I am looking to upgrade the RAM in the computer in my sig. I am aware that the max this computer can use is 3 gigs. However, I was wondering what would happen if I installed 2X2GB chips. Would the computer work? would it recognize both chips with a total of 4GB but only be able to use 3GB? Does RAM would better in parallel configurations (ie 2X1GB or 2X2GB instead of 1X1GB and 1X2GB)??
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Max RAM question
- Thread starter Big Alsie
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Sorry i am not sure but i thought it would be 4gigs myself If you had a friend that would loan you the ram and try before you buy would help
It will (should) work fine but will only address 3 of the 4 GB of RAM. If possible it's always better to install matched pairs of RAM. In other words it's generally industry wide accepted that it's better to go with 2 x 2 GB sticks for 4GB or 4 1GB sticks for 4GB vs one stick of 2GB and two sticks of 1GB to make 4GB. That being said if you have no choice to go the latter route your computer would still work and it would still call on all of the RAM it's capable of using (in your case OP 3GB). If it were me and that were my iMac I'd go with 2 sticks of 2GB RAM to have an equal install of 4. That machine will just about use it all as I believe it in fact address's a bit more RAM than what they state it can.
It works. Currently running 4GB in my daughter's 17" white C2D but you only see 3GB. With 4GB, all the RAM runs in dual channel. With 3GB, only 2GB runs dual channel. I doubt anyone could tell the difference, however.