Chapter 23

I Want to Add Stuff

In This Chapter

Adding memory

Upgrading your hard drive

Adding USB, Thunderbolt, and FireWire devices

Reviewing what add-ons are available

No iMac is an island.” Somebody famous wrote that, I’m sure.

Without getting too philosophical — or invoking the all-powerful Internet yet again — the old saying really does make sense. All computer owners usually add at least one peripheral (external device), such as a printer, backup drive, joystick, iPod, or scanner. I talk about the ports on your iMac in Chapter 1. Those holes aren’t there to just add visual interest to the back end of your treasured iMac. Therefore, I cover your USB, Thunderbolt, and FireWire ports (and what you can plug in to them) in detail in this chapter.

Ah, but what about the stuff inside your supercomputer? That’s where things get both interesting and scary at the same time. In this chapter, I also describe what you can add to the innards of some iMac models as well as how to get inside there if you work up the courage to go exploring. (Don’t tell your family or your friends, but adding memory to a late-model 27" iMac is as simple as pressing a button and pulling on a couple of plastic levers. There’s actually nothing to fear whatsoever.)

Here’s the trick: Just make it sound like an adventure from Mission: Impossible, and folks will crown you their new resident techno-wizard!

More Memory Will Help

Hey, wait a second. No however stuck on the end? You mean that, for once, there isn’t an exception? Aren’t all computers different? Hard as it is to believe, just keep in mind this Mark’s Maxim:

More memory helps.

Period. End of statement. No matter what type of computer you own, how old it is, or what operating system you use, adding more memory to your system (to the maximum it supports, of course) significantly improves the performance of your operating system (and practically every application that you run).

Memory maximizes the power of your computer: The more memory you have, the less data your iMac has to temporarily store on its hard drive. Without getting into virtual memory and other techno-gunk, just consider that extra memory as extra elbow room for your applications and your documents. Believe me, both OS X and Windows efficiently make use of every kilobyte of memory that you can provide.

Figuring out how much memory you have

To see how much memory you have on your computer, click the Apple menu () and choose About This Mac. Figure 23-1 shows the dialog that appears.

The 8GB of standard memory supplied by Apple is enough for running applications from the iLife and iWork suites as well as any of the applications bundled with Mavericks. If your primary applications include video editing, playing the latest crop of immersive 3D games, or image editing, though, you can use all the memory your iMac can hold — as you can see from Figure 23-1, my 27" iMac is stuffed with 32GB of RAM for just such applications.

Ah, but there’s a caveat. (Go figure.) At the time of this writing, only the current crop of 27" iMacs has memory sockets that you — a Regular Human Being — can access. These models provide slots for four 1600 MHz PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM memory modules at up to 8GB each. (Don’t fret over what those abbreviations mean. Rest assured that this memory type is fast.)

Unfortunately, the memory in a late-model (2012 and later) 21.5" iMac can’t be replaced by anyone except an authorized Apple Service Center technician. So if you’re using a 21.5" iMac, you can skip the rest of this section, except for the rest of this paragraph. If you’re ready to order a new 21.5" iMac from Apple, I strongly recommend that you opt for as much additional memory as you can afford while configuring your dream machine. In the past, Apple’s prices for RAM were … well … outrageous (as in, “Boy, howdy, I can’t afford that!”). Recently, however, Apple’s memory prices have become far more competitive, so I now recommend that you add memory while configuring and ordering either model of iMac.

How you plan memory upgrades depends on how much memory you want. If your 27" iMac uses the two default 4GB modules (8GB total) supplied by Apple, you can add RAM by inserting memory modules in the empty slots. At the time of this writing, a 4GB memory module should set you back about $40 or so.

If your iMac already has all four memory slots filled and you’d still like to add more system RAM, it’s time to remove one or all of the existing modules and replace them with full 8GB modules. (Current prices for an 8GB module hover around $100.) With all four slots filled with 8GB modules, you’ll have the coveted 32GB 27" iMac that marks you as one of the “In People.”

If you’ve already bought your 27" iMac and you’d like to shop around for the best memory prices, I can heartily recommend any one of these online sources that cater to Mac owners:

• MacMall (www.macmall.com)
• CDW (www.cdw.com/content/brands/apple/default.aspx)
• Crucial (www.crucial.com)
• Small Dog Electronics (www.smalldog.com)
• Newegg (www.newegg.com)

Installing memory modules

I’m happy to report that adding extra memory to a 27" iMac is one of the easiest internal upgrades that you can perform. Therefore, I recommend that you add memory yourself unless you simply don’t want to mess with your iMac’s internal organs. Of course, your local Macintosh service specialist will be happy to install new RAM modules for you (for a price).

As you’ve concluded by this point in this book, Apple has designed the world’s best all-in-one computer. That even includes making it EZ-Open. (Forgive me if your treasured work of art now reminds you of a longneck beer bottle. Come to think of it, the level of technical knowledge required to gain access to either one is about the same.)

