SSD or RAM upgrade first ?

Hi,
I have a 2011 15in' Macbook Pro, 2GHz Intel Core 17, 500GB HDD, 8GB RAM and running on the latest OSX Maverick. I was thinking of upgrading my hdd to ssd and a 8gb to 16gb ram. I use my macbook pro for designing, video editing and web developing, so the software i use are primarly photoshop, illustrator, dreaweaver and premiere and recently it has started to run rather slow.
I am a student and have to save in order to purchase either and ssd or ram. SSD are more expensive. So which should i upgrade first and which will benefit more to my production while i wait and save to purchase either of the other component?
My choice of ssd is the SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB...i have a external 1tb hardisk where i store most of my files and archive it there so i do not need a huge capacity ssd. 250gb is suffecient for me.
My choice of RAM is Kingston, cheaper at my local store compared to CRUCIAL or OWC when shipped from US. I am from Singapore btw.
Appreciate all your feedback and comments...
Cheers.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
Looking at your apps, the RAM is much more important. It will allow you to run your applications as fast as your MacBook Pro can, and the SSD will only improve the read and write speed.
Then, if you want, you can install a SSD

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Lenovo Yoga 11s SSD and RAM Upgrade - Great Results

Picked up a Lenovo Yoga 11s from Best Buy. I chose Best Buy for price, color, and processor. They had a slightly better deal than Lenovo.com. The clementine color looks great. Quality is great. I'm very happy with the purchase. It has the i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD.
I upgraded the SSD and RAM and found the upgrade relatively easy. Here is a basic step by step and results. (note the parts I chose increased the cost by close to $400. I chose these parts based on quality, performance, and power usage. There are cheaper alternatives, but I wanted an upgrade and money was not my concern.)
Upgraded Parts
RAM - Patriot Memory 8GB PC3-12800 1600MHZ CL11 1.35V - Purchased at Newegg, but could have saved a couple dollars on Amazon.
I chose this part based on previous experience with Patriot and the low voltage RAM. A lot of the RAM is higher voltage and I wanted to make sure I reduced heat and power usage. When you look for 1.35V RAM, there are not a lot of options...
MSata SSD Drive - Intel SSD 525 Series 240GB Drive
Intel SSD Page
I purchased through Newegg
I chose the Intel drive based on previous experience with Intel. They cost more, but I've found their performance to be good and reliability good. There is also a good review on this drive on Tomshardware Tomshardware Intel 525 Review. Toms review shows top performing drive and low power. I also looked at many other manufacturers and Intel had the lower power consumption. This means less heat and longer battery life.
Cloning Software
Intel provides a free cloning software from Acronis
My Digital SSD MSata external case
I purchased through Newegg.
Nice quality device. I used this to help in cloning the OEM SSD to the new Intel drive.
T5 Torx Screw Driver
I purchased this from Home Depot T5 Torx Home Depot
I read all the reviews, posts and issues around cloning the Win8 SSD drives. Many people have/had issues. I was prepared for problems. Another reason I chose Intel, as they have migration software that I felt would be top notch.
You need to have the Hardware Manual handy. I read how to remove keyboard and top cover. This is required to upgrade RAM and SSD. It was very easy. Take your time. Note, this is very different than the Yoga 13 youtube video for part removal. I think it's easier. Here is the link to download manual Yoga 11s Hardware Manual.
How to clone your SSD
I expect if you're doing this project you can learn how to use the Intel software for cloning. Read the web, watch their youtube video. Read the manual...
Remove your factory SSD and insert new Intel SSD (note, you must insert Intel drive in notebook for cloning. Do not try and clone on the USB external drive. Intel software will not detect drive properly). Create a bootable version of the Intel software on a USB drive. Install your factory OEM SSD in the external MSata SSD drive. Go to BIOS and set boot to support legacy, no fast boot, boot to USB.
Boot to the Intel Acronis app on the USB drive. Then connect your OEM SSD via second USB port.
Then follow the wizard on Intel's software. Cloning process took less than 5 minutes.
Unplug your USB devices, go to BIOS and set all all your boot settings back to factory UEFI, fast boot etc.
The PC booted to windows second try. The first time it said it has issues and went through a process to repair. It then said it failed. I rebooted again and it went straight to windows. Did all my windows updates and everything is fine.
Performance
Windows Performance Improvement
Memory - Factory score was 5.9 - Patriot Memory is 8.2 *** Nice Improvement
Hard Drive - Factory score was 6.2 - Intel 525 Drive is 8.2 *** Nice Improvement
This pc is crazy fast booting and shutting down. It boots in 7 seconds. Not sure it's really faster than OEM, but I've never seen a pc boot this fast.
Over all performance is fast. I installed Office 2010 pro from a USB drive in under 5 minutes. Web browsing is crazy fast. I'm super impressed with the speed of this pc. Much faster than I expected.
Size, Shape, Weight, color is great. Performance is great. Happy with upgrades and quality of parts. May be my best notebook purchase to date. I don't have any battery life numbers to report yet. Everything is new and I haven't really spent much time off the charger.
Issues I've experienced during this upgrade of parts
I first tried to clone the SSD drive by putting the Intel drive in the USB enclosure first. The intel software would not work as the PC detects the external SSD drive as a SCSI drive and Intel cloning software could not identify the drive as an Intel Sata drive. I called Intel and they had no advice or help. I also tried a few other cloning softwares that ultimately did not work. As a last resort I switched the drives and everything worked great. Lesson learned, swap the drives first and use Intel software to clone.
Factory restore - doesn't work. Not sure why the factory restore is not working on my new Intel drive. Windows works great! All the partitions are there. I suspect I messed up the OEM restore portion of the drive. At one point I thought I had booted to the Intel drive, and tried the restore (I had about 7 failed cloning tries before the final one worked as I outlined above). It went through the restore process and then failed. However, what I later found was that I had actually booted to the OEM drive in the external USB case and I may have corrupted the restore functionality.
I contacted Lenovo Support and explained I could not restore using the 1 key restore. They walked me through some basic troubleshooting and then opted to mail me factory restore disk. I have the disk and will keep them available for when/if I ever need to restore.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

