Archive
We Get Questions – Vol. 1
One of the ways that MacRecycleClinic is able to interact with Mac and Chromebook users is by answering questions on a website called Quora. It’s a place where folks can ask a wide range of questions on every conceivable topic and get answers from many knowledgeable members.
Below, you’ll find some of the questions and answers by this author – we’ll add more as time permits. Note questions and answers may be edited for content and accuracy.
Should I wait for the MacBook Pro 2022 or buy 2021?
Hey there. I’ve written about this in the past but will say once again – if you need a computer now, buy one. The MB Pro 2021 is an excellent laptop that will serve you well for many years. As always, please know what you want to do with it – as that informs what configuration you have to buy. If you’re just surfing and doing email. You won’t need as much memory or SSD space as you would if you were planning to do heavy duty video, photo or audio editing. That said, being proactive now and buying MORE than you need will ensure future usefulness. Finally, always, always, always buy AppleCare when you buy a laptop. It is money well spent. Good luck!
Can a Mac be too old to update?
The basic answer is yes. There are hacks (see DosDude) that can let you run a later version of an OS on an older machine. But you can lose some capabilities (like WiFi) by doing so.
(Update here from original):
Apple has a lot of great support pages – this one will tell you how to check which version of the Mac OS will work with your Mac.
When purchasing a used MacBook Pro 15″ RADEON R9 3.7GHz Quad i7 Turbo Retina 16GB RAM 1TB SSD, should the computer be restored to factory settings?
(Update here from original):
Hey there – if you’re purchasing a used Mac, it is always a good idea to reinstall the latest OS to start “clean.” At MacRecycleClinic we ALWAYS wipe the hard drive/SSD and reinstall the highest OS that particular machine will take before it goes to an individual or family.
What we do is install a clean version of the OS one version down from the OS we intend to install, then install the newer OS. By doing it this way, you will install any firmware updates that might be needed. That said, you can install a new OS by booting into the Mac’s recovery drive by restarting while pressing the Command + R keys. You can then reinstall the Mac OS.
This Apple website provides you will all the options you need to reinstall a Mac OS.
We have a “standard install” of software we use for all Macs we work with. We may install the software individually (to make sure you get the latest version). We’ve also used Migration Assistant to transfer files from an external drive.
How good are Apple notes?
I didn’t think much if Notes until I started using it to hold articles of interest, a running timeline when we recently bought a house and even a special note for my wife listing everything she needs to know should I pass. Notes has become indispensable and can be shared, etc. It will even hold videos, photos and audio media too. A simple, yet amazing little App.
How do I connect a Dell monitor to a MacBook Pro?
(Updated here a bit from original.)
You’ll need either an Apple Display Port to VGA or ADP to DVI “dongle.” Easy to connect and works well. PC monitors come with different ports so hard to know exactly. But one of those two dongles should work. If the Mac has an HDMI port (MacMini, Mac Pro, some MacBook Pro models and the new Mac Studio) and the monitor does, all you need is an HDMI cable.
Is it possible to upgrade an iPad’s main storage?
(Updated a bit from original answer.)
Unfortunately no… as with a growing number (actually the majority) of Apple products (exception is the Mac Pro tower and 27” iMac)), you must buy the most memory and largest HD/SSD drive you think you will need. Everything is soldered onto the motherboard. Always think about what you will need in five years and buy for that possibility. It will save you money in the long run.
Why won’t my Mac go into recovery mode?
(Expanded answer here)
You don’t say what OS you are running. If you’re doing all the right things to get it into recovery mode, then the odds are you don’t have a recovery drive or it’s corrupted. Reboot while pressing the option key and you’ll see if the recovery drive is there. If it is, arrow over to highlight it and hit return to see if it will boot from there.
One other option is to create a bootable external drive (HD or thumb drive). Creating a fresh bootable drive should include a recovery drive. Follow the instructions below, and run recovery from the external drive.
(Added here – thanks to another Quora member for these instructions.)
If you need to reinstall your Mac OS and you’re not sure you have a recovery drive, here are the steps to follow:
1) Shut down the Mac by holding down the power key a few seconds.
2) Hold down COMMAND-R and press the power button. Continue holding down COMMAND-R until you see the Apple menu.
3) After a few minutes the recovery screen should appear. This will allow you to reinstall macOS. IF THIS WORKS, STOP HERE. NO NEED TO GO FURTHER. (Recommendation: Run Disk Utility on your internal drive first – you can do this from the recovery menu.)
