Mac mini and memory

[Dru22]

I was wondering if i can just buy regular memory off newegg and put it in the mini. I don't want to pay 500 for more when i could get it much much cheaper! Any help before i buy the mini?

 

[thirdlegstump]

not if you want to kill the warranty. that and i believe that case is going to be pretty tough to open.

 

[zainali]

good luck. apple put 256 mb ram in there for a reason.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Installing your own memory shouldnt kill the warranty. Until Apple comes out with a support article for the Mac mini, we will find out if the memory should be user installable.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: Thin Lizzy
Installing your own memory shouldnt kill the warranty. Until Apple comes out with a support article for the Mac mini, we will find out if the memory should be user installable.

It is not user installable. It says so right on the Apple website. You void the warranty unless a certified tech installs it.

Thus, I would recommend NOT getting the Mac mini from Apple. I'd wait until your local reseller has it in stock, and then get them to put in some 3rd party RAM for cheap. Apple charges too much for RAM.

IMO they shoulda just put two DIMM slots in the thing, which would have made Apple RAM's cost more reasonable. But they didn't. I guess they want more people to buy the iMac G5.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Originally posted by: Eug

Originally posted by: Thin Lizzy
Installing your own memory shouldnt kill the warranty. Until Apple comes out with a support article for the Mac mini, we will find out if the memory should be user installable.

It is not user installable. It says so right on the Apple website. You void the warranty unless a certified tech installs it.

Thus, I would recommend NOT getting the Mac mini from Apple. I'd wait until your local reseller has it in stock, and then get them to put in some 3rd party RAM for cheap. Apple charges too much for RAM.

IMO they shoulda just put two DIMM slots in the thing, which would have made Apple RAM's cost more reasonable. But they didn't. I guess they want more people to buy the iMac G5.

Thanks for letting me know. Well, thats a downer. I was hoping the memory was user installable.

Btw, ClubMac is taking orders for the Mac Mini. They are giving a free keyboard and mouse. Maybe the same for memory!

EDIT: No deals on memory. But eventually there will be!

 

[ohnnyj]

I heard that their warranties are only something like 90 day, though. So if you are buying a computer this cheap anyways I would say crack it open, install the memory and hope for the best. As long as you get name brand, quality RAM I see no issues appearing (that is as long as Apple didn't put some kind of detection mechanism in their system that will destroy itself upon finding any foreign component ).

 

[fixxxer0]

judging by the pic ive seen of the open box, the ram module is right on the outside and looks like it can easily be taken ou and reaplced with a higer cap chip.

i dont know if it has another bay however, for just dropping a new piece in

 

[akwong]

Concerning the Apple Warranty, a lot of people are mixing up the telephone support period and the actual warranty period.

Apple provides 90 days of telephone support AND a 1 year warranty period, not a 90 day warranty.

 

[powerMarkymark]

They only charge $75.00 to double the memory from 256Mb to 512Mb.

 

[ai42]

[1] They only charge $75.00 to double the memory from 256Mb to 512Mb.[/quote]
Only?! You can buy a 512MB chip for that (and you get a 256mb for "free").

Anyway I intend to crack my mini open as soon as I get it I already bought some RAM from the Staples deal I intend to use. Warranty can be damned.

I've been doing a bit of research (at least as much as I can do without actually having one yet).
From this pic you can see the bottom ventelation holes which are quite oversized
http://www.apple.com/macmini/design.html from the pic at the bottom we can see plastic clips along the sides of the motherboard.

So... all we gotta do from what I can tell is put in a nice small trusty flathead screwdriver into those ventelation holes and push the clip back and lift the case a bit, and just repeat around the case until it pops open!

I of course will post when I actually do this.

 

[speg]

I've read various reports saying that opening the case will NOT void the warranty. Assuming you don't break anything of course. I'm about to order myself a stick to swap in as soon as my Mac Mini arrives. Opening the case will be similar to the ipod (6 clips arround the sides, 2 on each, none in back)

 

[grnyj93]

Found this info that might be of interest.
The following comes from this link http://www.macworld.com/weblog...esandoranges/index.php

contrary to rumors around the Internet, Apple has told Macworld that you can even do it yourself without voiding your warranty ?unless you break something when you open it.?

I also found this video howto for getting the case open.

http://www.smashsworld.com/200...rt-mac-mini-how-to.php

Hope this helps - I am very interested in knowing how it goes.

Chuck.

 

[hopejr]

ai42: Those vents are on the base, so there's no way you can unclip it with a screw driver through the holes. Just use a putty knife like in the video.

Posted by Eug in another thread is this link:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/t...id=2532656#post2532656

Just opening your Mac mini does NOT void your warranty. If you break something when doing so, you would void your warranty.

Here's the official line...

Apple recommends going to an Apple authorized service provider to upgrade memory or add AirPort and Bluetooth. If you were to damage anything while opening a unit, your Mac mini warranty would be voided.

The guy who said this says he was the engineering manager/tech lead for the Mac mini.

 

[Bilbrey]

Originally posted by: hopejr

Just opening your Mac mini does NOT void your warranty. If you break something when doing so, you would void your warranty.

Here's the official line...

Apple recommends going to an Apple authorized service provider to upgrade memory or add AirPort and Bluetooth. If you were to damage anything while opening a unit, your Mac mini warranty would be voided.

The guy who said this says he was the engineering manager/tech lead for the Mac mini.

Ah, yes, I am that person, and yes, that is true...

 

[ranmaniac]

I'm typing this message from my Mac-Mini, about 15 minutes into typing this, I installed a Crucial 512mb chip without any problems. The putty knife worked, although I don't see why they couldn't have used screws or some sort of latch mechanism instead. In retrospect, I probably should have gotten the Mini with 512 already installed instead of worrying about breaking something while opening it.