I upgraded from the Yoga 13 to the 11S and am happy to report that the machines are so identical that apparently you can just yank the SSD from one and drop it in the other. I had upgraded my 13" to 240gB SSD + 8gB RAM and simply plopped the two components into the 11S and after about 30 seconds of Windows alerting me that it was 'setting up devices' the machine booted normally and has been working perfectly since!

T450s SSD and RAM Upgrade Wont Work

Hey guys, I have a T450s and tried to upgrade the memory from the stock onboard 4gb to a total of 12gb, I disabled the internal battery and seated the RAM. When I went to turn the machine on though, the keyboard lit up as if it were going to start, but then it just gave me a black screen, no chance to enter the bios or anything. When I take the RAM stick out though the machine boots fine.
Now this is my second problem and probably the bigger one. I also tried to install an SSD because my system just has the 500gb hard drive. I had a Samsung 840 Evo, and when I put that in the system didnt recognize it it at all, the bios only showed the 16gb sandisk that was already in the system. I took the SSD out and reinstalled the HDD, but now that isn't showing up in the bios either, so the only working storage I have is the 16gb ssd in the system. Can anyone help me out with this mess?
Here's the RAM I bought:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YG8X9Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Edit: I also tried my SSD and the HDD in my desktop and both work fine.

Hi nickoarg,
I'm not disputing your experience at all. However, SSDs get installed in ThinkPads all the time, and legacy mode just isn't necessary to get them to show up.
More likely it's some kind of incompatibility that's masked by legacy mode. Or just random coincidence...
I've noticed with several of my SSD installs (Crucial, mostly) that the drives are invisible until they finish some kind of internal housekeeping. In fact that just happened with the T450s and a CrucialM500. First it didn't show up in the boot menu, then threw a 2100 error, then showed up and is behaving fine just now.
Again, I believe what you're saying about your situation but it should not be necessary to use legacy mode for an SSD.
Z.
The large print: please read the Community Participation Rules before posting. Include as much information as possible: model, machine type, operating system, and a descriptive subject line. Do not include personal information: serial number, telephone number, email address, etc. The fine print: I do not work for, nor do I speak for Lenovo. Unsolicited private messages will be ignored. ... GeezBlog
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Early 2008 MacBook SSD and RAM Upgrade Compatability

