More RAM needed?

Hi there, I have an iMac (May 2009) with 2.66 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB 1067 MHz, DD3.
latterly the nefarious spinning wheel is appearing more and more often and I get Pageouts and swaps shortly after rebooting.
At the moment swap 1.6Gb/2Gb
Page outs 1.5M
I use a program that may use up to 1GB of ram, then I have Firefox and Thunderbird (big resource suckers) and Office for Mac (Word and/or Excel).
The performance of my computer seem to have been deteriorating in the last few months (still well usable, mind you), I wonder if it is the usage I make of it or there is something wrong with it (still under warranty).
If I need to expand the memory, can you give me some advice?
Thanks.
PS
I know this topic has been discussed over and over again, but I have been told by the power that be to open a new thread.

Thanks a lot for the info (and the link with the step-by-step illustration of how to do it...). Now all I need ot do id to find a seller in the UK that is not going to break the bank...
Besides, what memory size would you recommend? I wouldn't want to have an over spec machine with 8 Gb (OK, I know you can never have too much memory, but it doesn't come for free...).
Thanks again.

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Sound Dropping Out in Monitors and Timeline (R3D and .wav files in 5.5) - More RAM Needed?

Hi there,
I have an HP desktop that I’ve edited two feature films on, the first shot on the HVX200 (edited with CS4) and the second shot on the Canon 5D (edited with CS5). About to edit a new feature, shot at 4K on the Red Scarlet, using CS5.5.
I THINK I know what needs to happen here, but basically, at anything higher than 1/8 resolution, the footage is playing back slow, and then, when I synch up with my .wav sound files, the sound is dropping out after a second (unless I scale to frame in the timeline only, in which case the render bar goes from red to yellow and the sound remains, even if the picture is still choppy). Basically married image and sound will not play back properly unrendered.
So, I guess what I’m asking is: does this sound like a RAM issue? Should I go for 16? I currently have 8. There’s a lot going on on this computer. (Specs are below.)
One final question, albeit a more minor one: why does the frame Fit properly in the Source Monitor but need a Scale to Fit instruction every time to fill the Project Monitor? Is there a way to make an entire Sequence Scale to Fit permanently?
Again, my computer specs are below.
Thanks!
Stephen
HP Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9300 @ 2.50GHz
918 GB
8.0 GB Physical Memory
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition (64-bit)
Service Pack 2
ATI Radeon HD 4850 (recently updated)
512 MB Memory (since updated to CS5.5 specifications)

There is still not enough ram in the listed PC, and the 530 is a poor choice. Nvidia list the memory type as DDR3, where you want a card with DDR5. You can get a suitable system for close to the price that is listed. You want to look at Harms hardware guide, and likely shop a custom builder.
You want
CoreI7 or high end I5
Minimum 12 gb memory for HD editing
Minimum 2 physical drives (system & media)
gtx card with at least 1gb ddr5 memory.( I would shop for more memory for 4K footage ) The more CUDA core, the better.
I spent a little more than you or I really wanted to spend on my CS5.5 box $1400 However it works brilliantly.
Core I5 2500k
16gb memory
2x 74GB 10K raptor drives raid0 system drives
2TB media drive
GTX 560Ti 1GB with 384 CUDA cores.
You could shave this system down to under $1k for something that works great.
The GTX555 seems like the base level card to me. A GT or lower spec card might be a gamble.
Look at gamer machine builders rather than prebuilt desktops. They let you choose parts. That is where to start shopping.

I have 1 GB RAM on an '07 MacBook Pro. 1) How do I check remaining memory? 2) I have Microsoft office 2004 - do I need to buy more RAM to upgrade to '11? 3) I need a new battery ... Is it worth the $$ to buy a new battery, RAM and Microsoft office 2011?

I have a MacBook Pro from '07 with 1 GB of memory. The battery is shot and my AppleCare has run out. I just upgraded the OS to 10.6.8. But a few questions:
1 - How do I even check how much memory I have left on this computer?
2 - How do I check how many battery cycles are left?
3 - I want to upgrade to Microsoft Office '11 because I don't have Adobe Acrobat to creat pdf's and I need to be able to do this for school... Instead of buying acrobat, I figured I would just upgrade to Office '11 because I can generate pdf's from Word. Roughly how much RAM does Office '11 take up?
4 - Does Apple still make batteries for this computer (from '07)? How much do they cost?
5 - How much does 1 more GB of memory cost?
AND lastly -- is it even worth it to spend the $ on more RAM, a new battery and Office '11?
Or does it make more sense to just get a new computer entirely? (trying to avoid this).
ANY help would be sooo appreciated! Thanks.