Unlike earlier “picture frame” iMac models, however, you can’t remove the back completely. In fact, Apple allows the owner of a 27" iMac to perform only one kind of upgrade, and there’s only one opening you need to worry about. Naturally, an Apple repair technician can get deeper into the machine, but I hope that you never need aid from those folks.

You’ll void your warranty by tinkering with anything other than your memory slots, so don’t even think about it.

To add memory modules to a late-model 27" iMac, follow these steps:

1. Get ready to operate.
   1. Spread a clean towel on a stable work surface, like your kitchen table. The towel helps protect your screen from scratches.
   2. Shut down your iMac.
   3. Unplug all cables from the computer.
2. Tilt the computer over and lay the screen flat (face-down) on top of the towel.
3. Press the button directly above the power cord socket.

   The memory access door pops open.

4. Remove the memory access door.
5. Stow the memory access door safely out of reach of kids and cats.

   Tah-dah! That wasn’t much of a challenge, was it? Take a moment to gaze with rapt fascination at a small portion of the bare innards of your favorite computer.

6. Ground thyself!

   Check out the “Let’s get grounded!” sidebar.

7. Gently pull outward on the two plastic securing levers and then pull them toward the bottom of the access door (as shown in Figure 23-2).

   

8. Remove a module by gripping it by the corners and gently pulling it straight upward.

   Save the old module in the static-free packaging that held the new module. Your old RAM (which you can now sell on eBay) will be protected from static electricity.

9. Position the new module in the socket.
   1. Line up the module’s copper connectors toward the socket.
   2. Line up the notch in the module aligned with the matching spacer in the socket. See what I mean in Figure 23-3, which shows the correct orientation for a late 2013 27" iMac.

      

10. Press gently (but firmly) on both ends of the module until the module clicks into place.
11. Repeat Steps 8–10 for each module you’re replacing.
12. Push the two securing levers back into their original position (you should hear a click when they’re seated).
13. Replace the memory access door.
14. Return your iMac to its natural upright stance and plug any cables you removed back into the back of the computer.

    Waxing nostalgic: This is rather like changing the oil on my Dad’s 1970 Ford pickup truck.

Congratulations! You’ve done it — and you’re now an iMac memory guru! To verify that all is well with your iMac, boot the computer, click the Apple menu (), and choose About This Mac. Your iMac should report the additional memory.

Can I Upgrade My Hard Drive?

Asking whether you can upgrade your hard drive is a trick question. Yes, you certainly can upgrade your hard drive. But before you start cruisin’ the Internet for a 2TB monster, I have two suggestions:

• Be sure you really need a hard drive upgrade.

  Apple is pretty generous when configuring hard drive storage for its base systems. (Current models run with anywhere from a 1TB to a whopping 3TB drive — yep, that’s 3 terabytes, or 3,000GB! Something tells me that your prized walnut brownie recipe will have plenty of elbow room on a 3TB drive, as will as a huge amount of digital video.)

  I’ll be honest here: Most folks simply don’t need more than 1TB of hard drive space. You’re likely to find that you still have plenty of wide-open spaces for a typical family’s needs on your hard drive unless you’re heavily into

  • Digital video (DV)
  • Cutting-edge video games
  • Tons of high-quality digital audio
  • Four generations of high-resolution digital photos of your family (hey, it’s possible!)
• If you decide that you do need to upgrade, don’t install your internal hard drive yourself.

  Read more about dealing with the installation of an internal hard drive in the upcoming section “Gotta have internal.”

If you’re short on hard drive space, first clean up your existing hard drive by deleting all the crud you don’t need, such as game and application demos, duplicate or “work” copies of images and documents, archived files you downloaded from the Internet, and the contents of your Trash. You can read how in Chapter 24.

Consider your external options

If you do need additional hard drive space, I recommend using an external drive. Use a high-speed Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 port to connect a second hard drive the quick and easy way. (Owners of slightly older iMac models can use FireWire 800 as well.)

Most of today’s Thunderbolt and USB peripherals don’t even require the driver software that Mac old-timers remember with such hatred. You simply plug a device into one of these ports, and it works. And you can move your external drive between different Macs with a minimum of fuss and bother.

An external hard drive can do virtually anything that your internal hard drive can do. You can boot from it, for example, or install (and boot from) a different version of OS X (great for beta testers like me).

Apple’s Time Capsule unit is an external hard drive with a difference: It stores the huge Time Machine backup files created by the Macs running OS X Lion (or later) on your network, and it uses a wireless connection to transfer data! (In fact, if you’re thinking of adding a wireless base station to your wired network, your Time Capsule actually acts as a full AirPort Extreme Base Station, complete with USB port for connecting a USB printer.) At the time of this writing, Time Capsule is available with either a 2TB ($299) or 3TB ($399) drive.

Here’s one problem with external drives, though. Even USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 transfer data more slowly this way than via an internal drive (only the newer Thunderbolt connections rival the speed of an internal drive). That’s why most Mac owners use their external drives for storing backups, digital media, and little-used documents and applications. Their favorite applications and often-used documents are housed on the internal drive.

Putting a port to work

Current iMac models carry two kinds of high-speed ports, either of which is a good match for connecting any external device.