 

[Olafva]

No Problem with Apple - warranty service still applies - However if you damage anything in the process, that's your problem. Remember there's only one slot for either a 256MB, 512MB or 1GB now and perhaps 2GB chips when they're available. I have 2 Mac Minis, both with 512MB. My comparison concluded going from 256MB to 512MB was only $70 from Apple so it wasn't worth cracking it open. I've added an extra 1GB foreign memory chip to one of my Powerbooks and it worked for 2 months and failed - company keeps senduing replacements which don't work. I'm not so sure how much a foreign chip with a lifetime guarantee is worth. Why take the chance to save a few pennies if at all. 1GB is another matter, but I've heard Apple has already reduced their price for that option and it's likely to decrease. Unless you really need it 512MB seems plenty fine. You can also add bluetooth and wreless yourself. Check macslash.org or slashdot.org for a neat video of a Mac being not only cracked open, but completely disassembled starting wit a putty knife.

 

[Bilbrey]

For most users of the Mini, 256MB will be fine (mail, web, iLife apps, etc...). For users that care, the 512MB is reasonable and will do fine for just about anything that people will run on a Mini. If you don't know if you need more memory, then you will be fine with 256MB. If you are 'power user' that demands 1GB, why buy the Mini.

As to breaking things, I've opened hundreds of them and while it sounds everytime like it is cracking, I have not broken the plastics on one yet. But even if you break two, three or more of the plastic tabs, you shoud not have a problem. But I've not seen anyone break tabs... yet.

We did not use screws, because the Mini was not designed to be user accessable.

 

[hopejr]

Originally posted by: Bilbrey
For most users of the Mini, 256MB will be fine (mail, web, iLife apps, etc...). For users that care, the 512MB is reasonable and will do fine for just about anything that people will run on a Mini. If you don't know if you need more memory, then you will be fine with 256MB. If you are 'power user' that demands 1GB, why buy the Mini.

My iBook G4 1GHz had only 256MB RAM for months before I bothered upgrading it. I had no problems, until I needed to get into heavy development, and then I got the 512MB and it runs smooth as ever (note, that's a 1GHz G4, running on a 133MHz FSB). So I tend to agree with Bilbrey here (he should know, he designed the mini!!)

We did not use screws, because the Mini was not designed to be user accessable.

ROFL!!

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Did Bilbrey really design the Mini?

 

[Bilbrey]

Originally posted by: Thin Lizzy
Did Bilbrey really design the Mini?

To be fair, not really... I was the engineering manager/tech lead, but there were many more people than just me that contributed to the design of the Mac Mini.

It was a great TEAM that worked on the mini. I'm very proud of the hundreds of people at Apple that made the Mac Mini possible. It was an honor and a privilege working with them. It was a team effort.

 

[halfadder]

Originally posted by: Bilbrey

Originally posted by: Thin Lizzy
Did Bilbrey really design the Mini?

To be fair, not really... I was the engineering manager/tech lead, but there were many more people than just me that contributed to the design of the Mac Mini.

It was a great TEAM that worked on the mini. I'm very proud of the hundreds of people at Apple that made the Mac Mini possible. It was an honor and a privilege working with them. It was a team effort.

I would like to shake your virtual hand. The mini is exactly what I was hoping for as second desktop machine for myself and as a drop in replacement for the aging PCs that most of my older relatives have. I bought one for my grandfather but I have been playing with it since it arrived last week, it's been a fun machine in every respect, from the packaging to the bundled software to the mini itself. The hardware quality is excellent and the DVI port is a nice touch, plus even the analog output looks beautiful at 1280x1024 on my 17" VGA LCD. I'll have to order one for myself before I hand it over!

My only complaint is that the power cord mates rather loosely to the mini and is easy to pull loose. I wish it was more secure, like a (tight) USB connection.

I'll quit before I start rattling off the specs for my dream machine, an aluminum "G5 Cube"...

 

[Bilbrey]

Originally posted by: halfadder

Originally posted by: Bilbrey

Originally posted by: Thin Lizzy
Did Bilbrey really design the Mini?

To be fair, not really... I was the engineering manager/tech lead, but there were many more people than just me that contributed to the design of the Mac Mini.

It was a great TEAM that worked on the mini. I'm very proud of the hundreds of people at Apple that made the Mac Mini possible. It was an honor and a privilege working with them. It was a team effort.

I would like to shake your virtual hand. The mini is exactly what I was hoping for as second desktop machine for myself and as a drop in replacement for the aging PCs that most of my older relatives have. I bought one for my grandfather but I have been playing with it since it arrived last week, it's been a fun machine in every respect, from the packaging to the bundled software to the mini itself. The hardware quality is excellent and the DVI port is a nice touch, plus even the analog output looks beautiful at 1280x1024 on my 17" VGA LCD. I'll have to order one for myself before I hand it over!

My only complaint is that the power cord mates rather loosely to the mini and is easy to pull loose. I wish it was more secure, like a (tight) USB connection.

I'll quit before I start rattling off the specs for my dream machine, an aluminum "G5 Cube"...

I'll pass your complements onto the team. Thank you.

As to the power cord, we have to find a balance between how tight it is, and being the right tension to pass 'kick the cord' tests. Meaning if someone trips over the cord, that the plug comes out, rather than damaging the cord or pulling the machine off the table. I agree it is an important issue. Thanks.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: zainali
good luck. apple put 256 mb ram in there for a reason.

yeah to rip the buyer off, anand him self said that mac osx needs more than 256mb to operate fluidly, apple shouldnt be selling any of their new systems with 256mb of memory becuase it is just intolerable to use. my friend just upgraded his imac, to 512, all is well, before it was a stutrering stanely of a computer

 

[TheGeek]

Bilbrey, you're my hero.