03-10-2010, 07:13 PM

I just added another 512mb (total of two 512 cards and the original 64) memory card to my Power Mac G4 400 (AGP graphics). When I got to 'about this mac' it shows it installed but my available memory didn't increase at all. Any ideas as to why? Thanks.

It's a PC 100 222S, just like the other one. Are there any other differences?

03-10-2010, 07:20 PM

Are you sure that the 2nd stick of 512 ram is compatible with your model Macintosh?

Not all PC100 ram is the same.

- Nick

03-10-2010, 09:11 PM

Incompatible memory. G4s are extremely fussy about the correct memory, and do not purchase memory from a PC shop as they invariably sell cheaper high density modules and Macs use low density. PC100 comes in both high and low densities just to confuse us

03-10-2010, 11:01 PM

Thanks for the replies. The other 512 was bought from a 'cheap' source. Does it make any difference that when I click on 'about this mac', under memory it says 1.06 GB (512+512+64)? Just the available memory is the same as it was before adding card?

Thanks,
Bryan

03-10-2010, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by gold1500

Thanks for the replies. The other 512 was bought from a 'cheap' source. Does it make any difference that when I click on 'about this mac', under memory it says 1.06 GB (512+512+64)? Just the available memory is the same as it was before adding card?

Thanks,
Bryan

What the heck are you talking about! 512 + 512 + 64 = 1.06 GB. What do you mean "available memory" is the same?

If you just added 512 meg...then before this 2nd 512meg stick of ram...you had 512 + 64 = 576 meg.

Very confusing.

- Nick

03-10-2010, 11:42 PM

Hi Nick -

When I start my computer and click on 'Macintosh HD' or any folder, at the bottom it says 'x' items, 297 MB available.

After running several apps, streaming etc. eventually I get a disk full alert. So I figured I needed more memory. After installing the last 512 stick, the memory immediately increased.

This time no increase in 'x' items, 297 available. But when I click on 'about this mac' it says 1.06 GB memory (512+512+64 of total memory)

Making any sense?

Thanks-
Bryan

03-11-2010, 08:36 AM

Yes. You're confusing RAM (random-access memory) with hard disk space (not memory at all). You did nothing to your hard drive. (And all you could do to increase space is reformat from HFS to HFS+, but it probably already is HFS+.) The space remaining is the same as before.

Additional RAM will allow more applications to be open at the same time without a drop-off in performance (speed). It will not allow you to put more things on the computer than you could have before.

03-11-2010, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by gold1500

Making any sense?

Thanks-
Bryan

Yes it makes sense now. "toMACsh" gave the answer...you're confusing hard drive space & ram.

- Nick

03-11-2010, 01:09 PM

Ah, understand now. Thanks everyone.

- Bryan