1 - How do I even check how much memory I have left on this computer?
If you're asking how to check to see if you need more RAM, open Activity Monitor and go to the System Memory tab, then compare page outs and page ins. If page outs is 10% or more of page ins, you probably need more RAM.
2 - How do I check how many battery cycles are left?
There's no limit on the number of battery cycles, it's just that the more cycles you've used the more "worn out" your battery gets. You've got a 4-year-old machine, and if it's still got the original battery, it's probably about time for a replacement battery. You can check battery health using System Profiler... look at the Power section under Hardware.
3 - I want to upgrade to Microsoft Office '11 because I don't have Adobe Acrobat to creat pdf's and I need to be able to do this for school... Instead of buying acrobat, I figured I would just upgrade to Office '11
You don't need Office 2011 to create PDFs. Any application capable of printing can create PDFs on a Mac. Just choose File -> Print, but instead of clicking the Print button in the print dialog, click the PDF button and choose Save As PDF in the menu that appears.
4 - Does Apple still make batteries for this computer (from '07)? How much do they cost?
5 - How much does 1 more GB of memory cost?
I'll "ditto" sig's answers to these.
AND lastly -- is it even worth it to spend the $ on more RAM, a new battery and Office '11?
Or does it make more sense to just get a new computer entirely? (trying to avoid this).
If Office 2004 is still working fine for you, stick with that and don't incur the costs of Office 2011. As to the RAM, only add more if the test I mentioned above indicates that you need it. If you buy more RAM when you don't really need it, you won't see much (if any) performance improvement. That just leaves the battery... and if the machine is still doing what you need it to do and you don't really need a new machine for anything, you could definitely buy a new battery and get a few more years out of it.

Opinions - time for a new computer? need more RAM, Time Machine back up full - get new computer?

I am in a quandary. My early 2008 iMac needs more Ram. I could upgrade from 2gb to 4gb for around $60. My 1T external hard drive for Time Machine is full and I do not relish the idea of it erasing old data if I continue to use it this way, but then I am shelling out more money for a new hard drive. Can get new 3T hd for about $200. Is it worth it to shore up my computer? I have recently upgraded OS to ML and it is really starting to act sluggish. I hate the idea of having to transfer everything over to a new Mac and therefore new OS. I need a working computer every day for business for my husband, so it would be impossible to go without a computer while things are being transferred over - and how long would it take for me to do that. Plus, will files and photos be transferred over exactly as I have organized them? I have spent a lot of time organizing bookmark folders in Safari, mailboxes in Mail and albums and folders in iPhoto. Don't want to start from scratch again. Also don't like the idea that the new iMacs don't have a slot for dvds and cds, playing and burning. I do a lot of this kind of thing. So then I would need to buy a separate thing for doing this as well as the computer itself. Have wondered how many things have changed from ML to Maverick. Another big learning curve???
Would really appreciate any thoughts and opinions. I am a senior citizen and don't know how to sort through this. One thing I think about is that I don't know how much longer I will be living and able to do computer work. I know everything is a risk, but would like some advice even if it is only an opinion.

It's probably time for a new machine. You won't have to start from scratch. Migration Assistant will bring over all of your data and apps (some may need to be re-activated using product keys). Depending on how much you actually have, a few hours should be all it takes over Ethernet.
Time Machine should continually erase the oldest backups when it needs space for new ones.
You might want to do both. Upgrade the RAM in the old machine to the max it will take, and buy a new machine as well. If your husband really needs a machine available all the time for business, having a 'spare' is a good thing.
Check out what's available in the refurb store. They are virtually indistinguishable from new retail stock and come with a full warranty. You can save hundreds.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

I need to add more RAM, what do I do and how much do I need?

I have an imac. It is a 21" 2011, 10.8 op system with 4 gigs of ram. It has begun to show the "colored wheel" and a few of the programs that require a lot of ram lock up. I was told I needed more RAM. Where do I buy it, what kind do I need, and how much do I need?
Do I need to buy it in pairs?
Thanks for the help, Mike

Many people on these forums speak well of the following supplier.
For North America contact OWC …        Upgrade Apple iMac Memory
This company has facilities to guide you and will recommend the correct memory package to meet whatever needs you describe to them.
Check out the basic memory costs and do your sums.
Guide to required RAM.    Lookup Mac Specs By Serial Number, Order, Model & EMC Number, Model ID @ EveryMac.com

Old iMac needs more RAM

I have an iMac purchased in 2007 and runs on Leopard. Apparently doesn't have enough RAM to upgrade past Leopard. Is there any way to install more RAM so I can upgrade?