I have an early 2008 macbook running OS X 10.5.8. It has a 2.1 GHz Core 2 Duo, 1 GB 667 MHz DDR2, and a 120GB 5400 RPM drive. It’s model MacBook 4,1. Obviously, it could use some upgrades. It still works fine, but is just slow. I can’t afford a new one, and think I can still get some life out of this one. I am thinking about the following upgrades:
Samsung 840 EVO 120GB SSD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147247
OWC 4GB (2x2) Memory Upgrade - http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/5300DDR2S4GP/
Transcend USB 2.0 Enclosure for the old hard drive currently in it - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817349001
I also plan on putting OS X 10.7 (lion) on the new SSD, unless anybody thinks keeping it at Leopard or Snow Leopard would be a better choice, performance wise.
Does anybody see any compatibility issue with any of these upgrades, or have any suggestions as to better upgrades? I realize the MacBook can only support SATA I, so it won’t get the full SATA III benefit of the SSD, but it should still be a huge performance upgrade. Thank you for any help!

have you completed the upgrade yet? I also wanted to know. Someone is trying to trade me their 2008 MB Pro as well (for my Canon L lens), I think it's the 4GB already one and I also have a crucial SSD from my Dell that I can put in. I need to have the MB to run smoothly on PS CS6 & LR5 Please let us know what the results are. What do you guys thinkg? is it enough to run those smoothly?
Thank you

Upgrading SSD or RAM on my old MBP? If anything...

Hi,
I could use a bit of extra power for photoshop (was asked to edit some webdesign file and it brings my computer to it's knees) and was wondering if it makes any sense to add an SSD (instead of the HDD, if that is even possible with this laptop?) or buy some RAM. I know it's an old system, so I was wondering if it makes any sense and what would give the computer the biggest power-boost.
Eventually I should probably (if I have some money) buy a new Laptop or (if I settled somewhere) Desktop computer - I get that. The system is pretty old. So: Does it make any sense to buy something or should I better save the money?
I'd would be a plus if I could reuse that hardware in my future computer. So I guess: An SSD would be the only option, because DDR2 is too old... right?
btw: I recently updated from Snow Leopard to Mntn Lion and my MBP is now a LOT slower.
Thank you!
Processor 2,5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 512 MB

Actually adding RAM will not give the system a Boost unless you are using all the RAM currently installed and OS is then using the HDD as virtual RAM. But is is just a preceived boost.
Also the SSD will not boost the system in any way. It will allow it to load programs faster but the real speed of any computer is solely based in the type and speed of the CPU. Sure other parts can make it feel slower like a Slow 5400RPM HDD but ince a program is loaded into memory from the HDD working with that program is totally dependant on the speed of the CPU and partially the GPU.
Melophage wrote:
Shdy_IIV,
in the short term, both increasing the RAM and installing a SSD would give you a performance boost. Whenever you decide to upgrade to a newer computer, the RAM would almost certainly not be transferrable, but the SSD would definitely be, even if you had to put the SSD into an external enclosure.
Have you priced RAM for your MacBook Pro? That might provide the best performance enhancement per unit of currency. Despite its non-transferability, it might be a reasonable cost/benefit tradeoff until you decide to get a newer computer. The SSD would also help, so if you can only afford one or the other, do a bit of browsing to see what their respective prices are before deciding to buy or not, and whether to buy one or both.
If you had read the OP first post would see he has a 2008 model. I don't think they can have 8GBs of RAM.
hands4 wrote:
> I could use a bit of extra power for photoshop
I missed your opening statment. Sorry. I agree with the others that a ~$100, 8 GB RAM upgrade will boost performance for large-memory applications. For ~$100 a faster disk won't hurt either.

Change HDD with SSD in Notebook HP ENVY 15-k000nl - Warranty expiration - Maximun RAM Upgrade

Good morning,
I have bought the above notebook one week ago, in the HP main site there wasn't photo about the rear and when I saw there is no easy way for chanhe HDD to SSD, I have to unscrew about 15 screws located here and there
Just I would like know if I change the SSD the warranty will expire?.
At the same time please can I upgrade the RAM to 16 GB DDR3L? which is the Maximun RAM Upgradable?
Best regards
Christian

Hi, Christian:
Yes, if you replace the hard drive or memory, the warranty will be voided as neither component is a DIY (do it yourself) project.
Please see the service manual at the link below, chapter 6 for the authorized service center removal and replacement procedures for those components.
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04409752.pdf