4) If this doesn’t work, shut down the Mac again.
5) Hold down COMMAND-OPTION-R while pressing the power button. This will summon up Internet Recovery. You can let go when you see a globe on the screen. (Note: an Internet connection is required for this to work. You may also be asked to choose a network.)
6) Internet Recovery will take a lot longer, depending on the speed of your connection. BE PATIENT. I have seen this take as long as 30 minutes. Eventually a screen will appear that will allow you to reinstall macOS.
Taking Care of your Older Macintosh Battery
By Lorin Evans
MacRecycleClinic
Most of the portable computers donated to the MacRecycleClinic contain a main battery with some life left in it. We wish each had more, but that is not always the case. You want to manage the life of your battery so that it has as long a usable life as possible.
Here are some tips to help you gain the most life from your MacBook battery:
- Your Macintosh laptop uses a lithium-ion battery. It works best when you discharge it for a little bit, then charge it back to slightly less than full. Disconnect the MagSafe connector when fully charged.
- The battery has a finite number of charge cycles, after which its efficiency is sorely depleted. IF you let that happen, you may not be able to recharge it. The battery will last longer if you keep the battery above a 50 percent charge. Do not completely run down the battery. Do not let the battery die completely. If the battery is fully discharged, the battery can fall into a deep discharge state, and you will not be able to recharge it.
- Whenever possible, use the power adapter with your MacBook. That way you will always have full power when using your computer. Look at the MagSafe connector: the light is green when it is supplying power to a fully charged battery and orange when charging the battery. No light: no power!
- Always use the power adapter if you connect an external device that draws power from the computer. Otherwise those devices may drain the battery in your MacBook faster than normal.
- Your Macintosh gives you clues to the health of the battery in two locations. You can tell the percentage of remaining power by looking at the battery icon in the top right of your screen. Click on the battery icon and it will tell you how the battery feels. Another place to go for more detailed information about your the health of your battery is in the System Profiler. You can open the System Profiler by putting your mouse arrow on the black Apple at the top left of the screen. Scroll down to “About this Mac” and click on “System Report”. Go down to the “Power” section. Here you will see the battery’s health and cycle count.
It can happen that the power manager inside your computer – called the System Management Controller (SMC) – becomes confused. Among the symptoms are:
- the battery does not charge properly; or,
- the MagSafe green/orange status light does not reflect what the charger is doing.
Sometimes resetting the SMC will correct these problems. Apple has instructions on how to do that here.
Be sure to read the entire article so as to identify the instructions that pertain to your model MacBook.
When the battery finally fails to hold a charge, don’t throw it in the trash. Cover the terminals of the battery with tape to keep them from touching other metal objects. If they touch, the lithium-ion in the battery cells can begin to heat up resulting in a fire hazard. Dispose of it with the recycling services in your community.
You are now looking to replace the main battery. Here are some options:
- look on eBay, Amazon, or Craigslist for a used or third-party (house brand) battery for your MacBook. Those should not cost much; but you may not have as long a life with that battery.
- batteries sold under the name “NewerTech” by Other World Computing are an excellent value.
- buy a new genuine Apple replacement. It is the most expensive option, but you should get years of use from it if you manage the life of the battery carefully.
Can Google Chromium OS Extend the Life of an Older Mac? (Part 1)
MacRecycleClinic refurbishes and recycles Macintosh Computers. You know that!
But as we head into the second decade of the 21st Century, we are increasingly seeing older MacBooks, MacMinis and even older iMacs that – at best – can only run up to OS 10.11.6 (El Capitan) and don’t have the hardware to keep up with newer WiFi and security needs.
We’re at the point where we don’t want to give out these machines because they are effectively on their last legs as a Mac.
But the question is, is there a way to extend their lives and still provide for the needs of those we donate to? Could it be… Google’s Chromium OS?
AN ANSWER YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE EXPECTED
The answer is in the installation of the Chromium OS in place of the Mac OS. Chromebooks are commonplace in Montgomery County, Maryland schools and beyond these days and many people have purchased them because they are inexpensive ways to access the Internet and do basic work.
In fact, your MacRecycleClinic is now refurbishing Chromebooks as a way to further our mission of returning usable computers back to the community.
The biggest problem is that you are forced to live within the Google Universe when you use these machines. You must use Google’s cloud applications like Google Docs, you have to use the Chrome browser, Chrome App store, etc. That said, the OS provides an easy user interface and good security.