Here are the 2 top sites to buy RAM
http://www.crucial.com
This one will allow you to check and they will tell you exactly what you need and the cost, from a download.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac
Good Luck
Don

2009 MACBOOK NEEDS MORE RAM

Ive got 2009 Macbook, I need to buy more ram if i go into genius can a get a high one installed and will it cost alot?

First we need to know your model number. There were three 2009 MacBook models and each one uses different RAM. To see which model you have go to the Apple in the upper left corner and select About This Mac, then click on More Info. When System Profiler comes up check the Model Identifier.
5,2 (Early 2009, 2.0GHz Model Only) can use 6gb of 667mhz PC2-5300 RAM
5,2 (Mid 2009, 2.13GHz Model Only) can use 6gb of 800mhz PC2-6400 RAM
6,1 (Late 2009, White Unibody) can use 8gb of 1066mhz PC3-8500 RAM
It would be better if you replace the RAM yourself. Apple will charge you three times the cost of doing it yourself.
OWC charges $32 for a 2gb stick, Apple charges $100 for the same stick.

Does my MacBook White 7,1 need more RAM?

Hi, I'm Federico from Argentina.
It's my first post here. First of all, sorry for my english, hope it's not so bad.
I am photographer and digital retoucher, so, as you might imagine... I use a lot Photoshop (CC).
I'm thinking that I need to upgrade my Macbook to 8gb (now I have 4gb) because my OSX is running slow, and it's affecting my workflow (upgrading to MB Pro is not a chance... no budget for that...).
In the Activity Monitor when retouching in Photoshop memory pressure shows in yellow (Mavericks).
Beyond that, here's my EtreCheck report, I think you may find it useful for troubleshooting my problem.
Thank you so much!
EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)
Report generated 5 de agosto de 2014 19:25:37 ART
Hardware Information:
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010) (Verified)
MacBook - model: MacBook7,1
1 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores
4 GB RAM
Video Information:
NVIDIA GeForce 320M - VRAM: 256 MB
DELL E207WFP 1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz
System Software:
OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 0 days 1:30:0
Disk Information:
TOSHIBA MK2555GSXF disk0 : (250,06 GB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209,7 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 249,2 GB (3,45 GB free) (Low!)
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N
USB Information:
Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
Wacom Co.,Ltd. CTL-460
Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Gatekeeper:
Anywhere
Kernel Extensions:
[not loaded] com.motorola-mobility.driver.MotMobileMS (1.0.0 - SDK 10.5) Support
[not loaded] com.motorola-mobility.driver.MotMobileMTP (1.2.2 - SDK 10.5) Support
[not loaded] com.motorola-mobility.driver.MotMobileUSB (1.2.2 - SDK 10.5) Support
[not loaded] com.motorola-mobility.driver.MotMobileUSBLAN (1.2.2 - SDK 10.5) Support
[not loaded] com.motorola-mobility.driver.MotMobileUSBLANMerge (1.2.2 - SDK 10.5) Support
[not loaded] com.motorola-mobility.driver.MotMobileUSBSwch (1.2.2 - SDK 10.5) Support
[not loaded] com.wacom.kext.pentablet (5.3.3 - SDK 10.8) Support
Startup Items:
ChmodBPF: Path: /Library/StartupItems/ChmodBPF
Problem System Launch Daemons:
[failed] com.apple.softwareupdated.plist
[failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist
Launch Daemons:
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support
[running] com.motorola-mobility.mmcfgd.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist Support
[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist Support
Launch Agents:
[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
[running] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist Support
[loaded] com.motorola.MDMUpdater.plist Support
[running] com.motorola.motohelper.plist Support
[loaded] com.motorola.motohelperUpdater.plist Support
[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist Support
[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist Support
[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist Support
[running] com.wacom.pentablet.plist Support
User Launch Agents:
[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
User Login Items:
iTunesHelper
Notas
Android File Transfer Agent
EOS Utility
Internet Plug-ins:
AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 Support
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
WacomNetscape: Version: 2.1.0-1 - SDK 10.8 Support
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.0.0 Support
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
WacomTabletPlugin: Version: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.2 Support
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 65 Check version
Safari Extensions:
Turn Off the Lights: Version: 3.0.0.12
Audio Plug-ins:
BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
iTunes Plug-ins:
Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
3rd Party Preference Panes:
Flash Player Support
Java Support
PenTablet Support
Time Machine:
Skip System Files: NO
Auto backup: YES
Volumes being backed up:
Macintosh HD: Disk size: 232.09 GB Disk used: 228.87 GB
Destinations:
Time Machine [Local] (Last used)
Total size: 465.79 GB
Total number of backups: 9
Oldest backup: 2014-04-04 23:29:39 +0000
Last backup: 2014-07-29 17:57:09 +0000
Size of backup disk: Too small
Backup size 465.79 GB < (Disk used 228.87 GB X 3)
Time Machine details may not be accurate.
All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
Top Processes by CPU:
      6% WindowServer
      1% Google Drive
      0% Creative Cloud
      0% AdobeCrashDaemon
      0% Activity Monitor
Top Processes by Memory:
1.40 GB Adobe Photoshop CC 2014
29 MB Adobe Bridge CC
29 MB WindowServer
12 MB Finder
12 MB Dock
Virtual Memory Information:
30 MB Free RAM
885 MB Active RAM
856 MB Inactive RAM
472 MB Wired RAM
898 MB Page-ins
519 MB Page-outs

