Memory On My Mac

This video will show you how to remove 'Your Computer is Low on Memory' from your computer. If you still need help we have a detailed guide to help you with. Clear out your startup items. Go to the Apple menu. Select System Preferences then Accounts and then Login Items to view items that begin automatically when you start up your system. Often these applications aren't even being used; they just increase the Mac boot time take up memory.

• Memory On My Mac Is Low
• Can I Get More Memory On My Mac
• How Do I Clear Memory On My Mac
• How To Clear Memory On My Mac
• Memory On My Macbook Air

Mac can be conveniently purchased from the Apple store and most of configuration allows you to upgrade the memory so that you don't need to open the case and take the risk in using an incompatible memory which would cause system lockups.

The only thing is the upgrade from Apple store cost a lot more money if compared to the one that it purchased from a computer store. For example, an additional 2GB of memory cost $50 at Apple Store while it only cost less than $10 if you search in Pricewatch. If you're willing to take the risk in adding extra memory in your Mac either to save money or perhaps you have a few lying around, it is best to run a memory test to make sure that the RAM is fully compatible and won't make your Mac unstable.

Here we suggest 3 different methods to easily run a memory test on your Mac OS X including the latest Mountain Lion 10.8.

1. Rember

Rember is actually a GUI for the popular command line memory testing tool called Memtest OS X. Instead of typing commands in terminal, you can run the test by clicking a button. You are able to test a selected amount or all of the memory, specify the number of times the tests should run and also viewing of the log. Rember includes Memtest OS X in the package so there is no need to manually download and install the memtest. Running Rember will show a table displaying the detected memory on your Mac. Select the amount of memory to test, number of loops and click the Test button to start checking the memory. When the tests is finished, Rember will show the test results.

Rember runs in Mac OS X which means that not all of the ram can be tested due to a portion of RAM being reserved for housekeeping.

Download Rember

2. Memtest86+

If your Mac has a SuperDrive, you can burn the pre-compiled bootable ISO image of the Memtest86+ and boot up the Mac with the disc. Just press and hold the C key when starting up Mac to boot from the disc.

Paint tool sai mac. The good thing about Memtest86+ is it runs by itself without relying on the operating system, giving you a more accurate memory test result.

Download Memtest86+

3. Apple Hardware Test

This is the recommended way by Apple to test your memory using their diagnostic tool. If you have an installation disc, insert the disc, restart your Mac, press and hold the C key. Select the language for the Apple Hardware Test and click the Test button to start testing. You can also tick the 'Perform extended testing' option which would perform a more thorough test that takes considerably more time to complete. On the latest Mac OS X Mountain Lion, the Apple Hardware Test is already pre-installed and it doesn't come with an installation disc. Simply boot up, press and hold the D key to start the Apple Hardware Test.

You can also see the amount of memory installed on your Mac at the Hardware Profile tab to confirm that the memory is correctly installed and detected. There are some Apple Hardware Test images that can be downloaded for older models. Do note that the Apple Hardware Test images are machine specific meaning that you cannot use the iBook version on a Mac Mini.

Download Apple Hardware Test

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‘Closing all apps' is an option which can be set or disabled in the Rember preferences.

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I'm trying to test DRAM one bank at a time in mid-2010 Mac mini with 2 banks of 4GB Kingston DRAM each.

Rember run overnight on max cycles (255) showed when both banks were full (8GB total), there was a DRAM failure. But run overnight on max cycles (255), Rember is so slow it's completed less than 30 cycles. I tried this twice.

Is it not possible to check one 4GB stick at a time? (Mid-2010 Mac mini standard RAM is 1GB module in each bank for total 2GB.)

Reply

I have several DDR3 DIMMs I want to install, but the memory timing is not printed on them. Is there an app for Macs that can tell you what the timing is on installed DIMMs?

Reply

Rember doesn't shut down existing programs… you do that yerself

Reply

No usb on mac. Rember is an amazing app! In regards to the comment above:

it closes all windows because to free-up whole RAM memory for tests.
It's understandable that you must save your work before you open any diagnostic app.

