Chosen Solution
I installed a 1TB SSD HB 2.5" and it worked like a charm. Then I installed the 16 GB RAM upgrade and nothing. No beeps, no chime, just a black screen and the fan might be running, hard to tell. Back to the original 4 GB RAM and starts up like a charm. High Sierra and all else is up to date. Tried running the EFI updater available for my machine and got message that it’s not supported by my system. Took out one of the 2 GB sticks and put in one of the 8 GB sticks. Started right up and system info says it is running 10 GB RAM. Took that 8 out and put in other 8 and same result. Runs great. So the RAM I bought is not bad and my RAM slots both work, but it won’t run with both 8 GB sticks. Anyone encounter this too and if so is there a way to get all 16 GB of RAM to work? Model Name: MacBook ProModel Identifier: MacBookPro7,1Processor Name: Intel Core 2 DuoProcessor Speed: 2.66 GHzNumber of Processors: 1Total Number of Cores: 2L2 Cache: 3 MBMemory: 10 GBBus Speed: 1.07 GHzBoot ROM Version: MBP71.003F.B00SMC Version (system): 1.62f7 If you need more system info to provide help, don’t hesitate to ask.
From EveryMac: Standard RAM: 4 GB Maximum RAM:16 GB* 4 GB of RAM pre-installed as two 2 GB modules, no slots free.*Originally, both the official and actual maximum RAM was 8 GB. However, as ++confirmed++ by site sponsor OWC, if running OS X 10.7.5 or higher, updated with the latest EFI, and equipped with proper specification memory modules, this model can support up to 16 GB of RAM. PC3-8500 DDR3 - 1066 MHz So as we can see your system is able to run with 16 GB! Lets see if upgrading your OS to a higher release fixes this. Starting in Mavericks and going forward Apple now updates the firmware only via the OS update process.
I have the same firmware and versions and mac as you and I was able to install 16gb ram. I had the same issue you are describing at first when I tried to install 16gb ddr3 ram running at 1333mhz . I then bought 16gb ddr3 ram running at 1066mhz and it works fine. Are you sure you didn’t get the wrong mhz?
Double check to make sure that your new RAM is the correct speed for your computer. Your Mac uses PC3-8500 RAM. You may have bought faster, newer RAM, such as PC3-12800. This RAM is technically backwards compatible with your computer, but it forces the bus to run at the faster speed, which it can’t do. I’m having trouble finding the Apple support article about this, but it works like this: The bus can only run at the 1067 MHz speed of the RAM it was designed for. The computer will only run at the speed of the slowest RAM module installed. If you have PC3-8500 RAM in both slots, that’s great, that’s what the computer was designed for. But if you put PC3-12800 RAM in both of the slots, the bus will try to run at the speed of that faster RAM, which it can’t do. With one slow RAM module in one slot, and one fast one in the other slot, the bus will run at the speed of the slower one, which it’s supposed to, and then slow down the faster RAM so that it can also work (this is currently how I’m running my 2009 white MacBook). Pretty sure it should give off some warnings though, so it’s weird that it’s not.
RAM from the ifixit upgrade kit has the following label: 8GB, DDR3, PC3-8500, 1066MHz, 200 PIN The computer is running better and faster with 10 GB, but since I bought the kit (ifixit didn’t have individual 8 GB RAM in stock) I doubt they will let me return just one of them if I can’t get them both to work together.
I’m running into similar problems. Macbook Pro 7,1 (13” mid 2010), 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Serial Number 340244X0A**, running OS 10.13.6, so I PRESUME that the firmware has been updated. Separately purchased from iFixit (2) of: “8GB DDR3 PC3-8500 1066 MHz 204 pin”. Each one tests good in either slot in combination with a 4MB stick, but… When tested TOGETHER, the machine is dead (except for the fan). To repeat: I can get TWELVE MB as 4+8=12, but NOT 16 (8+8). As of this writing I do not know if I will return one or both, and be satisfied with 8 (4+4) or 12 (8+4).
Thank you Dan & shoppingamc. I doubt many people are still upgrading mid 2010 MacBooks. But your feedback is appreciated and hopefully this may help someone else. Your feedback has helped me accept that I must in fact have a machine in that subset of a subset that can’t upgrade to 16GB. Besides being stuck with an extra 8GB RAM chip, I have been very happy with the upgrade. And I have come to understand a few things I’d like to share. One point of view is that 16GB RAM is overkill in this machine and would present an undue/unnecessary burden on the battery anyway. And while it is said you should not mismatch your RAM, I found the reason for this is that mismatching your RAM will generally reduce clock speed/performance by about 10%. But since I’d only have 8GB max with matched RAM, I should be getting better performance from my mismatched 10GB RAM chipset than an 8GB RAM setup that is matched (4&4). So I will also just be happy with my 10GB of RAM. Perhaps down the road I’ll install Mojave and see if the Mojave upgrade “force pushes” the EFI/firmware to allow the full 16GB RAM. But since by any metric the upgrade has been a huge success it will not be until a time when Apple stops support for High Sierra and am more or less forced to install Mojave. I’m scared installing Mojave will cause other issues not worth it since the machine is now performing so well. I haven’t seen this recommended anywhere and it’s just my hunch this may work. I am very happy with the results as is and think I’ll just leave well enough alone for now…
Hi there, The same problem with mid 2010… I have two identical 4 gb rams from the same computer working fine. One (any of two) 4 gb ram working fine with 2 gb for all slots combination. The result, you can reach only 2+4=6 gb The main issue is that you can use only one slot for a new ram. The other must be 2 gb or maybe an origanal/specified label etc ram (this part i didn’t test)… To sum up, what we can reach are (2+4), (2+8), (2+16???) İ can see the effect of (2+2 to 2+4) 2 gb increase to some extend but it’sad for apple. Does anyone can uptade or help with this topic?
Thanks @dott_vincenzo and thanks Timetec !!! it works now perfectly on MPB 13” Mid 2010 : 8+8=16Gb (the ifixit ram was working separately but not as a pair)