But because Chromebooks are so inexpensive, they are also cheaply made and don’t always stand up to heavy use – especially in the classroom. Just check EBay for lots of abused machines that are locked to a school network.
Many times, it really is easier to sell for parts (see EBay) – or just toss it (OK- recycle to Shady Grove or your local recycling center) and replace it. That said, we have had good luck just replacing the motherboards (bricked when tied to a school network)(or other components) to bring the machine back to life.
CONVERTING A MAC TO A CHROMEBOOK
Our beloved Macs – including the older MacBooks, MacMinis, white iMacs, etc. – are very well made and able to take a lot more abuse than the Chromebooks can. So if there was a way to install the Chromium OS onto a Mac, we could extend the computer’s life while giving our clients an OS they (or their children really) are used to using.
The Chromium OS is based on Linux and is what’s called “open source.” That means anyone can use it and – more importantly – update or transform it as you chose. The Chrome OS you find on a purchased Chromebook is Google’s version of Chromium and ONLY AVAILABLE for license by vendors who manufacture Chromebooks.
The Chromium Projects website FAQ indicates that Google’s version “has some additional firmware features, including verified boot and easy recovery, which require corresponding hardware changes and thus also don’t work out of the box in Chromium OS builds.”
That said, the open source OS has a lot to offer the home user and since we can’t use Goggle’s version, we’ll move ahead with Chromium. We can do that thanks to a company called Neverware.
FIRST TASK: MAKE A CHROMIUM OS/CLOUD READY USB INSTALLER
This article won’t go into HOW to create the installer but it’s not hard (see the video below to help). Take a look at NeverWare’s website first as it has a thorough installation guide. One of the things you need to check is the software company’s list of computers they say can take the Chromium OS. Even so, I think you just have to try it to see if it can be installed!
Other resources include this Lifewire tutorial or check out the numerous YouTube videos.
But you will need three things:
- The Chrome Browser on your Mac (or Windows machine) to access and run the Chromebook Recovery Utility.
- Go to the Neverware.com website and download (to the Downloads folder) the freeware CloudReady app for the Mac. Neverware will recommend you do this on a PC but I have been able to use the Mac version without a problem. The only “issue” is that there is just one 64 bit download. Don’t worry about that – just download it to your Downloads folder and unzip it (your Mac will suggest a program to do this).
- A USB stick of at least 8 GB or larger (you will have to dedicate this thumb drive to the installer however, no partitions allowed).
NOTE that Lifewire has not updated their instructions to reflect you only have the 64 bit version of CloudReady to download but go ahead and download it.
CREATING THE MAC CHROMEBOOK
This is really the easiest part of the process. Plug in the USB installer into a USB port on the MacBook and start your machine with the Option key pressed down. You can let up when you see the cursor appear on the screen.
Now you’ll be presented with two or three “choices” on screen. One is the hard drive of your MacBook and separately, its recovery drive (not all installs will have a recovery drive but don’t worry about that.)
Your Mac will now boot up as if it were a Chromebook. Cursor over to the bottom right part of the screen and open the window there. At the top left is an icon that says “install OS.” Choose this and follow the screens – your hard drive will be reformatted and the Cloudready version of Chromium installed.
Once installed, the Mac will automatically shut down. Remove the USB stick and restart as normal.
Our next blog will focus on installing Chromium on other Mac hardware and restoring a Chrome OS machine back to the Mac OS. Congratulations! you now have a MacChromebook!
Up next: Installing Cloudready on other Macs.
What Happens When a Mac Battery Goes Bad.
While at the Clinic Monday night, we looked at a 2010 MacBook Pro (Core2 Duo) whose battery had gone bad – literally blown up, in fact. In the process it destroyed the trackpad and other parts inside.
The problem with swelling in 13″ MacBook Pros last year (without the trackbar) caused Apple to agree to replace the batteries for free. Apple claimed it was a component issue that – upon going bad – would cause the battery to swell.
UPDATE: MacWorld reports “Apple on Thursday (June 20) announced a voluntary recall for owners of the 15-inch MacBook Pro. If you bought such a laptop between September 2015 and February 2017, it could have a battery that is at risk of overheating. Apple will replace the battery in these laptops for free.”
But clearly the problem of a swelling lithium ion battery is not new. We have seen many over the years at theMacRecycleclinic.
Here are a few photos to show just how bad this problem can be (again on an older Mac in this example.)
