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bkb · Jun 2, 2004, 10:43 PM

Hi,
I just ordered a 1GB RAM module for my 12" Powerbook from Datamem.com. It should be here in a day. I do not have my original System Restore CD with me, and so I cannot run the Hardware Test to verify that the RAM is good. Is there any other way to check that the RAM is good?

Also, do I need to buy a screwdriver, or will it come with one? If not, could someone tell me which screwdriver I need to get?

Thanks,
BKB.

Applefreak01 · Jun 2, 2004, 11:05 PM

Apple says you need a size 00 Phillips screwdriver. Be sure to remove the battery before installing your new memory. I doubt your RAM will come with the screwdriver you need. You can find the screwdriver you need at just about any hardware shop.

If you don't have the hardware test CD then the only way to know if the RAM is good is to put it in and see if your system can boot and if it does boot that it doesn't crash a lot. If you can boot and don't have random crashes you'll know the RAM is good.

bkb · Jun 3, 2004, 07:25 PM

Originally posted by Applefreak01:
Apple says you need a size 00 Phillips screwdriver. Be sure to remove the battery before installing your new memory. I doubt your RAM will come with the screwdriver you need. You can find the screwdriver you need at just about any hardware shop.

If you don't have the hardware test CD then the only way to know if the RAM is good is to put it in and see if your system can boot and if it does boot that it doesn't crash a lot. If you can boot and don't have random crashes you'll know the RAM is good.

Thanks. I picked up the screwdriver today and tested it out. Works perfectly.

Sounds like I'll have to do lot of unnecessary playing around with my PowerBook to test out the RAM then

. I've heard more RAM makes a big difference in Mac OS X and I look forward to the 400% increase. Should be arriving sometime tomorow.

Thanks,
BKB.

Applefreak01 · Jun 3, 2004, 07:51 PM

Originally posted by bkb:
Thanks. I picked up the screwdriver today and tested it out. Works perfectly.

Sounds like I'll have to do lot of unnecessary playing around with my PowerBook to test out the RAM then . I've heard more RAM makes a big difference in Mac OS X and I look forward to the 400% increase. Should be arriving sometime tomorow.

Thanks,
BKB.

Yep more RAM makes a big difference in Mac OS X. Hope it works for you and have fun with all the extra memory

bkb · Jun 3, 2004, 08:15 PM

Originally posted by Applefreak01:
Yep more RAM makes a big difference in Mac OS X. Hope it works for you and have fun with all the extra memory

Yep, I hope it works also

. I guess we'll find out tomorrow. Thanks for your feedback.

bkb · Jun 4, 2004, 10:50 AM

So far so good. Installed the 1GB RAM chip and it recognized it. No kernel panics yet. Got just about all my apps open running and they are all much more responsive.

Unfortunate that there is no way to test out the RAM, other than just fiddle with it.

One question. The RAM chip came with two stickers on it from the manufacturer/reseller (Datamem). One of them said "Void if Removed" and I didn't dare touch either of them. But is it alright to leave those stickers on the RAM? Won't they get very hot? Isn't that a hazard?

Thanks,
BKB.

bkb · Jun 4, 2004, 10:51 AM

Another thing. Do I have to tweak my settings now to take full advantage of the extra 1GB RAM I just installed? Do I have to change the virtual RAM settings, etc? Or does OS X do this automatically.

TheDrew · Jun 4, 2004, 12:40 PM

No need to worry about the stickers on the ram, most ram has stickers.

The ram itself wont get that hot, ram only gets hot as bus speeds increase, and your mac is fixed at 167 so its nothing to worry about.

Applefreak01 · Jun 4, 2004, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by bkb:
Another thing. Do I have to tweak my settings now to take full advantage of the extra 1GB RAM I just installed? Do I have to change the virtual RAM settings, etc? Or does OS X do this automatically.

OS X will take care of it for you.

Detrius · Jun 5, 2004, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by bkb:
...
Unfortunate that there is no way to test out the RAM, other than just fiddle with it.

...

Thanks,
BKB.

Even the Apple Hardware Test isn't reliable for testing RAM. If there is an Apple Authorized Service Center near you, take your laptop (with the RAM installed) there and ask them to run ASD (Apple Service Diagnostics) on it to verify the RAM. If it passes that, it's likely good. BTW, they may charge a small fee for their time.

macman247 · Jun 5, 2004, 12:55 PM

An Apple Service Center has access to all Apple Hardware Tests and Apple Service Diagnostics discs for all applicable models. I'm sure they can burn you a copy of the AHT if you've lost yours. A neat little trick i learned with AHT is to press control-L and it will loop the selected test ad infinitum until stopped, potentially useful for those intermittent or "fails after warm-up "problems. Ask them to run ASD as that is not available to the public and has more robust testing abilities.

There are stickers on just about every RAM module i've seen, but make sure it doesn't have a heatsink on it! I've had a customer that installed RAM with a bare metal heatsink adhered to it in one of the recent PowerBooks and it shorted out the machine whenever you'd touch it. Luckily no harm was done, very odd.

bkb · Jun 5, 2004, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by Detrius:
Even the Apple Hardware Test isn't reliable for testing RAM. If there is an Apple Authorized Service Center near you, take your laptop (with the RAM installed) there and ask them to run ASD (Apple Service Diagnostics) on it to verify the RAM.

Originally posted by macman247:
An Apple Service Center has access to all Apple Hardware Tests and Apple Service Diagnostics discs for all applicable models. I'm sure they can burn you a copy of the AHT if you've lost yours. A neat little trick i learned with AHT is to press control-L and it will loop the selected test ad infinitum until stopped, potentially useful for those intermittent or "fails after warm-up "problems. Ask them to run ASD as that is not available to the public and has more robust testing abilities.

Thanks for the tip. I'm not too far from one. I'll look into it.

but make sure it doesn't have a heatsink on it!

Hm... I'm not sure I know what that is. Either way, no problems of that sort so I guess I'm clear. As long as those stickers don't melt, I should be OK. No RAM problems or kernel panics of any sort yet. I think I'm clear for now.

Thanks again,
BKB.