Intel Rapid Start stops working when RAM upgraded

I have a brand new ENVY dv7-7212nr notebook running Windows 8 64-bit.
This machine has Intel Rapid Storage Technology which caches hard disk data (I think on the 32GB SSD) and Intel Rapid Start Technology which stores active memory in the SSD cache (I think) when the computer enters a hibernation state.
The first thing I did was upgrade the RAM from 8GB to 16GB. It works fine, but then I get an error message "your system does not appear to have intel rapid start technology enabled."
HP provides very little information on this, basically none. I assume the memory is being cached on the SSD, but I don't know how to verify this. Also I notice that acceleration is not enabled under the Rapid Storage Tecnology applet for either drive.
I called tech support twice but the techs knew nothing about upgrading RAM beyond the usual and couldn't get it to work either.
Does anybody even know exactly how the SSD is being used in my system? That would be valuable information to me.
Thanks in advance!
This question was solved.
View Solution.

Thanks for reading my reply.
The "little SSD" is still a drive and not a chip, although you are right that it is little and it is attached to the motherboard. It is little because its form factor is not the typical 2.5 inch size but what's call "mSATA". In fact, the service manual for this dv7-7212nr laptop shows you how you can remove and replace or upgrade this mSATA SSD:
Below is a comparison of how small the mSATA form factor is to other drive sizes (from Left to Right: mSATA, 1.8", 2.5", 3.5"):
So if I want to replace the mSATA 32 GB SSD with a 64 GB SSD, I would have to get a mSATA SSD, not the typical 2.5" ones. So for this dv7-7212nr laptop, there can be 3 total drives installed: one in the mSATA slot and two in the 2.5'' drive bays. However, the default configuration as sold by HP only has one mSATA 32 GB SSD and one 750 GB SATA hard drive, with the remaining drive bay empty.
This dv7-7212nr laptop does contain all the latest (and perhaps more complex) technologies and HP probably does not expect the typical user/consumer to go and muck around all the default settings. However, if one is curious and willing to make the effort to learn, the material is just a google search away.
Here are the instructions for setting up Intel Rapid STORAGE Technology (aka Intel Smart Response Technology): http://download.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/intel_smart_response_technology_user_guide.pdf
For this dv7-7212nr laptop, you can ignore steps 1-4 because the BIOS is already configured properly from the factory (unless some changes were made by the end user).
Here are the instructions for setting up Intel Rapid Start Technology:
http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/rapid_start_technology_user_guide_v11.pdf
For this particular laptop, ignore steps 1-7 but it is important to do this first: set up Intel Smart Response Technology as above, making sure to allow enough space on the SSD for a hibernation partition that is equal to or greater than the total size of RAM installed. Then follow steps 8 to the end of the guide. It is important to set up Intel Smart Response before Intel Rapid Start because Intel Smart Response will destroy all partitions and data on the disk (if you set up a hibernation partition for Intel Rapid Start first, it will be removed when you set up Intel Smart Response).
I have successfully ENable and DISable these technologies on my laptop using the above guides (with my modifications). WARNING: back up all data before trying any of this.
In your case, I agree that you can also disable Rapid START and just use the whole SSD for acceleration along with the 16 GB RAM upgrade.
[Edit: update link]

What should I upgrade first?

I'm thinking of upgrading something to improve my after effects rendering and realtime view-ability. What would you suggest I upgrade first? my raid? Get an arecca? Or cpu? Or something else?
specs:
gtx480
24gb ram
960 overclocked to 4.0
os drive - ssd
Raid 0 internal (4 drives) media drive
Raid 0 internal (2 drives) output drive
I'm also maxed out as far as space to store drives inside my case. Any suggestions? Where do you put all of your drives?
Thanks!
Adam

Never heard of a gtx480. Buy a new computer.
But even that won't make After Effects tangibly better unless your current mashine is more than four or five years old. After Effects is all about math, Teraflops may get the equations processed faster but the images still have to be recalled from drives, moved around, written out to various locations and then displayed. The physical movement of data is pretty much going at the speed of light now.

