HELP: Question on adding more RAM to my 2X dual core 2.66 Xenon MacPro

Hi,m
I current;y have 6GB of RAM in my MacPro and want to add a bit more.
Right now I have 4 X 512MB strips and 4 1GB strips for a total of 6GB
I was thinking of adding 2 X 2GB strips to replace 2 of my 512MB strips which would give me 4 1GB strips, 2 2GB strips and 2 512MB strips filling all slots on both risers.
What is the proper order in which to place the memory strips? 2GB strips in slots A&B on the top riser and the rest paired wherever... or is there a specific order these need to be in?
Should I remove the 2 remaining 512MB strips altogether and leave 2 empty slots?
I have heard that adding more memory improperly can in some cases actually slow things down.
My MacPro is running the 32BIT EFI... but should be able to address all RAM up to 4GB per core. ( 12GB total)

2006: symmetrical quad sets are ideal.
4 x 2GB + 4 x 1GB / even 4 x 4GB
The bad config is 6 DIMMs, yes.
More than 4 DIMMs = higher latency
There is no "per core." You can have up to 32GB (8 x 4GB).
WHY do you want more and what will this do for you?
Are you using CS3 or later? then yes 6GB is minimal.
Do you show page outs and swap files being used?
Where I recommend checking, and there are install guides and video:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#667-memory
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1957

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When you have the problem, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.
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Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
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Thanks,
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My ibook has 512MB's of RAM. I am happy with this.
However since next year I plan to return to school to
get a Masters in Ministry, I may need more RAM. From
2001-2005 while I working on my undergrad I used a
Performa 6360 which had 136MB's of RAM + RAM Doubler.
I was able to run some 20 apps at one time (or more)
without a major slowdown. I cannot do this with
Tiger, and since I plan to get the OSX version of
Dave to access other PC's on the network (since
whatever is built int OSX pales in comparison to
Dave). On my Performa 6360 Dave was a necessity,
since the campus dumped using Macs in 2002. I
remember my 1st year (2001-2002) I could access a
number of Macs on the Appletalk network at the time.
But after the Fall 2002 semester the mac got dumped.
Some students still used Macs, but fewer and fewer
used them in the 2003-2005 years.
So my question is. Will maxing out my ibook to a gig
of RAM although me to run some 20-30m apps at one
time (like I could on the Performa) or was OSX Tiger
just not designed for this?
OSX Tiger is much better than OS 9.1, but not in all
areas as OS 9.x and before do have their advantages
over Tiger.
Actually, OS 9 does not have any advantage over OS X. You had 136 MB of ram plus RamDoubler, why do you think 512 MB of ram will be less adequate?
RamDoubler merely did what OS X does as part of how it works. It did not give you more ram it just allocated more to the app up front while dropping background apps as low as possible. This is what OS X does.
If you were running 20 - 30 apps with 136 MB of ram then they weren't ram hogs at all and it's very likely you can run them without adding more ram now.
OS X handles virtual memory much better too. In the old days I could run 2-3 apps at a time, now I can run 10-12, and most of mine are major ram hogs like Photoshop.
Kevin

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Dear Apple Support Community,
Ok so first of all don't tell me to go search for older discussions >:(
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Hi leroy,
Thanks for the quick reply!
I checked the Crucial site, and apparently my Macbook Pro can only upgrade until 8GB...
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Sorry, I've searched for this answer and haven't found anything about AE CC v12 and Ram, plenty on Ram, just not AE CC v12, actually v12.1 now.
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Adding more RAM to my Pro Mac - config?

Hello folks,
I'm considering buying from OWC (one-third the cost of buying from Apple) - 8GB (2GBx4) PC5300 DDR2 ECC 667MHz 240 Pin FB-DIMMs.
Specifically:
8.0GB OWC Matched Set (2GB x 4) PC5300 DDR2 ECC 667MHz 240 Pin FB-DIMM Modules for all Mac Pro Quad Core and 8 Core systems.
OWC claims these chip sets are Apple qualified memory and they offer their "LifeTime Advance Replacement Warranty" with them. The cooling fins appear identical to the Apple RAM I have already in my Pro Mac.
My config is as follows:
A1 1gb
A2 1gb
A3 >>> proposed 2gb
A4 >>> proposed 2gb
B1 1gb
B2 1gb
B3 empty
B4 empty
Would the above configuration be the correct way to install this new RAM?
Thanks,
mp