The good news is that it can be repaired – but it can be costly if you take it to Apple or other Mac shop. When MRC does it, we have to take parts from another non-working laptop of the same generation and switch out the affected parts. If Apple or another company did the repair, it would likely use new OEM parts – a costly endever. In fact, it might be better to just get a new laptop (which is usually what is recommended).
But if you see a swelling in your Mac laptop under the trackpad and the computer is not acting properly, look at the battery as a possible culprit. In that case, make sure you have a backup of your data and unplug it from the wall until you can get it to the Apple store (or the Mac Recycle Clinic if you’re in the DMV) or third party repair facility.
What has your experience been with swelling batteries – and did you have the laptop repaired or just replaced? Let us know in comments!
REPAIR UPDATE – June 24, 2019
Given what this MacBook Pro looked like, it was hard to imagine it would be worth the repair effort. But repaired it has been. It is what MacRecycleClinic does!
WHAT WE DID
- Replaced the battery
- Replaced appropriate cables and hinges
- Replaced the trackpad
And yes – it took two to three OTHER MB Pros to make this one whole again. But whole it is… and now it’s ready to go back out into the world and help a family or student who might not have access to a computer!
Early i7 MacBook Pro Graphic Problems & Solutions
We get questions. Good ones, in fact, about all sorts of Mac problems.
Recently, the owner of an early 2011 15″ MacBook Pro with an i7 processor was experiencing some disastrous graphics issues.
These machines (15″ and 17″) offered two graphics processing units (GPUs). One is the graphics processor that’s part of the Intel CPU. The second graphics chip is made by either AMD or NVIDIA and was designed to provide an additional graphics performance boost for the laptop.
The problem is that the AMD/NVIDIA GPU has what Adam Barscheski of Realmacmods says is a “tragic defect” that causes that i7 to either have lost its video or soon will.
As our MacRecycleClinic laptop Guru explains, “The supplemental video chip was incorrectly soldered to the motherboard and when the cold solder connections separate, boink goes your video.”
As he wrote the owner, “There are some specialty shops that will try resoldering the video chip. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t last very long. The clinic has lots of i7 machines with your new woes.”
Solutions
There are frankly no good solutions to this problem, but here’s what MRC is recommending:
- Search the web for sites that claim to resolder the
video chip. Good ones insist on removing the
motherboard, removing the chip and reinstalling; - Go to the MacMedics website and see what they say
about the problem; - Realmacmods offers one possible way to fix the video issue by disabling the AMD/NVIDIA GPU so that only the Intel GPU is used;
- Find an older i5 (2013-2015) machine with retina display if your work does not require intensive graphics/video support. This series of machines does not have supplemental video problems.
- Look for a newer i7 on Craigslist or eBay that did not experience these problems.
A Crazier Solution…
A quick search on YouTube found this video from HotshotTec – who basically took the MacBook apart and COOKED the motherboard. It worked for him, but it’s not something you should consider unless you are very comfortable taking apart – and putting back together – a Mac laptop. But the process is certainly interesting:
If you’ve had this problem – and found a solution – let us know and we’ll share it here!
Access Podcasts from iTunes or Your Apple Device
Readers: I was recently asked about how to find and subscribe to Podcasts. Having written this tutorial for one of our MacRecycleClinic patrons, I decided to share it with you as well with a little editing.
First off: Podcasts (both audio and video) are easy to use and to watch or listen to! Apple has a great resource page for you here.
iPhone or iPad Podcast Players
Apple’s Podcasts App is part of the programs you get with a new or refurbished iPhone and is worth checking out.
That said, there are also a ton of third party Podcast players for your iDevice. Just check out the iOS App Store. As for me, I use Overcast – a free download. But because many of you have your own favorites, just let me know and I’ll be happy to include them here.
Podcasts on iTunes
If you want to access Podcasts from your Mac, then iTunes is the way to go:
Open iTunes:
From the menu on the left (“Music” is there by default) – choose “Podcasts” from the dropdown menu. (Note we will focus on AUDIO Podcasts here but videos are similar.)
If this is our first time, you’ll see:
Click “Continue” to get to the subscribe/download page (This is what mine looks like – yours might be different.)
Choose “Store” to get to the Podcast store (don’t worry – they are virtually all free).
Focus on Podcasts:
Look through the latest Podcast selections or go to the Search Box look for Podcasts you might like. As an example, let’s look for Freakonomics:
As you can see – there are a number of choices but the one we want is the first one – Freakonomics Radio. Choose that (click on the graphic) to see the FR page all by itself.