HP8540w (540M) ram upgrade, won't boot past bios

I have recently acquired new RAM. First it was 2 x 8 gb but I found out later this is not supported by my specific model.
But now I switched it with 2 x 4gb PC12800 CL11, from a newer hp model and it still won't boot past the BIOS, which has been upgraded to the latest version.
The Bios recognizes the RAM perfectly but still it won't boot into windows. When I see the windows 8.1 logo it gives a sudden shutdown which is followed by a restart. In theory the pc12800 should work, albeit clocked down to 10600 to match the motherboard & processor.
It feels inadequate to have a 3 year old laptop which is not able to go past the 4gb, especially because I bought it since it was the elitebook version and military graded. I wanted to have something future proof, not a machine that needs to be replaced after 3 years. It feels like just threw 150 dollars out of the window.
So I'm hoping that there's another solution that I might have overlooked.
This question was solved.
View Solution.

Well the recommended memory is PC3-10600 aka DDR3-1333. On some models it actually downclocks to DDR3-1066 speed. I think the memory you have installed from a newer model is just not compatible. If it is DDR3-1600 it might even be low voltage memory which is almost certain not to work.

Kernel Power error after Win 7 and RAM upgrade

Hello,
I posted earlier on the subject of win7 and ram upgrades. I did both and it seemed to go fine. I did the ram first ... replaced a 667Mhz 1gb with a 800Mhz 2gb. A couple of days later the computer just shut itself down and restarted. Since then it has done it another 5 times, seemingly at random. Yesterday I decided to spend some time looking into it and found the 'event log'. All the shutdowns are recorded as 'critical'. A search on the web/here showed other occurences of the fault associated with drivers as much as anything.
After I did the win update I did update almost every driver with ones from this site.
Other than the shutdowns the only issues I have which are of very mild concern are the length of time the fingerprint reader takes to be present and that occasionally the cursor is unavailable for about a minute after logging on. When you try and control it it jumps about anywhere but where you want it to go. I rolled back the alps driver and that seems to have sorted the cursor issue.
So, details of the shutdown from the event log are as follows.
Log Name:      System
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date:          16/01/2011 16:21:31
Event ID:      41
Task Category: (63)
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      (2)
User:          SYSTEM
Computer:      (removed by me)
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly."
There's more (I've shown it all below) but it's not that important. When I looked into it I found details of the problem on the microsoft knowledge base. Its described here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2028504.
I believe I fit into scenario 3 for cause and resolution.
So, it seems that win7 and mixed speed ram may be a problem on some computers ... probably only a tiny number, but it looks like the HP3507 is one of them. I did see somewhere that I could down speed from 667 to 266 which might help with memory compatability but I can't see anywhere on the the insydeH20 bios where to do it. BIOS is version F18 .... upgraded from F15 as part of the Win7/RAM ugrade.
Before I swap back to the 'old' memory I'll see if anybody here can come up with any ideas. It may be that I have to sell off the expensive 2gb memory (ddr2 800mhz 200 pin) for £39.99 from maplin at a bargain price and get 2gb of 667Mhz from somewhere.
The full 'detail' regarding the fault is below.
Bye for now.
Phil
Log Name:      SystemSource:        Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date:          16/01/2011 16:21:31
Event ID:      41
Task Category: (63)
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      (2)
User:          SYSTEM
Computer:      (removed by me)
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly."
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
    <EventID>41</EventID>
    <Version>2</Version>
    <Level>1</Level>
    <Task>63</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2011-01-16T16:21:31.187617000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>194889</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
    <Channel>System</Channel>
    <Computer>Home_Laptop</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
    <Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
    <Data Name="SleepInProgress">false</Data>
    <Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Hi DWeiland and Schwede,
Thanks for your replies. Yes I did the runtime engine registry change and also mass compiled the LV7.1 folder and my sourcecode. I still see the problem as I have set the LV adapter as Lv 7.1.1 runtime engine. Now I have changed it to LV7.1 development system. With this setting, it is not giving any error. Thus I don’t see any problem now. The older version of the code had the adapter as the runtime engine for some reason, now I have changed the setting to the development system. I hope that it shouldn’t be a problem.
Thanks again!
Thank you,
Sasi

Battery drains while sleeping after RAM upgrade

Installed 16 GB of RAM and a Hybrid/SSD 1 TB internal HD on MacBook Pro 15" mid 2012 and now the battery drains while the computer is in sleep mode, about 1-3 % per hour. Before the RAM upgrade (stock 4 GB of RAM) there was no noticeable battery drain, so I assume it has to do with the upgrade. I read that it takes more power to maintain 16 GB of RAM during sleep, so my questions are as follows:
Is 1-3% per hour normal?
Will resetting the SMC help the issue?
Does the Hybrid HD have anything to do with this?
I am not too happy about the battery drain as it happens that I don't use my laptop for some time and prior to the upgrade the loss of battery charge was not an issue at all. Is this the price I have to pay for maxing out my RAM or is there a way (resets, settings, etc) to reduce the amount of battery loss
Thanks for your input.

