Memory Upgrade: One slot not reading

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Hey guys,

I just replaced my 2gig of ram with two 4gig chips from Crucial.
After turning my MBP Later 2008 (Unibody) back on, the memory slot on the right is reading as empty. The Crucial guys and OWC both said my model could take 8gig.

What do you think might be the problem? I was sure to be careful, used a grounding bracelet and the memory clicked when it went back down so presuming its not the connection.
 

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Pull the modules out and swap them around. What does it read now?
 

Air


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Use some compressed air and blow out the slots. If you don't have that, a low-pressure air compresser will work just as good.

DO NOT BLOW IT OUT WITH YOUR MOUTH. Spit can get into the slots if you do.


Then, Put the chips back in WITH CARE + try it.
 

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I just replaced my 2gig of ram with two 4gig chips from Crucial.
After turning my MBP Later 2008 (Unibody) back on, the memory slot on the right is reading as empty. The Crucial guys and OWC both said my model could take 8gig.

What do you think might be the problem?

If you're absolutely sure this is a Late 2008 Unibody MBP...then...

Original max. ram from Apple was 4gig (2 + 2 gig sticks). It was later found that this model could support 6gig of ram max (4 + 2 gig sticks). Finally...it is possible to have 8gig of ram in this model...but only if a firmware update is applied. If you don't have the latest ROM (firmware)...then 6 gig is the max.

Read more here:

MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 15" (Unibody) Specs (Late 2008, MB470LL/A, MacBookPro5,1, A1286, 2255) @ EveryMac.com

- Nick
 

chscag

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Good catch Nick! I just looked it up with Mactracker, and you're right.
 

pigoo3

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Good catch Nick! I just looked it up with Mactracker, and you're right.

Thanks Charlie. The updated firmware "wrinkle" on these late 2008 MBP's (for supporting 8gig of ram) seems to have been a somewhat recent addition to the specs. What I mean by "recent"...is maybe it's a change/addition within the last 6-12 months (maybe less).

- Nick
 

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Nick in MacTracker just to check for the fun of it. I see the 15" Late 2008 MBP as taking up to 8GB and the Early 2008 as 4 (6). I am sure I am missing something as Charlie saw what you are saying also.

I do see the note on Everymac though.
 

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Nick in MacTracker just to check for the fun of it. I see the 15" Late 2008 MBP as taking up to 8GB and the Early 2008 as 4 (6). I am sure I am missing something as Charlie saw what you are saying also.

I do see the note on Everymac though.

I think that it's a "Unibody" model thing. The Late 2008 is Unibody (8gig max)...the Early 2008 (6 gig max) is non-Unibody.

- Nick
 

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Nick. do you think the OP's machine is the earlier one then?
 

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Nick. do you think the OP's machine is the earlier one then?

I'm assuming that it's at least a Late 2008 MBP...since the OP says it's a Unibody (definitely easy to identify).:)

But...depending on how accurate the OP's identification is...if it's actually a later model MBP (say 2009)...then it would more easily support 8 gig of ram (no ROM upgrading issues).

If this was the case (newer than Late 2008)...then the issue could be a bad ram slot (which I don't think that it is...since the old ram works in both slots)...thus leaving the issue to be a bad stick of ram (if testing in both ram slots with the new ram doesn't fix things).

But...assuming the OP is correct & the MBP is a Late 2008 model...then it's probably the ROM/firmware update possibility.

- Nick
 

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All makes sense. It was using Mactracker here that had me confused.
 
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If you're absolutely sure this is a Late 2008 Unibody MBP...then...

Original max. ram from Apple was 4gig (2 + 2 gig sticks). It was later found that this model could support 6gig of ram max (4 + 2 gig sticks). Finally...it is possible to have 8gig of ram in this model...but only if a firmware update is applied. If you don't have the latest ROM (firmware)...then 6 gig is the max.

Read more here:

MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 15" (Unibody) Specs (Late 2008, MB470LL/A, MacBookPro5,1, A1286, 2255) @ EveryMac.com

- Nick



Hey Nick,

Thanks a lot..

Crucial sales did tell me to upgrade the EFI before installing the RAM, using this link EFI and SMC firmware updates for Intel-based Macs and d'loading/installing the MacBookProEFIUpdate2.8

I tried this and got the following msg at first page of the installer: "This software is not supported on your system."

I also ran the MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update in Utilities and got the following error:
"The MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update will not update over your current Firmware version of MBP51.88Z.007E.B06.1202061253."

I think I remember seeing something about the above EFI upgrade requiring osx 10.7.
I have just upgraded to 10.8. Could this be the problem?
 

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Hey guys,

Just to confirm, my model is definatly a late 2008 MBP. I bought it a couple of months after the Unibody design was introduced..
 

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You say the Origional 2 sticks of RAM that shipped with the MBP work fine? If so I can't see how it could be a bad memory slot.
 

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I have asked that question 2x now. I feel it's important for you to answer as if the slot was defective, I doubt the original ram would read either.
 
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Hey guys.. just swapped the memory and its reading 4gig on both slot!! thanks for your help..
If its working, have I definitely got all the updates required to run my system at its max on 8gig now then?
 
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I'm assuming that it's at least a Late 2008 MBP...since the OP says it's a Unibody (definitely easy to identify).:)

But...depending on how accurate the OP's identification is...if it's actually a later model MBP (say 2009)...then it would more easily support 8 gig of ram (no ROM upgrading issues).

If this was the case (newer than Late 2008)...then the issue could be a bad ram slot (which I don't think that it is...since the old ram works in both slots)...thus leaving the issue to be a bad stick of ram (if testing in both ram slots with the new ram doesn't fix things).

But...assuming the OP is correct & the MBP is a Late 2008 model...then it's probably the ROM/firmware update possibility.

- Nick

All makes sense. It was using Mactracker here that had me confused.

I have asked that question 2x now. I feel it's important for you to answer as if the slot was defective, I doubt the original ram would read either.

Sorry Dennis, yes... the original 1gb/slot was reading fine
 

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Hey guys.. just swapped the memory and its reading 4gig on both slot!! thanks for your help..
If its working, have I definitely got all the updates required to run my system at its max on 8gig now then?

Sounds like it's working. Strange issue but had one like it on my late 2007 Macbook. Put it in one way memory error, reverse the Dimms and it works great. It was a matched pair of Kingstons btw.


Glad it's working. If you click on the Apple and open About This Mac does it say 8GB RAM?

If so you are fine!
 
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Sounds like it's working. Strange issue but had one like it on my late 2007 Macbook. Put it in one way memory error, reverse the Dimms and it works great. It was a matched pair of Kingstons btw.


Glad it's working. If you click on the Apple and open About This Mac does it say 8GB RAM?

If so you are fine!


Thanks a lot!
 

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