by a lot, but at least doesn't crash.
I did use Crucial to get the two 4's. Worked fine for a year, then the crashes started. I contacted them and they are the ones who said to do the PRAM reset and test out the 4's separately. But in calling them today they didn't know if the 8 gb would work, so I'm posting here.
Your computer needs
| Memory Slots | 2 - 204-pin PC3-8500 (1066 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM |
|---|
What is the spec of RAM you are using?
Barbarapdx wrote:
I forgot to say that when the two 4's are installed at the same time I kept having the computer crash and give "panic reports" . The continual need for restart was horrible. Now with only one 4 installed, it's slower by a lot, but at least doesn't crash.
As mentioned, it's wise to use matched pairs.
However if your machine is getting Kernal Panics, you should post the last KP report. If you don't know how please click Mac OS X: How to log a kernel panic - Apple Support and then post your last complete KP. It may not be RAM related, it could be your HD is failing or possibly software.
Here's what I found: It doesn't say Kernal Panic, just Panic - this this what you mean?
*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff801f51f92b): "a freed zone element has been modified in zone VM map entries: expected 0xdeadbeefdeadbeef but found 0xdeadbee7deadbeef, bits changed 0x800000000, at offset 8 of 80 in element 0xffffff80328165e0, cookies 0x3f001132d2628ce4 0x535218b732e283b"@/Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/xnu/xnu-3248.40.184/os fmk/kern/zalloc.c:503
Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff802bbd3290 : 0xffffff801f4dab12
0xffffff802bbd3310 : 0xffffff801f51f92b
0xffffff802bbd3440 : 0xffffff801f5612f0
0xffffff802bbd3460 : 0xffffff801f554f72
0xffffff802bbd34d0 : 0xffffff801f5547f9
0xffffff802bbd36b0 : 0xffffff801f55f323
0xffffff802bbd37c0 : 0xffffff801fac2c2f
0xffffff802bbd38e0 : 0xffffff801fac655a
0xffffff802bbd3970 : 0xffffff801fac8167
0xffffff802bbd39e0 : 0xffffff801fac7b33
0xffffff802bbd3a40 : 0xffffff7fa0c6362b
0xffffff802bbd3a70 : 0xffffff7fa0c63561
0xffffff802bbd3ab0 : 0xffffff7fa0c633e5
0xffffff802bbd3ae0 : 0xffffff7fa0c67466
0xffffff802bbd3b10 : 0xffffff7fa0c67c81
0xffffff802bbd3b50 : 0xffffff801fae08c1
0xffffff802bbd3b80 : 0xffffff801fae21f0
0xffffff802bbd3be0 : 0xffffff801fadf277
0xffffff802bbd3d20 : 0xffffff801f597cc0
0xffffff802bbd3e30 : 0xffffff801f4df283
0xffffff802bbd3e60 : 0xffffff801f4c28b8
0xffffff802bbd3ea0 : 0xffffff801f4d2665
0xffffff802bbd3f10 : 0xffffff801f5b8bda
0xffffff802bbd3fb0 : 0xffffff801f5eca96
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(108.2.1)[7B01F01F-CC13-328B-BA71-E574C5FA3E25]@0xffff ff7fa0c5f000->0xffffff7fa0c71fff
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Google Chrome He
Mac OS version:
15E65
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 15.4.0: Fri Feb 26 22:08:05 PST 2016; root:xnu-3248.40.184~3/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 4E7B4496-0B81-34E9-97AF-F316103B0839
Kernel slide: 0x000000001f200000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff801f400000
__HIB text base: 0xffffff801f300000
System model name: iMac9,1 (Mac-F2218FA9)
System uptime in nanoseconds: 28125099365756
last loaded kext at 27651029479472: com.apple.driver.AppleXsanScheme 3 (addr 0xffffff7fa1eac000, size 32768)
last unloaded kext at 27714340420658: com.apple.driver.AppleXsanScheme 3 (addr 0xffffff7fa1eac000, size 32768)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.filesystems.afpfs 11.0
com.apple.nke.asp-tcp 8.0.0
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.70
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0
com.apple.driver.AGPM 110.21.18
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 124
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 274.7
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 274.7
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.1
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry 1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.4.4f4
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.GeForceTesla 10.0.0
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.4f4
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.8.9
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.2.13
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 327.5
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.7.7
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 38
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.8.5
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 5.5.2
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 800.20.24
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.1.8
com.apple.nvenet 2.0.22
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCIPCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 218.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 163
com.apple.security.quarantine 3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 218.0.0
com.apple.security.SecureRemotePassword 1.0
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.12.6
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 274.7
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 525
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.14d1
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDANV50HalTesla 10.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 108.2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11
com.apple.driver.CoreCaptureResponder 1
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily 1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.6
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla 10.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 274.7
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 274.7
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 204.3
com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d7
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.4f4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.4.4f4
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.9
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.14d1
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 181
com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 900.4.1
com.apple.driver.usb.cdc 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.networking 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 2.6.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.6.0
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 1110.26
com.apple.driver.corecapture 1.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.8.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.NVSMU 2.2.9
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox 300.0
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2
com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 417.2
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 31
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4
com.apple.kec.Libm 1
com.apple.kec.pthread 1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0
Well I can tell you it's not software related. If you are using incorrectly spec'd RAM that could be the cause and it could also be some other failing component. I think you are on the right track by starting with the RAM, get that sorted out first as RAM caused KP's are the most common. If you find your RAM is 100% okay then begin looking for other hardware issues, this means taking it to an AASP to be professionally diagnosed.
OK, thanks, I was hoping to avoid the cost of Apple diagnosing it. Do they charge for diagnosing or just for repairing?
Memory Slot issue - Can I use 8gb in one slot?