Hi everybody. I have the same question. I have a macbook unibody late 2008. I have recently upgraded the OS to Yosemite. In order to have a smoother functioning of the system I have immediately replaced my original 2Gb (1+1) RAM with 8 Gb (4+4). Since then, I have noticed a dramatic reduction of my battery charge during sleep mode. Now after 8 hours of sleep it goes from 100% to around 65% (before it was 95%). Is it a natural consequence of having installed a larger RAM or there could be anything wrong with my settings?
I have read a couple of articles about standby mode and standbydelay setting but this does not apply to my model of macbook.
Here is my pmset -g result:
Active Profiles:
Battery Power        -1*
AC Power        -1
Currently in use:
hibernatemode        3
acwake               0
lidwake              1
halfdim              1
sleep                20 (sleep prevented by AddressBookSour)
ttyskeepawake        1
sms                  1
hibernatefile        /var/vm/sleepimage
disksleep            10
displaysleep         2
Thanks a lot for any comment / suggestion /hint.
Bye

Issues with sleep/wake feature after 16GB RAM upgrade in my MacBook Pro. Any thoughts?

Just installed a 16GB RAM upgrade in my MacBook Pro and now it doesn't wake up on it's own when I open the lid. I have to press the power button. It works fine with a smaller RAM upgrade.
I've tried putting in just one of the 8GB modules and the sleep/wake feature works as normal so there isn't a problem with the RAM modules that I've bought (Crucial.com). I've also put in a combination of Apple's original RAM and the new ones to make 10GB (8GB + 2GB), and the sleep/wake feature works on that too. Put both 8GB modules back in and the MacBook doesn't wake up when I open the lid, I have to press the power button to wake it up. The MacBook itself works fine, super fast and the memory is recognised on 'About This Mac', the sleep/wake issue is the only problem I'm having with the 16GB RAM.
Any thoughts on this? Has anybody else had this sleep/wake issue like this when upgrading RAM?

I upgraded my early 2011 MBP to 16 gigs with Crucial. My machine would not sleep properly, because when I tried to wake it, it would wake from its hibernate image file. This is the issue I've seen here in this list.
I tried all the suggestions I saw on these groups. Nothing helped. I contacted Crucial, who suggested that if their RAM was defective, they'd replace it per their warranty process. I needed some proof it was their RAM causing the problem.
I put the original 8 gigs RAM back in the machine (2 4 gig sticks), and it behaved normally. I then put one stick of Crucial RAM in, all by itself. The machine behaved normally. I put the other stick of Crucial RAM back in, and took the first one out. The machine would not properly sleep and wake from sleep. This proved that one stick was causing the problem, and the other was not.
Defective RAM!
I then requested and received an RMA from Crucial to send the defective RAM back. They paid shipping. I got new sticks of RAM about a week later. These new sticks of RAM work properly. No sleep issues.
I'm surprised and disappointed to say that this is not the first time I've received defective RAM from Crucial. I've purchased from them for years, and had GREAT service and received high quality products. The past couple years my experience has been different.
I'm still pretty steamed about this, as I spent a great deal of time trying to diagnose the problem and fix it. I don't really have that kind of time to waste. My expectation was that their RAM was high quality, and unlikely to be at fault.
Perhaps this is just a bad batch of RAM. I get that. I can forgive them once. But this has happened twice in the past three years. I'll look elsewhere for my next memory purchase.
Keep in mind that their customer ratings are generally very high. My experience is probably isolated.

