Will stock 2012 mini memory (2 x 2 PC3-12800 DDR3 1600 MHz) work in 2010 mini (stock

[sean barry]

Hi all.
Will stock 2012 mini memory (2 x 2 PC3-12800 DDR3 1600 MHz) work in 2010 mini (stock 2 x 1 PC3-8500 DDR3 1066 MHz) Do you think it would hurt the 2010 unit to try it?
I am thinking of buying a 2010 Mini with 2 1gig chips. I have 2 2 gig chips from my 2012 mini laying around so what the heck?
Also, will 2010 run Yosemite? El Capitan?
Thanks.

 

[iPhil]

the minimum spec for el capitan is '09 mini anything higher than '09 mini ...
List from Apple :

• iMac (Mid-2007 or newer)
• MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or newer)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or newer), (15-inch, Mid / Late 2007 or newer), (17-inch, Late 2007 or newer)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
• Mac Mini (Early 2009 or newer)
• Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
• Xserve (Early 2009)

 

[CoastalOR]

Also, will 2010 run Yosemite? El Capitan?

Yes for the OS support. I'm not sure about the RAM.

EDIT: Oops, iPhil beat me to the reply.

 

[sean barry]

Thanks guys. I was pretty sure about the OS question. The memory thing is still out there.

 

[BrettApple]

The 2010 Mac Mini uses PC3-8500 DDR3, that is 1066 MHz. With 1600 MHz RAM it will most likely not even boot up. If it does it may kernel panic etc.

It shouldn't be too hard to find a 4GB or 8GB 1066 MHz kit. I just did an upgrade from 2GB to 8GB in a 2010 Mini we had at work. It's currently running Yosemite and it was a major improvement (as expected). It was previously on Snow Leopard for the last 5 years where 2GB was totally fine.

As an example, here's a kit on Amazon. About $30 for 4GB and $50 for 8GB.

 

[sean barry]

Well that settles that. Thanks BrettApple. And thanks again CoastalOR and iPhill

 

[sean barry]

Well, I'm here so I'll ask here. Is there a place on this site to trade Apple gear? Any suggestions for other sites to do same? Thanks.

 

[karbi]

The memory from mac mini 2012 worked in my 2010 mac mini. It's been running fine for the last one year.

 

[sean barry]

Oh boy.....That unsettles it!?

 

[SpacemanSpiffed]

I think it depends on the RAM. It should not hurt to try. Either the memory controller can switch the RAM to the slower/older timers, or it can't, and it'll be obvious either way.

 

[sean barry]

I think it depends on the RAM. It should not to try. Either the memory controller can switch the RAM to the slower/older timers, or it can't, and it'll be obvious either way.

Thanks Spaceman. Did you mean "It should not hurt to try" Thanks again.

 

[lewdvig]

The 2010 Mac Mini uses PC3-8500 DDR3, that is 1066 MHz. With 1600 MHz RAM it will most likely not even boot up. If it does it may kernel panic etc.

It shouldn't be too hard to find a 4GB or 8GB 1066 MHz kit. I just did an upgrade from 2GB to 8GB in a 2010 Mini we had at work. It's currently running Yosemite and it was a major improvement (as expected). It was previously on Snow Leopard for the last 5 years where 2GB was totally fine.

As an example, here's a kit on Amazon. About $30 for 4GB and $50 for 8GB.

Yup, this mirrors my experience. I have some 1600 DDR3 RAM kicking around and it did not boot my mini server 2010.

No harm done, but on power up I got no Mac chime and no memory warning beep - nothing. PRAM reset did not work.

On returning the old ram into the mini, everything works fine. But YMMV.