# iMac/RAM questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203 "2000-12-12T17:56:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/1 "2000-12-12T17:56:54Z")
I have an iMac DV Special Edition with 128 MB RAM. I’d like to add more RAM. Questions: 1. Is that 128 MB (or any portion of it) soldered to my motherboard, or is it all in the two slots? (I haven’t flipped it over to look for myself, yet–just hoping someone might have some experience here). Apple’s TIL doesn’t specify. 2. Are the DIMMs (168-pin PC100 SDRAM) compatible with a PowerMac 7300, which takes “168-pin DIMMs”? (I’ve seen no specification of SDRAM or PC100 there… are there differences, or is it implied that all 168-pin DIMMs are also PC100 SDRAM?) In short, I’d like to buy new RAM for my iMac, and, if I have any of the old RAM leftover, plug that into my PowerMac 7300. Lots of technobabble. Any help would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/2 "2000-12-12T18:04:19Z")
There are two slots. You can remove the 128 that’s currently installed. It’ll take you about 15 seconds, if you pause to sip your coffee. [http://ramseeker.com](http://ramseeker.com) ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/3 "2000-12-12T18:33:16Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Is that 128 MB (or any portion of it) soldered to my motherboard, or is it all in the two slots?.. > > Apple’s TIL doesn’t specify. Actually, Apple’s TIL does specify… you just need to know how to read between the lines. The iMac/DV is expandable to 512M. If 128M were fixed (soldered), you’d never be able to get to 512M. In other words, it’s all socketed. BTW, some iMac/DVs shipped with only 64M, which further reinforces this point. > [@](#): > > Are the DIMMs (168-pin PC100 SDRAM) compatible with a PowerMac 7300… > > In short, I’d like to buy new RAM for my iMac, and, if I have any of the old RAM leftover, plug that into my PowerMac 7300. I’m not 100% sure, but I think this should work. You probably couldn’t go the other way (7300 to iMac). ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/4 "2000-12-12T18:53:56Z")
Actually, **Joey** , the new iMac DV SEs, like mine, can handle 1GB of RAM. If **toadspittle’s** shipped with 128MB, it’s probably got that capacity. The requirements are as follows: PC100 SDRAM (3.3-volt, 64-bit wide, 168-pin, running at 100MHz), 64MB, 128MB, 256MB or 512MB per socket. I don’t know what the specs are on modules for the PowerMac 7300, but something deep in my heart is telling me it won’t work. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/5 "2000-12-12T19:09:07Z")
Thanks for the input. Here’s the TIL article I was going by: [http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n58466](http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n58466) > [@](#): > > The iMac (Slot Loading) computer uses standard PC-100 DIMMs with the following specifications: > PC-100 Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) > 64-bit wide, 168-pin module > maximum of 16 memory devices on the DIMM > unbuffered; do not use registered or buffered Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) > maximum height of 50 mm. > > There are two DIMM slots accessible from the bottom of the computer. Use a coin, like a quarter, to release the access panel and install the DIMM or DIMMs. > > The maximum DIMM size for each slot is 256 MB, for a total of 512 MB. Depending on the iMac model you purchased, the base amount of memory varies. The base model has 64 MB, the iMac DV has 64 MB, and the iMac DV Special Edition has 128 MB. > > There is 8 MB of soldered SDRAM dedicated for video. Although it’s not upgradeable, iMac can display 24-bit color at its highest resolution. In addition, the computer now uses AGP2X to make use of main memory for 3D rendering. Not terribly explicit. The reason I wondered whether any RAM was hardwired is b/c I’ve had other Macs where this was the case–they had their base RAM soldered to the motherboard, and open slots for additional RAM. (And even ones that did not recognize the maximum amt. of RAM that you could physically plug in.) I’m guessing that the 64 MB base RAM for the iMac is just plugged into one of the two slots, with the addl. 64 MB that the DV comes with plugged into the second. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/6 "2000-12-12T19:20:09Z")
If you’re running OS 8.6 or higher, the Apple System Profiler should tell you what type of module is loaded into each socket. That’s the easy way to find out without opening the case. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/7 "2000-12-12T19:48:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tymp \* > \*\*If you’re running OS 8.6 or higher, the Apple System Profiler should tell you what type of module is loaded into each socket. That’s the easy way to find out without opening the case. > > \*\* Genius. I didn’t know the profiler went into that much detail. Now I don’t have to flip my iMac on its head. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imac-ram-questions/45203/8 "2000-12-12T19:52:48Z")
You should still flip your iMac over and rub its belly every once in a while just to make it feel appreciated.