Works great on latest 2019 iMac where Memtest failed and Apple Diagnostic Tool is a JOKE

Reply

Rember

I ran this app and it closed all open windows and running apps without asking or warning me. That is bad software. Who knows what data I lost as a result, let alone time in reopening what I can remember was running. memtest does not do this.

Reply

Hope this works well, thanks!

Memory On My Mac Is Low

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So you are thinking of buying a new Mac and you are wondering how much memory to get. It is a tough decision to make, and really comes down to a matter of money. Lets look at factors that will help you decide if you should spend the extra money to get more RAM.
The Case For More Memory

There are not many people around who buy a computer with extra memory and later regret it. On the other hand, the world is full of people who buy a computer with too little memory and regret it later at some point.

Can I Get More Memory On My Mac

Memory comes in handy if you are manipulating large graphics and video files. What do I mean by large? An example would be an image that is 100MB in size. Now a typical photo you have on your Mac is probably 2-3MB. Who works with 100MB images? Designers who do things like create high resolution posters, magazine covers and other high resolution art.

Run windows applications on mac. How about video? Does editing 15 minutes of vacation clips count as large? No. Editing together a season of 22-minute television shows, or a 90-minute movie, with 4K resolution is large.

If you do image or video work like this, then you probably want to get as much memory as you can. If you just work with your own personal photos and videos, then it doesn't really matter.

How about games? If you are a serious gamer, playing in 3D worlds that require maximum frame rates on large screens, then you may also need a good deal of memory. But not necessarily. See the next section's comments on the GPU. But if you are spending serious money on your new Mac because you want a great gaming machine, then you probably don't want to skimp on memory.

Another reason for getting more memory is to future-proof your Mac. A new MacBook Pro with 8GB of memory may be fine for now, but thinking ahead 4 years, perhaps the macOS out then, and some of the apps you may want to run then, will need more. So getting 16GB will make it more likely that your Mac will last longer.

The Case Against More Memory

The way people think of computer memory today is a little old-fashioned. Not too long ago, more memory meant a faster computer. And that is still true. It is just not as true as it was a few years ago. Today, most Macs use solid-state hard drives which are much faster than standard hard drives. Computer speed today also relies more on the graphics processor (GPU) and the memory that is part of it. Software has also become more optimized to work faster and rely less on large amounts of RAM.

A lot of what people think of as 'speed' on a computer today is really graphics performance. Anything from 3D games, to video playback and editing, even to the animation of the operating system is handled my the GPU.

A typical Mac user that chooses 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB may never notice the difference. If you are just surfing the web, writing emails, managing your photos, working with documents and watching video, then you may never use that extra 8GB of memory.

As far as making your Mac last longer, keep in mind that no matter how much memory you stuff into your new Mac, at some point a version of macOS will come out that doesn't work with it. Memory typically isn't a factor in this, as it is the processor and logic board that will hold you Mac back in that case. And once you can't upgrade your macOS, your machine is obsolete regardless of the memory.

How Do I Clear Memory On My Mac

How About Upgrading Later?

You may have heard that you can't upgrade the memory of new Macs. This is only partially true. You can certainly open up and upgrade the memory in the latest 2017 iMacs. Apple even provides instructions here. You can also do it in a Mac mini or Mac Pro. But not the MacBooks, which have RAM fixed inside the machine.

This means it is much more important to decide how much memory you want with a MacBook than the other models. Once you buy your MacBook, you are stuck with that amount of RAM for the life of the machine.

Making the Decision

How To Clear Memory On My Mac

On the one hand you've got to look at the reasons you want more memory. The main two reasons are if you are doing high-end professional work, or you want to possibly extend the life of your Mac in a future where that memory may be needed.

Memory On My Macbook Air

Weight against that the bill. An extra 8GB of RAM in a MacBook Pro 13-inch will cost you about $200. Is it worth that to you? Perhaps save that $200 and put it toward your next MacBook purchase in three years?

Ultimately the decision is yours. For most Mac users the extra memory isn't necessary. But on the other hand, there are worse ways you can spend an extra $200, especially if you make a living using your Mac.