Problems With Your New Apple^® Memory?

Are you having problems with your new Apple memory upgrade? The following guide addresses the most commonly reported errors our customers see and their possible solutions.

Your module could be incompatible with your system. There are a lot of considerations when choosing the correct memory for your system, including memory type, speeds, densities, and more.  To take the guesswork out of this, use the Crucial® System Scanner or Crucial® Memory Advisor to find a guaranteed compatible upgrade.

The memory may not have been seated correctly, or you have a bad or dirty memory socket. The first thing to try would be to reinstall it. To properly install an iMac® module, you must apply 30 pounds of pressure. You’ll feel a nice click when the memory module is seated, and most users say they can hear it as well. You can also compare the height of your newly installed module to those in your other memory sockets. For standard a Macbook®, Macbook Pro®, and Mac Mini® models, a similar 30 pounds of force will be needed, pressing the memory modules into the slots, then laying them flat to lock them fully in to place. In some cases, the memory modules will loosen while being laid flat to be locked into place. Maintaining some inward pressure on the memory module while laying it flat can resolve seating difficulties in these systems. A video showing this process for PCs, but applicable to these Mac® systems, is here.

If simply reseating is not effective, switch the memory to different sockets if available, as well as testing multiple part configurations one module at a time. This can help determine whether the problem lies with a particular memory module or the memory socket, or whether old and new modules simply aren’t compatible when mixed together.
 

Another option? Try cleaning the memory socket. Use compressed air to blow dust off the socket.  Watch our video on how to clean a dirty system prior to installing memory.

This can be a problem especially with parts manufactured using technologies developed after a computer's release. Any EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) updates via Apple® Updates may be required to add support for memory upgrades, or higher memory totals. Sometimes it is necessary to clear PRAM settings from your EFI to solve boot related issues. To do so, follow the process below:

1. Shut down the computer
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4
   
3. Turn on the computer
   
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears
   
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound three times, then release all the keys  
   
6. After the keys are released, your Mac will boot up normally
   

If you’ve tried everything and the memory still isn’t working, you might have a defective module.  If you purchased that module from Crucial.com, we make returns hassle-free. Learn more about our returns process and our 45-day money-back guarantee here.