Can iMac Memory Be Increased With SL?

时间：2011-11-13 09:55:08 来源：作者：

Random access memory, or RAM, is used by programs on your computer to store information they need ready access to --- think of it like a notepad that you jot things down on quickly to glance at when you need to remember them. Apple's Snow Leopard edition of OSX can use large amounts of memory, so figuring out how to increase your memory can improve the Snow Leopard experience on your iMac.

32-Bit Versus 64-Bit Operating Systems

Snow Leopard, like the Leopard operating system before it, uses 64-bit memory addressing. Earlier versions of the OSX operating system were 32-bit or had only limited 64-bit support, meaning they could only use a maximum of 4 gigabytes of RAM. If your iMac is running Snow Leopard, you don't have to be concerned about software limitations on memory usage; Snow Leopard makes it easy for your computer to take full advantage of all installed RAM.

Snow Leopard Memory Usage

To check on your memory usage in Snow Leopard, open the Activity Monitor located under the computer's Utilities; alternatively, type "activity monitor" in the OSX "Spotlight" feature and press the Enter key. The pie chart at the bottom of the Activity Monitor shows how much memory is "wired" (shown in red) or "active" (shown in yellow). Free memory is the green slice of the pie chart; if your iMac is running slowly and you have little or no free memory, it may be time for you to consider a memory upgrade.

Increase Available Memory

Before installing new memory in your iMac, see if there are any open applications using a disproportionate amount of memory. Click "real memory" at the top of the Activity Monitor window to sort the running programs by how much memory they're using. You may find that a single program --- frequently a web browser --- is eating up all your available memory. Close unnecessary programs to increase the memory available to Snow Leopard. If the programs can't be closed from the Dock, you can force Snow Leopard to kill them by clicking "quit process" in the Activity Monitor.

Install Memory in Your iMac

Increasing the available memory in your iMac may require adding new memory sticks, a process made relatively easy for the later model iMacs running Snow Leopard. After powering off the computer and grounding yourself or putting on an antistatic wrist strap, use a screwdriver to remove the small panel located at the bottom of the screen. The memory chips located just inside can then be easily replaced; for running SL optimally, install at least 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. Newer aluminum iMacs made after 2009 can support up to 16 GB of memory.