Yes, you need more RAM, but more imprtantly:
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 249,2 GB (3,45 GB free) (Low!)
Your Mac is running on vapour! You are risking data loss and a fouled-up system. You urgently need to move files (not applications) to an external hard drive, to leave at least 30GB free.

More RAM or memory needed to run Windows-- AutoCAD 2010 on my mac?

Hi all,
I have researched for days and have still not been able to find an answer, last time I was here I was thoroughly impressed with the help, so I'm back!
I have a MacBook 5,1, basic model 2 Ghz, 2GB, 65.7 GB free on my hard drive. I run parallels to use Windows XP to use AutoCAD 2010. I borrowed a friends Mac, a larger "better" model and was instantly jealous at the speed his computer was able to do the same tasks my computer takes when I have Windows/AutoCAD running.
So my question is.. would more RAM help with the speed and overall function of my computer? Would more memory help? A combo of both? Also where is a reliable place to purchase what I may need? The best (and most cost effective) advice for my computer would be GREATLY appreciated!
oh, would upgrading to Snow Leopard help as well? I am currently running just Leopard as far as I can tell (10.5.8). Also would this require me to reinstall all programs on my computer?
Thanks in advance,
Laura

The short answer to your question is a resounding YES! RAM and memory are the same thing, but having more of that would most definitely improve your performance at almost everything.
Upgrading to SL may help a little, but not nearly as much as more RAM. I'm not positive, but I think that model maxes out at 4GB, so that should be your goal. If it's 8GB, even better. The more RAM you have, the better things will be with a memory hungry app like AutoCAD.

Need more ram on 10.4.11, what can i safely dump?

need more ram on 10.4.11, what can I safely dump after saving on x-ternal h/d?

OS X 10.4 is Tiger, and 10.4.11 is the last release. It's been stable for quite some time, so I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade to it. The next operating system upgrade would be to Leopard 10.5, and with a MacBook you could probably upgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6.
When upgrading within an operating system release, ie 10.4.10 to 10.4.11, you don't typically have issues. When going to the next level of operating system, that's where you can run into issues with printer or other drivers and/or programs that need to be updated to run with the newer operating system. With the exception of losing the OS X classic environment when upgrading to 10.5 Leopard and losing the Rosetta emulator (which runs PowerPC code on Intel platforms) when upgrading to 10.7 Lion, for the most part, the upgrades are pretty straight forward.

Does my iMac need more RAM?

I have a 4-year old iMac 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM currently running OS 10.8.2. I'm wondering if I should add more RAM. Is there software that will tell me if I need more RAM? I have no idea how much memory is required for the System, or applications like MSWord, Safari, Firefox, MSExcel, or iPhoto when I am using them.

