Maverick or not!

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Mikethebook


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Mac Mini 2.26Ghz 8GB RAM
I own a late 2009 2.26MHz Mac Mini with 2GB RAM and Snow Leopard. I don't use it for more than writing and listening to music but it runs very slow on 2GB RAM. I'm not confident about upgrading the RAM myself and it would probably cost more than the computer is worth to send it away for a RAM update. I would rather wait until I can afford a new Mini.

I've resisted upgrading the OS partly because I thought it would eat up RAM I didn't have, partly because I didn't want anything extra other than Speech in a more sophisticated form. Now Maverick is being offered free and it appears to offer some kind of RAM efficiency technology.

So . . . is it worth me upgrading for any RAM advantage?

Also will it include all the stuff from Lion & Mountain Lion, specifically Speech?
 
chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Upgrading the memory on your Mini is a do it yourself task. There's no reason with the proper instructions that you couldn't do it. I would upgrade it to at least 4 GB and even more according to the max that your Mini will take. (I believe it will take 8 GB)

You can look at the instructions for adding memory at iFixit: The free repair manual. After upgrading the memory, you can think about Mavericks.
 
dtravis7

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Yes, I believe your Mini is the Flat one without the Optical drive. Those are SO EASY to upgrade like Chscag said above. Just follow that iFixit guide. Go as much as you can afford. 4GB will run ML with the usage you describe, but going to 8GB would not hurt. Get the Ram from either OWC or Crucial. We all have had great luck with both companies.
 
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Mikethebook


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Thanks for your replies. My Mac Mini is NOT the flatter version without the optical drive. Changing RAM on them is a piece of cake which is why I'm a little concerned. My main question is whether Mavericks will take more RAM to use than Snow Leopard . . . but I see you think I should update RAM first and not be afraid of it. But it would be so easy to damage the computer in some way. Even the IFixit manual which I've already looked at suggests that possibility. So my question still stands. Will Mavericks run equally comfortably on 2GB as Snow Leopard does?
 
dtravis7

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The Mini just before the Flat one is a bit harder. Watch the video and see if you think you can do it.

2GB is a bit low for Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks. 4GB is a lot more usable. It really depends on what you do and how many apps you run at the same time. Safari on sites with Flash sucks up RAM over time and that 2gb will run out quite fast.
 
Rod

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Mikethebook said:
I own a late 2009 2.26MHz Mac Mini with 2GB RAM and Snow Leopard. I don't use it for more than writing and listening to music but it runs very slow on 2GB RAM. I'm not confident about upgrading the RAM myself and it would probably cost more than the computer is worth to send it away for a RAM update. I would rather wait until I can afford a new Mini.

I've resisted upgrading the OS partly because I thought it would eat up RAM I didn't have, partly because I didn't want anything extra other than Speech in a more sophisticated form. Now Maverick is being offered free and it appears to offer some kind of RAM efficiency technology.

So . . . is it worth me upgrading for any RAM advantage?

Also will it include all the stuff from Lion & Mountain Lion, specifically Speech?
Click to expand...

Try repairing your Permissions then run OnyX Onyx Mac – Instant Download Onyx for Mac OS X. You will need the version for your OS. Please do a backup first then run on Auto with all boxes ticked you may be amazed at the performance improvement. I did this and am now running Mavericks on a 2009 MacBook with 2Gb RAM with no problems.
 
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Mikethebook


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Hi Rod, Thanks for your encouraging post. What you suggest is EXACTLY my regular maintenance schedule, using OnyX and Repair Permissions . . . . obviously after a backup. Did you run Lion or Mountain Lion before or come straight from Snow Leopard? I'm wondering whether you feel any improvement in performance due to Maverick's RAM compression?

Cheers

Mike
 
Rod

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Mikethebook said:
Hi Rod, Thanks for your encouraging post. What you suggest is EXACTLY my regular maintenance schedule, using OnyX and Repair Permissions . . . . obviously after a backup. Did you run Lion or Mountain Lion before or come straight from Snow Leopard? I'm wondering whether you feel any improvement in performance due to Maverick's RAM compression?

Cheers

Mike
Click to expand...

Hi Mike, I went Lion to Mountain Lion to Maverick's. No I can't say I've noticed much improvement thanks to Maverick's RAM compression but I have been running a little app called "Free Memory" since Lion. It constantly monitors my available RAM and frees up any available unused (static) blocks. Works well for me.
 
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Mikethebook


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Hi Rod, I've also been using a memory freer. Doesn't sound as though upgrading to Mavericks would do me any harm.
 
Rod

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Mikethebook said:
Hi Rod, I've also been using a memory freer. Doesn't sound as though upgrading to Mavericks would do me any harm.
Click to expand...

True although I do take on board what others have said, upgrading to 4 Gb of RAM would probably be a good idea. Mountain Lion an Maverick's make this pretty easy. If you go to Apple > About this Mac > More Info > Memory you will see at the bottom right an arrow which takes you to detailed instructions for replacing your RAM as well as a list of recommended/advised types. Very handy!
 
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Mikethebook


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I don't have that facility on Snow Leopard. But maybe upgrading to 4 GB RAM would be a good idea. Perhaps 8 GB if I decided to use Parallels.
 

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