USB 3.0

The USB standard is popular because it’s just as common in the PC world as in the Mac world. (Most PCs don’t have a Thunderbolt port.) Your iMac carries its USB 3.0 ports on the back of the case, which are fully compatible with older USB 2.0 devices. Hardware manufacturers make one USB device that works on both Macs and PCs.

If you’re using an older iMac with USB 2.0 ports, there’s no need to spend extra money on USB 3.0 devices, since you won’t get the performance boost. ’Nuff said.

FireWire 800

Current iMac models no longer carry a FireWire 800 port, but if you’re using an older iMac (without a USB 3.0 port), you’ll find that a FireWire 800 drive offers much better performance than either a FireWire 400 or a USB 2.0 drive.

The physical FireWire 800 connector is shaped differently than an older FireWire 400 port, so don’t try to force the wrong connector into the wrong port!

Thunderbolt

Talk about raw speed. A Thunderbolt connection provides a blazing 10Gbps, which is an unbelievable 12 times faster than FireWire 800, and twice as fast as USB 3.0! You can use a Thunderbolt port to connect an external hard drive or even a high-resolution monitor or HD-TV. Luckily, the price for Thunderbolt external drives has dropped significantly since the port first appeared on the Mac, so you no longer have to pay a premium price for Thunderbolt devices.

Connecting an external drive

With Thunderbolt, or USB, you can install an external hard drive without opening your iMac’s case. With your iMac turned on and the external drive disconnected from the AC outlet, follow these steps:

1. Connect the FireWire, Thunderbolt, or USB cable betwixt the drive and your computer.
2. Plug the external drive into a convenient surge protector or UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
3. Switch on the external drive.
4. If the drive is unformatted (or formatted for use under Windows), partition and format the external drive.

   The drive comes with instructions or software to help you do this. (Don’t worry, external drives typically come from the factory completely empty, and you won’t damage anything by formatting it. To be sure, check the drive’s manual.) Partitioning divides the new drive into one (or more) volumes, each of which is displayed as a separate hard drive under Mavericks.

   If the drive comes preformatted for use with a Windows PC, I strongly suggest reformatting it for use with OS X. Doing so results in faster performance and more efficient use of space.

After the drive is formatted and partitioned, it immediately appears on the Desktop. Shazam!

Gotta have internal

If you decide that you have to upgrade your existing internal hard drive — or if your internal drive fails and needs to be replaced — you must take your iMac to an authorized Apple Service Center and allow the techs there to sell you a drive and make the swap. Here are four darned good reasons why:

• Warranty: As I mention earlier, you’ll void your iMac’s warranty by attempting a drive upgrade yourself.
• Selection: If you’re worried about picking the proper drive, an Apple technician can order the right drive type and size for you … no worries.
• Difficulty: Swapping a hard drive in your iMac is nothing like adding RAM modules. It’s complex and involves breaking into your iMac — not A Good Thing, even for the knowledgeable Mac guru.
• Backup: That very same Apple service technician can back up all the data on your existing drive and move it to the new drive, saving you from losing a single document. That will save you time and possible angst.

To those who truly won’t be satisfied with their lives until they upgrade an internal drive in an iMac: Yes, I’m sure you can find a magazine article that purports to show you how. Even better, I’ve seen many how-to articles on the web that will lead you down a rosy path to a hard drive upgrade. Here’s my take on those savvy instructions: You’re walking into a field of land mines with someone else’s map, so you had better have complete faith in your tech skills. (And a darn good backup.)

Weighing Attractive Add-Ons

The external toys I cover in this section might add a cord or two to your collection at the back of your iMac, but they’re well worth the investment. And they can really revolutionize how you look at technologies such as television, digital audio, and computer gaming.

Game controllers

If you’re ready to take a shot at the enemy — whether they be Nazi soldiers, chittering aliens, or the latest jet fighters — you’ll likely find your keyboard and mouse somewhat lacking. (And if that enemy happens to be a friend of yours playing across the Internet, you’ll be ruthlessly mocked while you’re fumbling for the right key combination.) Instead, either pick up a USB joystick (for flying games) or a gamepad (for arcade and first-person shooting games)!

Hard drive arrays

In case you’re not familiar with a hard drive array (typically called a RAID array), it’s just a fancy moniker for an enclosure that holds multiple hard drives. “Grouping” hard drives like this provides a boost in speed, or you can use an array to make a self-maintaining redundant backup of all your data. Your Thunderbolt port is perfect for this high-tech magic.

Video controllers

For armchair directors, specialized USB digital video controllers make editing easier. The ShuttlePRO V2 from Contour Design (www.contourdesign.com) provides a 15-button jog control that can be configured to match any DV editor. For around $110, you’ll have the same type of editing controller as do those dedicated video-editing stations that cost several thousand dollars.

Audio hardware

Ready to put GarageBand to the test with your favorite version of Chopsticks? You need a USB piano keyboard, and I recommend the Keystation 88es from M-Audio (www.m-audio.com), which retails for a mere $200. It provides 88 keys and uses a USB connection.