Below is my model information. I have just looked at OWC memory and their video for installation; is OWC something you would recommend?
Model Name:
iMac
Model Identifier:
iMac7,1
Processor Name:
Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:
2 GHz
Number of Processors:
1
Total Number of Cores:
2
L2 Cache:
4 MB
Memory:
2 GB
Bus Speed:
800 MHz
Boot ROM Version:
IM71.007A.B03
SMC Version (system):
1.20f4
Serial Number (system):
W******X85
Hardware UUID:
00000000-0000-1000-8000-001B63A3EADB
<Edited By Host>

HT1342 so how do i know if i need more ram? (upgrade from snow- mt. lion)

Here is the mac that i have. I want to upgrade from snow l. to mt, lion when it comes out. articles are saying that i will need 4gb even though the updae page says 2gb. how do i read the activity monitor to see if i need more ram for the update? or do i just need to wait, install teh update, and then check? I want to get this all done in the next month so help would be great!

2 GBs is the minimum required. 4 GBs or more would be better. Your model supports up to 8 GBs.
About OS X Memory Management and Usage
Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor
Memory Management in Mac OS X
Performance Guidelines- Memory Management in Mac OS X
A detailed look at memory usage in OS X
Understanding top output in the Terminal
The amount of available RAM for applications is the sum of Free RAM and Inactive RAM. This will change as applications are opened and closed or change from active to inactive status. The Swap figure represents an estimate of the total amount of swap space required for VM if used, but does not necessarily indicate the actual size of the existing swap file. If you are really in need of more RAM that would be indicated by how frequently the system uses VM. If you open the Terminal and run the top command at the prompt you will find information reported on Pageins () and Pageouts (). Pageouts () is the important figure. If the value in the parentheses is 0 (zero) then OS X is not making instantaneous use of VM which means you have adequate physical RAM for the system with the applications you have loaded. If the figure in parentheses is running positive and your hard drive is constantly being used (thrashing) then you need more physical RAM.
Adding RAM only makes it possible to run more programs concurrently. It doesn't speed up the computer nor make games run faster. What it can do is prevent the system from having to use disk-based VM when it runs out of RAM because you are trying to run too many applications concurrently or using applications that are extremely RAM dependent. It will improve the performance of applications that run mostly in RAM or when loading programs.

How do i know if i need more ram

mac is running slow, how do i know if i need more ram?

Well, how much RAM do you have? Post back what you have.
Another possibility is that your hard drive is getting too full - the Mac OS needs a minimum of 10 - 15% of hard drive space free and available at all times. So, click on your hard drive icon once and hit Command and I on the keyboard. In the resulting window, post the results: space available, used, etc.

My Macbook is very slow, do I need more RAM?

I have checked the Activity Monitor as advised on the forums here and it says 16.3MB free.
It's around 5 years old and I've just upgraded to 10.8.2
I have no idea what this means but I also saw that this number is important?
Page ins 5.92GB
Page outs 6.88 GB
My question is do I need more RAM and if so how do I go about doing it?
Thanks!

Yes, you need more memory. While 2GB is the minimum for OS X 10.8, many have found that 4GB is needed for general performance. For what you run, you can see this in your page in/outs. Page outs generally should be no more than 10% to 15% of page ins. More than that can really slow the system down as it writes pages of memory to the hard drive while making space for something else to use memory.
OWC and Crucial are two vendors that sell quality memory. Your user guide for your MacBook will tell you how to install the new memory.

Videos shot on Canon Vixia HF R20 are jerky on iMac. Do I need more RAM?

Hi. I have a new Canon Vixia HF R20 video recorder. I learned here how to upload videos, but they are very jerky. The first few frames seem OK but then the sound continues and the picture remains frozen, then even the sound breaks up. The red bar continues smoothly to move across the thumbnails. Should I have more RAM or something? I have closed all other progams and restarted but this does not help. I have 10.5.8 and the following:
Model Name:
iMac
Model Identifier:
iMac8,1
Processor Name:
Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:
2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors:
1
Total Number Of Cores:
2
L2 Cache:
6 MB
Memory:
2 GB
Bus Speed:
1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version:
IM81.00C1.B00
SMC Version (system):
1.29f1
Thank you in advance!

Is your footage HD? Or what is the pixel size of your videos? I see you have 2 GB, which is at the low end for processing video, especially if it is HD. I have 12 GB and find that is better. I'd at least double yours or max it out; see OWC (macsales.com):
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/Intel_Core_2_Duo_PC2-6400
As you can see, Apple officially supports 4 GB, but OWC has tested 6 GB, so the decision is yours.

More RAM needed?

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