Note you can cursor down though each selection, choose it, and a play button will automatically appear on the left. It can be played there immediately with a click.
If you want to subscribe, just click on the “Subscribe” button on the left under the program logo. That means iTunes will download all the old episodes and any new ones as well as they are posted. You can delete any or all of them later, download only a few, etc. as we’ll see.
If you want to download the Podcast to play later, just choose “Get” on the right side to download that particular Podcast. We’ll choose the second one Once you’ve chosen “Get” – you’ll see a small download icon on the top right showing your progress – it’s pretty quick.
Choosing “Unplayed” at the top menu will show all the Podcasts that are downloaded but yet to be played.
OR choose “Library” from the top menu (under the Apple logo), select the downloaded podcast and play. Note it also says “Not Subscribed” in this case (as I am not going to subscribe at this point).
See that gear icon on the right? It will let you choose to subscribe to the Podcasts (from this page) as well if you like, and make other settings…
Note the blue circle with the three dots at the top right- you can click on it for a dropdown box to subscribe as well.
OR if you highlight one of the Podcasts, you’ll also see three dots where the time listing was on the right. If also gives you many choices as to what to do with the Podcast.
You should make sure to subscribe if you like the program. Looks like a lot but it goes pretty quickly once you decide what you’d like to listen to.
Podcasts are a growing part of the online experience and cover just about every interest. Like listening to the radio, you can listen anywhere at anytime. And there are lots of Podcasts for kids too – a great help on long vacation trips!
There Are Many Solutions To Remembering Passwords
A password manager is something you must have these days to help remember all the passwords you accumulate with Apps and websites. This is true whether you have an older Mac/PC or a brand new one. It’s really a matter of protecting yourself and all your data.
There are other Apps that will work for both Macs and PCs and can be synced across all platforms, including mobile devices. On my Mac, phone and tablet, I use a program called Wallet by Acrylic Software ($).
But a quick Google search offers many more suggestions.
Note that most WILL cost you some money to purchase…
IF you don’t want to use an App, Amazon (as an example) offers a number of alternatives, including a separate “password vault” electronic device separate from your computer/phone:
Prefer paper?
Password (paper) Book Organizer.
Your browser will also be more than happy to save passwords for you as well and automatically fill in the information for you. If you are squeemish about that, just turn it off:
Turn Off Autofill in Your Browser.
Hope this helps. Our world is so full of the need to keep things secure (as much as we can!) so having a secure App to help along the way is a good thing.
Other Resources:
ConsumersAdvocate.org recently (March, 2020) posted what it calls a “comprehensive report on password manager software and devices, and how to keep your data safe from hacking.” Check it out!
It’s Time To Add Antivirus Software To Protect Your Mac
(Silver Spring, Md.) It’s been a long time coming, but it is now time for you to seriously consider adding antivirus software for your Mac.
The reason is actually very simple. Our Macs have been around for a long time, grown in popularity and numbers and hackers have taken notice. Over the past few years, there have been increasing reports of vulnerabilities in the Mac OS (that Apple may or may not fix), security issues, ransomware and much more.
So we’re at a point here at MacRecycleClinic where we’ve decided to add a free version of Avast (rated as the best free antivirus software for the Mac by MacWorld) to every machine we refurbish for donation. I would strongly recommend you read their article (or search online – there are many more) and make a decision for yourself. As you’ll see, the best paid programs offer everything from malware protection to ransomware monitoring and much more.
Macworld author Glenn Fleishman notes that “antivirus software should be able to neutralize a threat before it can begin wreaking havoc. That means preventing the download, installation, or execution of malicious software.”
For our purposes, Avast will do a fine job as freeware on our refurbished Macs. If the user (the person or family to whom we donate a machine) wants more protection, they can either move to the paid version of Avast or try one of the other companies that sell antivirus software (Avast Pro is $59.99 per year.)
I will note that the U.S. Government has banned one company selling antivirus software – Kaspersky Labs – because of “fears of Russian intelligence.”
Must-Read Articles
From time-to-time, we’ll post links to articles in this file you will likely find of particular interest. Send us a link (in comments) if there’s something you feel our readers need to know about!
Keranger: the first “in-the-wild” ransomware for Macs. But certainly not the last.
Macworld.com
“Keranger was the first – but now experts see ransomware-as-a-service that enables interested ‘customers’ to purchase Mac-hostile ransomware.”