Hello Hatter,
I've been so busy on this thing... Update for ya;
OWC RAM arrived the other day; I've had it installed for 2 days now. I did remove my existing (4) 1GB DIMMs before installing the new (4) 2GB DIMMs. Also, I installed smcFanControl.
I've not yet re-installed my original (4) 1GB DIMMs; I think I'll add reinsert them tomorrow...
I ran a TechToolPro test on the 8GB of new DIMMs a few times, and so far everything is perfect. I haven't done any "heavy" dual-core lifting yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll play around in Photoshop and kick the crap outta my new DIMMs.
On the smcFan speeds: Out of the box, the fan speeds are all set at 500rpm. I kicked them all up to 1150rpm - and the temp. dropped from 40°C to 35°C in about 3 minutes. Literally, my MacPro is a cool machine. It's quiet too, I can't hear the fans that much, just an occasional sound - not of rushing wind but the motor - a VERY SLIGHT, SUBTLE harmonic vibration (that description doesn't do its gentle hum justice...) It sounds a little like an old fish tank water pump - very very subtle vibration-like periodical rattle. I'm guessing its a fan's blades slightly out of balance??
Yes, I dusted the heck out of the entire Mac Pro before doing any work on it - so the rattle (again, not a terribly noticeable noice at all) isn't dust. Bearings perhaps?? Anyway -
Question: What are you referring to as the "base" fan? I see four:
1. the CPU Fan
2. PCIe/HDD
3. Rear Fan
4. Power SUpply
Is there a vast difference if - say - the front fans are slower than the rear fans? That is a condition that would ostensibly create negative pressure within the box - and THAT (deductively) would improve airflow, wouldn't it?
Speaking of airflow, I noticed that OWC's DIMMs have not four but about 7-8 fins on each side of the chip sets. I would deduce that more fins equates to greater heat dissipation... But these fins are closer together - which could reduce the air flow between fins. Such dilemmas... :-/ Anyone out there care to comment on more fins meaning more cooling?
Lastly, can the temp. range be too low? Is a temp. range below 40°C a bad thing?
Thanks hatter (and everyone else!),
Cheers,
mp
oh - the other non-RAM issue - it was 10 bad blocks on a 500GB disc. I had a means to back-up the VM guts - and that was enough of a back-up to proceed with a wipe-reload scenario!

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Not long ago I added another hard drive to my Mac Pro and to do it I reviewed a Quicktime video that offered step by step instructions. It worked great. I found it somewhere on the web but I don't know or remember where.
Now I want to add more RAM and it has arrived from Crucial but their online picture instructions appear to be for the older PPC machines and not the newer Intel Macs.
I'd like to try and find a video that would show me where to find the RAM on my Mac Pro and how to install it.
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Okay, additional 2 gigs are installed. Tell me if this is the correct setup:
DIMM Riser A/DIMM 1 1GB DDR2 FB-DIM 667MHz OK
DIMM Riser A/DIMM 2 1GB DDR2 FB-DIM 667MHz OK
DIMM Riser A/DIMM 3 512MB DDR2 FB-DIM 667MHz OK
DIMM Riser A/DIMM 4 512MB DDR2 FB-DIM 667MHz OK
DIMM Riser B/DIMM 1 512MB DDR2 FB-DIM 667MHz OK
DIMM Riser B/DIMM 2 512MB DDR2 FB-DIM 667MHz OK
DIMM Riser B/DIMM 3 Empty Empty Empty Empty
DIMM Riser B/DIMM 4 Empty Empty Empty Empty
If so - if I buy two more 1GB sticks do I shift the 512 from A/3 and A/4 and move to B/3 and B/4 then place 1GB each in A/3 and A/4?
Thanks,
John

If my peak "physical memory" usage is around 50%, is adding more RAM a waste of money?

I have a W700-DS with the T9600 dual-core and an SSD, and when running 4GB of RAM I'd notice that memory usage tended to rarely exceed 50%. Just for the heck of it, I just upgraded to 8GB of RAM, and now I'm curious as to whether I wasted my money, as the 4GB usage never hit 100%. One thing I did notice is that my "Windows Experience Index" went from 5.9 to 6.4, but I'm guessing maybe that's just marketing BS from Microsoft.
Thanks for your opinions.

If you haven't checked it out already, take a look at what the Resource Monitor tells you. I'm "using" only abpit 3GB out of 12 right now, but 9GB is marked "standby" -- memory filled by SuperFetch with items I'm most likely to need. The memory is still availalbe for something else if Windows/SuperFetch guessed wrong, but if it guessed right, it's already there and ready to go. Thus the boost to your Experience Index isn't total BS. You may actually be find your system more responsive. For example, if you always start your morning reading email, then check a website, then finally open your primary work applications, having more RAM allows SuperFetch to predictively load more of this while you're doing something else.
Interstingly, as I was typing this, my In Use dropped to 2.7G, Standby has filled the remainign 9.3G and free is down to 0 (Hardware Reserved is a negligible 113MB).
You don't mention exactly what OS you're using, but I'm going to presume Windows 7 x64... with a 32-bit OS, you definitely would have been wasting your money with its nominal 3GB limit. SuperFetch wasn't quite as good with Vista, but there would still be some benefit there, I think. I have no experience with XP x64.

HELP: Question on adding more RAM to my 2X dual core 2.66 Xenon MacPro

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