Is it worth adding more ram to my old mbp?

Hi i have had my mbp for about 3 years now and i was just wondering if it would be worth it to add more ram to it?

current specs:

2.4ghz duo
2gb ram 667 mhz ddr2 sdram
200 gb hd @ 5200rpm

model number: A1260

the reason i am asking this is because my mac is alot slower now than when i first bought it

thank you

 

Almost certainly yes, but I have to ask where are you experiencing the slowness? Any specific apps?

 

After 3 years use i suggest a fresh install of the operating system that with the extra ram will ensure you see a nice speed boost.

 

its gets slow and laggy after a few hours of web browsing and sometimes it just gets frozen and i get an error asking to report or ignore and also sometimes my storage space just gets filled up by itself when im not even downloading anything

 

can you take screen of the error message or tell us what it says ?
Also try cleaning the inside of it for dust. slow downs like that sound like over heating to me.

 

its something like this; found pic on google

p.s how do i clean the interior?

 

I'm guessing thats just the look of the error message,but not the actual error,I'm trying to say when you get that error message it's not about firefox is it? because the actual error is whats important
And to clean the best tool is a can of compressed air...though i must admit the only laptops I've ever owned are alienware,so maybe someone more familiar with your laptop can chime in and talk you through the process,Its usually very simple.
Generally speaking,take of the back cover off see where the fans are and blow air into them and watch all the funky dust come flying out.

 

ok thanks dude

 

need to wait to get an error lol

 

you can use the ifixit hard disk replacement guide for a step by step disassembly instructions.
Installing MacBook Pro 15" Core 2 Duo Models A1226 and A1260 Hard Drive Cable - iFixit

In the very last picture you can see the two fans in back of the case. One left and one right blowing out the back. You can clean it as best as you can using compressed air or something else.

But be careful. Taking apart a Macbook Pro can be tricky the first time.

About your original question, 4gb of ram can improve some operations. Some applications such as Ms Office and Flash seem to take more ram in OSX than Windows.

But I don't think it will solve your error message. Reinstall the program that is having the error. Maybe repair permissions. If it doesnt help format the drive and do a fresh OSX installation.

 

atm i have vista on bootcamp as well but if i was going to reinstall i dont want to keep vista, do i just install the mac os again and the windows will be wiped itself?

 

If you used the bootcamp assistant to install windows you can simply remove windows by running the assistant again. For a step by step guide:
How to delete a Boot Camp partition – Simple Help

 

Here's my educated guess: More ram, then an SSD.

 

im not sure if my mbp is compatible with ssd because its like 3 years old :s

 

It is compatible with the SATA2 SSDs without problems. You should update to the newest OSX as there seem to be some additional features for SSDs in the latest updates.

The newer SATA3 SSDs will work also but 'downgraded' to SATA2 so if you get an SSD go for SATA2.

An SSD upgrade will be more noticeable than going from 2gb to 4gb of ram, but also cost you a lot more.

 

SSD are great but imo 2 gigs ram is just not enough these days 4 gig's + fresh install should make your system run real nice.SSD would be a excellent bonus

 

if i install the 4gb ram and ssd would i have to then reinstall the os again?

 

Upgrade the RAM to 4GB then get an SSD if you want to have a really "quick" laptop. Response times from the laptop will be greatly improved with an SSD. The laptop will boot faster, wake up faster, and open applications faster.

I would reinstall just for the sake of having a clean system again. After three years there has to be some stuff that you want to get rid of. Your files can be transfered off of your current hard drive fairly easily.

All you have to do is install the SSD, install the OS, then get an external enclosure for the hard drive, connect it to the laptop, and then pull all of your data off of the HDD onto the SSD.

 

found this on crucial:

4GB kit (2GBx2), 200-pin SODIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 memory module
Part Number: CT687602
Module Size: 4GB kit (2GBx2)
Package: 200-pin SODIMM
Feature: DDR2 PC2-5300
Specs: DDR2 PC2-5300 • CL=5 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR2-667 • 1.8V • 256Meg x 64 •

is this compatible with my system? and do you know any other UK or dealers who ship to UK?

thanks

 

2x2GB DDR2-5300 - Ebuyer.com

 

for ssd: intel or ocz or kingston?

want about 120gb any particular model?

 

I don't know whether they have a huge presence in the UK, but I would recommend the Corsair Force 120GB if you're looking for a good 120GB SSD on SATA 2. I don't recommend OCZ drives after they started using 25nm flash. The OCZ drives are cheaper as a result of the newer NAND, but the drive performance is much worse. The Corsair drive uses 34nm flash and a Sandforce SATA 2 controller. It performs very well in pretty much every usage scenario.

Another option would be Crucial's C300 128GB which is another very good drive in the same price and size range with SATA3 6.0Gb/s support. In the US, the Crucial is actually cheaper than the Corsair, so it is a very good choice.

I would check on ebuyer to see which drive is cheaper than the other and decide from there. Both drives perform very well.

Corsair Force 120GB vs Crucial C300 128GB - Anandtech SSD Bench

Corsair Force 120GB - ebuyer

Crucial C300 128GB - ebuyer

 

W00t! just placed order for the cosair ssd and kingston ram! will let you guys know when i have installed it etc.

 

You need 4GB these days. A decent measure of the right amount of RAM is if your system is using between 40-60% of available RAM during your medium to heavier loads. If you frequently go above 75%, then you need more.

 

I am thinking of reinstalling / reformating my drive with the install disks.

Now, I know time machine does a backup but are there options there that you don't completely restore the computer to original settings but only restore application and files? I have some contact information in the calendar for example that I don't need from a backup.

 

I believe you can do a customized clean install, and restore personal settings during initial setup after the install is complete.

If not, you can always boot from the install DVD, and do a complete system restore from Time Machine if something doesn't work right.