---
title: "RAM Upgrade for Emu"
output: html_notebook
---
Came in to lab today to a present!
Exciting!
I've found Emu tends to be memory bound with most of the analyses we've been doing, so quadrupling the ram available in it should speed that up a significant bit.
Using a combination of Sam's notebook found [here](http://onsnetwork.org/kubu4/2016/06/09/ram-upgrade-roadrunner-apple-xserve-to-48gb-ram/) and the X-serve owners manual [here](http://www.apple.com/server/docs/Xserve_Setup_Guide12202006.pdf) I got the new RAM installed and only had a few minor heart attacks along the way.
First I opened the back door
Then unplugged all the cables associated with Emu. I tied them together with lab tape just in case.
Then I opened the front door, and unscrewed the thumbscrews that keep Emu in.
Almost free!
These are the little tabs that Sam points out. I'll add that you have to push down on them
Emu free and on the bench
Next we'll take the top cover off by removing the thumbscrews on the back, pulling back a little bit and then up. There's not much of a handle to pull, so this was a little annoying.
The current ram, installed as instructed using channels 1,2, and 3. We thankfully don't have to worry about this as we're populating all of the slots.
CPU 1 all full
CPU 2 all full. Of note: RAM sticks are keyed with a short and long end, and the short side of the stick switches sides between CPUs 1 and 2 so you have to switch your sticks around as you're doing this.
After putting Emu back in it's slot, reconnecting all of the cables and powering it on I got some error lights, all 16 CPU usage lights were blinking. I consulted the X-Serve users guide and it said this signifies a bad DIMM. I pulled EMU out and reseated all of the sticks, and put everything back together. This seems to have somewhat appeased the Computer gods, as Emu began to boot, but threw a hard drive error (Flashing File Folder w/ Question Mark on POST screen). I turned Emu off once more, pulled the hard drive tray and reseated it and had success!
More RAM!
