Friday, July 01, 2005

iMac Memory Upgrade....



It pays to read the small print doesn't it!

Having merrily followed the logic on the Apple Store pages, I purchased 2 x 512Mb SO-DIMM upgrades for my iMac G4. Why? Because the website says it has two memory expansion slots, & the total memory configurable in this model is 1Gb.

However, tucked away on the Apple Support website I found the following.....

"There are two RAM slots in the iMac (Flat Panel) computers. They are:

A user-accessible 144-pin SO-DIMM slot.
An internal (factory-installed) 168-pin DIMM slot

Warning: While you may add or change memory in the SO-DIMM slot, do not attempt to access the factory-only memory slot. Special seals and tooling are required to access and reseal the computer successfully. If the computer is incorrectly resealed, damage to the computer will result and this damage would not be covered under warranty. "


So they're not even the same bloody spec! And, you can't upgrade the 168-pin DIMM yourself!

Luckily Apple managed to cock up & only packed 1 of the modules, so have advised them to credit me for the one I dont need as it wasn't shipped.

The memory upgrade to 640Mb (128Mb + new 512Mb) allows for the OS X v10.4 Tiger update (when it arrives in post), that will allow for iTunes 4.9 update, which in turn will allow music sharing with PC's & other devices, then a D-Link DBT-120 USB Bluetooth Adapter to be added which in turn will allow for wireless keyboard & mouse (also requires OS X v10.3+. Keep up, it's quite easy really!)

Then I will go down the path of either Sonos (see previous posts) or Apple AirTunes to pipe music around house & maybe even garden - Bose do some neat outdoor weatherproof speakers!

Update : Apple have admitted to a picking\packing error & agreed that they didn't ship me both SO-DIMM's, so are refunding me for one of them. Unfortunately, my iMac (early model) only has a CD drive, not a DVD drive, so the OS X Tiger upgrade will have to wait until they send me the CD media! Then at last I can install the OS X software that will allow the wireless keyboard & mouse & iTunes sharing etc etc that started this whole episode.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I too fell into an Apple trap. I bought a 17" flat panel iMac about 2 yrs ago and asked them to factory fit 512Mb memory. I finaly got the cash together just befor Chrismas to buy another 512Mb which I intended fitting in the user bay under the dome. When I opened up the dome there was already 256Mb installed. Instead of fitting a single block internally Apple had put 256Mb inside and 256Mb in the user slot. I bought a 3 yr Applecare when I got the machine so I rang them and explained the situation and asked them to do something about the error. The refused flat and wouldn't consider doing anything. They said I got what I paid for and didn't state where the memory was fitted. I am still fuming after this and feel I have been totally dumped on by them. My only solution was to remove the 256MB and fit the new 512Mb in it's place.

graham@deltingdolphins.co.uk