2009 Macbook upgrade problems

[tester1]

I currently have a 2009 Macbook:

2.26 GHz Inter Core 2 Duo
2GB 1067 MHz DDR3


I have a 2009 Macbook with those specs, and I have upgraded it to Yosemite with some success. Yosemite runs alright, albeit fairly slowly, but nothing too bad.

When I try to run Xcode with Swift, however, it is unbearably slow, to the point where the simulator will just barely load and the whole process takes quite a while. The macbook only has two gigs of RAM at this point and I'm looking to upload to either 4 or eight 8 gigs.

My question is this: If I upgrade my RAM to either four or eight gigs, will my Macbook run Xcode fluidly? Or faster atleast? Thank you.

 

[honestone]

I am not familiar at all with Xcode, but adding more RAM (when needed) is always a wise move. However, getting a machine to run faster involves a combination of factors. In your case, your machine has a slow 5400 rpm hard drive, and if you have not done any (or not much) disk maintenance/repairs on the drive, including File and Volume Optimization, that contributes to the machine running slowly. And, assuming the original drive is still inside the machine, it is 6 years old, and it could be slowly "dying".

So, yes, adding more RAM would still be a good move, but you need to perform some other tasks. Let is know if you have done any of that, along with what disk utility/maintenance software you have. Also, are you doing backups?

 

[tester1]

All I want the computer for is to run Xcode. I have no need for it otherwise. I don't need to do any backups. I will upgrade the RAM and then get back to you on performance. Thank you.

 

[honestone]

OK, good luck with that. But, it is an old machine, and should you ever have issues, you'll regret not having a backup.

 

[Scott Horton]

I have the same machine (? well, mine is a MacBookPro) and boosted the RAM to either 8 or 16 GB (can't remember which) AND most importantly added an SSD drive. What a HUGE improvement in speed. The old 5400 hard disk was slow, slow, slow and, perhaps, showing its age as well. Now I feel as if I have a new Mac, running Yosemite, and did not have to replace the machine. The upgrades were easy. You might wish to start looking here: http://eshop.macsales.com/search/SSD+macbook+pro as I have found their service and product knowledge very good over the year. Good luck.

 

[honestone]

Yes, upgrading to an SSD is a wise, wise move. I did just that with my late 2012 Mac Mini, replacing the slow 1 TB 5400 rpm drive with a fast Samsung 840 Pro 256 gig SSD, and what a difference it made! I actually got the SSD for a great price at Best Buy, and installed it myself. Also, I got a nice, slim external case and installed the 1 TB inside it, and thus I also have a convenient external drive. In fact, I take it with me whenever my wife and I travel, so that I can watch movies and TV series that I have.

The only thing one needs to be "careful" of is picking the right brand of SSD. Myself, I did quite a bit of research, and there were a number of positive reviews of the Samsung 840 Pro model, both from Windows and Mac users. And, it is one of the fastest SSDs on the market (at that time; Samsung has subsequently came our with an 850 Pro model).

 

[tester1]

Thanks again gentlemen. So I've installed the 8 gigs but haven't been able to boot it up due to the fact that I don't have a charger. I thought I could use other peoples for the time being until I got everything straightened out but my 2009 requires a 60W which are apparently hard to come by. Apple seems to have made it extremely difficult to determine what charger to get for your computer. I am trying to find the correct charger for my Late 2009 online and it's proven to be quite difficult. I am a Mac noob and have checked several websites but haven't been able to find anything with any certainty. Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[honestone]

Are you located in the US? Here are the results of a google search I just did for "60w magsafe power adapter for macbook 13" late 2009":

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...gsafe+power+adapter+for+macbook+13"+late+2009

Looks like you have quite a few choices.

 

[Cory Cooper]

I don't advise purchasing a third-party AC adapter for MacBooks, I always recommend actual Apple chargers.

From what I gather, you have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009), correct?

That said, your MacBook Pro does require at 60W adapter, but you can use an 85W if that is easier to find. For AC adapters, you can always use a higher wattage unit, as it will step down automatically. You can't use a 45W from a MacBook Air, as it doesn't have enough power to support your MacBook Pro.

The Apple Store should have replacements available. You need a MagSafe, not MagSafe 2 compatible charger:

Apple 60W MagSafe Power Adapter(for MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Pro) - $79 USD

C