2011 iMac CPU,GPU,Ram upgrade Plans

Hello all:
The following is to assist those who wish or plan to upgrade:
I'll be upgrading my iMac's CPU, Graphics Card & RAM this coming week.
current system:
2011 iMac 2.7ghz (27")
Radeon HD 6770M (512mb)
16gb RAM
240gb SSD (system)
1tb hdd (data)
upgrading to:
Core i7-2700k (3.5ghz)
Radeon HD 6970M (2gb)
32gb RAM
I ordered the graphics card from www.dvwarehouse.com, so should have necessary firmware:
1 x Video Card AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2GB for iMac 27" Mid 2011 661-5969.
CPU & RAM upgrade: I'm fairly certain this should go smoothly and work fine afterward, that is if I take the precaution and time needed during the process.
I will report back later in the week on my results, I'll post my before & after system info screenshot also. Wish me luck
Kenny

The culture is changing with the ability to upgrade the newer machines. I've noticed a lot of people on this forum more closed to the idea of upgrading, most are unaware it can even be done, which is sad in my opinion. Maybe because this is the official support forum. But the other mac sites are like what I'm used to in the past working with pcs:
check out these:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1323028
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/imac-aluminum-faq/imac-intel-aluminum -processor-upgrade-instructions.html
http://www.hardmac.com/articles/335/page1
the list goes on.
etresoft, we know that mac computers are the best...period. Hardware upgrades are also better for some of the same reasons that make apple computers better; not as customizable -- only certain upgrade paths are possible. Upgrade process more difficult because of mac's intricate design. But once you do the upgrade right, it just works beautifully. And you extend the life of you machine another two years at less than half the cost of getting a new mac.
Open you mind brother. Apple has done everything right, this is just another part of their strategy and I think it's great.

Problems with RAM upgrade iMac G5 1.8GHz

Stuck - Need Help!
I've previously upgraded up iMac to 2 500Mb RAMs and felt recently that it needed that little bit extra, so I ordered two 1Gb chips from crucial.
Followed instructions to T, but with the two new chips in, the machine won't load.
Interestingly, it boots up with the following RAM combinations
old 500MB + new 1GB (in any combination) - recognised as 1.5GB
one new 1GB RAM (again either one) - recognised as 1GB
I spoke to crucial who said that as the RAMs work individually, there isn't a problem with them, it could be a Firmware issue. I've upgraded all my software, and don't know what to do next?
Anyone overcome a similar problem in the past?
Thanks

I'm experiencing something very similar to shaow. I'll share my experience in gory details - sorry for the long post but I've spent more hours trying to stabilize. I should have worked the hours at walmart and bought a new iMac with the money I could have earned
Anyway, here goes:
Two iMac G5 1.8Ghz 17" (both Fall 2005 model), will call one A and the other B.
Prior to attempting ram upgrade: A, config working fine: both a config using 1GB slot 1, 256MB slot 2 and a single 1 PC3200 1GB stick. OS X 10.4-10.5.7. No problems. I did have the motherboard replaced under warranty after having sleep problems - capacitors were expanded. No problems since that motherboard swap.
Prior to attempting ram upgrade: B, config working fine: 2 x 256MB sticks. OS X 10.3.9
Ordered 3 PC3200 400Mhz 1GB sticks from Data Memory Systems.
Upgraded A: Added 1GB stick = 2GB total
Upgraded B: Removed both 256MB sticks from B and added two 1GB sticks = 2GB total
Booted B, experienced gray screen of death with the multi-language crash message - somethign like: 'Please hold down the power button and restart'. Power cycled B, booted off a retail box DVD of OS X 10.5.6. Began upgrade to 10.5.6. Gray screen of death part way thru upgrade. Power cycled, gray screen of death again during early boot phase.
Decided to run tests on B. I could not locate the Apple Hardware Test (neither on system dvd 1 nor on a separate DVD). I resorted to using TechnoTools Deluxe which was included with AppleCare box. No hardware problems found including on the 2GB memory.
Removed both new 1GB sticks, pulled older working 1GB stick from A and installed into B. Completed upgrade with just 1GB memory on B to 10.5.6 and subsequently pulled down all updates for OS X 10.5.8. Powered down, added second 1GB stick to B, booted into 10.5.8 successfully. Repaired disk permissions, restarted. Began using applications, then after only about 5 minutes experienced gray screen of death. Powered down, removed new 1GB stick, replaced with one of the two remaining new 1GB sticks. Read about reseting PRAM/NVRAM. Followed steps to reset PRAM then decided to do the reset NVRAM within openfirmware. Started back up and logged into 10.5.8. Ran several applications - did not experience gray screen of death after about 20 minutes use. Have not had time for further tests on B yet.
Back to my saga with A (my original iMac G5 that was working fine with 1GB stick on 10.5.7):
Called Data Memory Systems and they sent me a replacement for the 'bad' 1GB stick.
While I was waiting for the new 1GB stick from DMS, I was struggling to get machine fully updated. Software Updater was failing with the weird network error (network was fine) and after following steps to troubleshoot, I backed up the user accounts and decided to reinstall OS X fresh from the 10.5.6 retail box (family license). Finally, I had OS X 10.5.8 all fully updated on the 1GB iMac G5 (A).
New memory arrived, installed 2nd 1GB stick. Booted up, immediately I got the gray screen of death. Restarted, booted up got about 5-15 minutes use then gray screen of death. Puzzled, I called DMS who said unlikely I got 2 bad sticks. They suggested I try memtest. So I did...
So on A, I first ran memtest from single user mode on the 2GB config. It crashed immediately with some 'Unexpected' error. Did not look like a memory error. I powered down, removed 2nd 1GB stick, and ran memtest from single user on the 1GB stick. Ran all tests 3x over a couple hours - no problems found. Retested after swapping the 1GB stick for the other. Both tested fine. Installed both sticks again and ran memtest all tests, one pass (didn't want another 6 hours lost) on the 2GB config, and all tests passed. Booted up and got gray screen of death - I don't recall if it was on bootup or after running but I ran fsck with no disk problems found, then restarted, logged in, ran disk utility to repair all permissions. Some repairs were made. Restarted A, reset PRAM and NVRAM again, booted successfully.
I haven't had much time to run extensively apps on A yet. It's sleeping as I type this on another mac. My next test will be to reset SMU.
I'm starting to wonder if the original iMac G5 has firmware problems that would prevent it from being unstable with two 1GB sticks??? My experience on two identical models of iMac G5 plus reading this post with VERY similar behaviors and after all the normal tests. I've concluded the memory is A-OK and something more sinister is lurking...
Any thoughts are appreciated.

