PRAM and NVRAM on intel mac

Do Intel Macs have a PRAM? I need some kind off prof like an Apple doc. There seams to be a lot of people still using optioncommandR-P to fix issues but it doesn't seem to be actually reseting PRAM. Can some one tell me the difference between PRAM and NVRAM?

There are very few instances where resetting PRAM would be used for troubleshooting OS X. Note the reference in that article to another article about what OS X stores in PRAM. Most users posting on these forums about problems they have may try troubleshooting methods that are not relevant to their problem hence their conclusion that they don't work. Furthermore, just because resetting the PRAM doesn't solve a problem doesn't mean it doesn't work, but that the problem is more serious.
PRAM can on rare occasion become corrupted as a result of a radical system crash or runaway software problem. The main effects may be loss of information on the boot volume (only truly relevant in a multi-drive system,) video settings, and date and time. More important is whether the battery that maintains the PRAM is dead or dying which can cause the loss of PRAM information. In this case resetting the PRAM will only fix the problem until the computer is shut down after which the PRAM data will again be lost. Replace that battery within 3-5 years if your machine uses one. Some laptops have separate PRAM batteries while others rely exclusively on the main battery - hence the need to keep the main battery properly charged.
Resetting PRAM and repairing permissions are probably the 'best known' things to do if you have a problem. However, neither solves very many problems and rarely solve the kind of problems users frequently post.

Similar Messages

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    That's exactly how it works.  See Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM.

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  • Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM

    I know this may seem silly but anytime I read something about "resetting" something on my imac I get nervous that I'll lose EVERYTHING lol. So is it safe to reset the PRAM and NVRAM w/o losing important files? My mybooks aren't working and this is something they suggested I try.

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  • HT1379 why do i need to resetting  PRAM and NVRAM

    why do i need to resetting  PRAM and NVRAM

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  • Resetting PRAM and NVRAM

    Is it ok to have a PRAM and NVRAM reset two times a week?

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  • Pram and nvram

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    Antony

    Antony Smith wrote:
    Hi. My G5 ppc has been acting very weird recently. It's been freezing. After extensive googleing, I run a memtest, then took out some ram. No change. Then I reset my pram and nvram. Seems to have soughted it out. But when I restart I get a warning that the date and time is wrong even though my g5 displays the write time and date. Should I reset pram again.
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