KRACK Wi-Fi vulnerabilities and the Mac OS/iOS Universe
MacRumors.com
“Apple has already patched serious vulnerabilities in the WPA2 Wi-Fi standard that protects many modern Wi-Fi networks, the company told iMore’s Rene Ritchie this morning.“
Russian Hackers Stole NSA Data on U.S. Cyber Defense (Kaspersky Labs)
Wall Street Journal
The hackers appear to have targeted the contractor after identifying the files through the contractor’s use of a popular antivirus software made by Russia-based Kaspersky Lab…
Critical Code in Millions of Macs Isn’t Getting Apple’s Updates
Wired
Researchers dug into the deep-seated, arcane code in Apple machines known as EFI, and found it’s often dangerously neglected. Read the full story
Testing Your Mac’s Hardware & RAM
Photo: Public Domain via Google Search.
Updated Oct. 3, 2017 to include Micromat’s Atomic software:
SILVER SPRING, Md. (Sept. 29) We’ve been looking at ways to test computer RAM from the Macs we get donated to MacRecycleClinic.
Most of the time, we turn on the machine to see if it works. If there’s a problem (and many times there are any number of issues), we pull the memory and plug it into a new Mac of the same vintage and hope it works. Sometimes the Mac will flash it’s “on-off” light on the front to say something was not quite right (sometimes you have to insert the same memory in pairs). But how can you actually test RAM? There are three basic ways to do that – the expensive way, the 3rd party software way and the inexpensive (Apple provided) way.
-
- You can go with a hardware solution – purchasing a RAM testbed that will check out the memory chips and provide a robust report. But the solution is expensive – and requires the purchase of additional plug-in “cards” that are designed to work with the machine – each plug-in is designed for a specific kind of long, or short RAM. The costs can run upwards of $1000.00! One example: See this YouTube video about the Ramcheck LX
- Micromat sells a software suite called Atomic – which they bill as “The most comprehensive memory tester for the Mac.” We haven’t been able to try it out yet – so if any of you have – please give us some comments below about the program. By the way – it works with OS X 10.9 or greater, including macOS 10.12 ‘Sierra’ (and we’ll assume 10.13 – High Sierra now). Cost is $29.99 unless you are a previous Micromat customer, in which case, the cost is $19.99. NOTE: TechTool Pro 9 also includes a memory test as part of it’s software offerings.
- Use the Mac’s built-in software Hardware Test Suite. Macs, going back to machines from 2000 or so, have built-in hardward diagnostics that offers a more cost-effective solution (as in, free!). We MRC volunteers approve of that! 🙂
Using the Hardware Test Suite
Unlike Disk Utility, the hardware test is not an app per se, but requires you to restart your machine and press the “D” key during startup. In some instances, I’ve seen tutorials call for Option + D – but just “D” may be enough in most instances.
-
- Restart your Mac and at the chime, press “D” or “Option + D” and wait for your computer to boot.
- You’ll be presented with a screen showing a turning globe and drop-down box to select your wireless network. Go ahead and choose the network and plug in the password on the next screen. Continue.
- Once that’s done, the “Apple Hardware Test” screen will open. Choose your language of choice (English is highlighted by default.
- Move to the next panel to get to the actual test screen. You’re almost there!
- To perform the hardware test all you have to do is click on the “Test” button or, as the instructions indicate, press the “T” key. Be ready to wait a bit while the tests are performed. Note the box under the progress screen where your results will be displayed. If you have any RAM issues (or other hardware problems) this is where you’ll find the results.
- If you do have an issue with the RAM, you’ll need to replace the memory since it is not something that’s “fixable.”
There are a number of good places to purchase memory – but be sure to ask us first as we have a robust collection of RAM that we sell inexpensively. That said, if you want new, choices range from Amazon and Best Buy to Crucial, and many others. But we usually recommend memoryx.com to our MRC Clinic visitors (we’ll help you purchase the correct RAM).
Remember that in some cases, your Mac will need not one but two memory cards (usually matched) to work correctly. You can get help from your MRC volunteers, on the memoryx website (by computer type and year it was built) or you can use the MacTracker app on you Mac or IOS device.
- There are many more resources on the web to help you if you’re interested in learning more about the Hardware Test Suite:CNET: How to Test the RAM on Your Mac
YouTube: There are a number of great videos – click on the link and you’ll be at a search screen with a number of choices. - Memoryx.com also has helpful videos that explain HOW to install RAM. But if you’re uncomfortable with doing that, bring it in to the MRC most Monday nights and we’ll be happy to help.
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