U310 RAM Upgradable? Voided Warranty?

Hi --
I am a tentative Lenovo buyer and was am set on getting the U310 Ultrabook. I do notice though that it only has 4 GB of RAM. I would ideally like to upgrade this upon getting the laptop. Is this possible? I have researched it and cannot find any answers for this particular model. I just do not want to buy the laptop and find out that it does not have an extra slot to upgrade the RAM so I am stuck with 4 gig. If this is the case, then I may just spring the extra $100 or so and get the U410 Ultrabook.
Secondly, will doing anything like this by myself void the warranty? I certainly would not like that to happen.
Let me know and if anyone has any advice on the U series; I'm hoping to buy today before this sale is over.
Thanks!

I just upgraded and wanted to share some notes. The quick answers are:
- Yes, opening the case voids the warranty (and needs to be done carefully)
- Yes, the machine can run 8GB of RAM
- and (bonus) you can use the mSATA SSD drive as a regular SSD drive--and upgrade it as well
The only potential hiccup is that you may need to flash BIOS version 65CN21WW for the RAM upgrade to work. Initially my machine would not boot or POST with the 8GB stick. After flashing this version things went smoothly (aside from needing to re-apply BIOS settings to get Windows 8 to boot again).
Here's more details:
- my machine is the non-touch screen i3 based system
- I used the Crucial memory advisor to locate the 8GB stick of RAM and a 240GB mSATA SSD
- There are useful YouTube videos showing how to remove the back panel. Basically you pry off the rubber feet, unscrew the 4 screws you'll find, then (VERY) carefully work your way around the space between the back panel and the silver plastic
For my dual-boot setup:
- Fully shutdown Windows (being sure not to use Intel Rapid Start--you want it to be a complete shutdown)
- In the BIOS disable IRST
- Switch the drives to AHCI mode in the BIOS (you'll need to reload Windows after doing this)
From there I installed Windows 8.1 to a 250GB partition on the 500GB spindle drive. Ubuntu GNOME 13.10 went on the entire SSD, with the other 250GB of the spindle drive available for slower-speed storage. With my increased storage I'll be considering if both OS's should reside on the SSD for performance, with extra storage on the larger drive.

SSD or RAM upgrade first ?

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