Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers. This week there were questions on any drawbacks to installing more RAM chips in a system, if there are manufacturer or size requirements for RAM, how to view images in Mail, and how to print out MacFixIt articles without including ads and other Web-based content. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present a few answers here, we welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: Drawbacks to installing more RAM
MacFixIt reader "Steve" asks:

Is there any downside to doubling the RAM in a MacBook Pro (17" mid-2010, if it matters)? More heat or anything like that?

Answer:
Technically there will be more heat generated; however, this is negligible and will not affect your system. The system is rated to easily take the heat generated by all the RAM bays being full and under heavy use. Most of the time for laptops all of the RAM bays are filled anyway, so increasing the RAM is just a matter of replacing the current RAM modules with larger-capacity ones. With more RAM your system will run more smoothly and better manage open programs and documents.

Question: Requirements for RAM manufacturer and sizes
MacFixIt reader "anonymous" asks:

I have a 1 gig and a 2 gig RAM chip in my laptop. I have had some problems and I think that I should have two 2gig Ram chips and that should solve some problems. Do both chips have to be from the same manufacturer?

Answer:
Using two chips of the same size will be beneficial for keeping them in sync with each other, but without this then only performance should be affected (provided the chips are working properly). It does not matter what brand of chips you use, as long as their specifications are the same and meet those required by the system.

Question: Viewing images in Mail
MacFixIt reader "Roger" asks:

I recently clicked an option in some program to disallow Apple Mail attachments of photos to appear. So they just appear as files. But I've decided to switch back. I want people to see the photos in the emails I send. But I've forgotten how to make the adjustment. Can you help?

Answer:
The option to show files as attachments only will only affect the e-mail messages you see in Mail, and not those that are sent to other people. If you send someone an e-mail message with an in-line photo then it should appear as such on that person's system, unless he or she also has turned off this feature. To re-enable this feature for yourself, right-click the inserted photo and choose "View in Place" in the contextual menu.

Question: Printing MacFixIt articles
MacFixIt reader "Graham" asks:

How on earth do I print out a decent copy of your articles? When I choose the Print command, the first page consists of all the links to CNET reviews, etc. and the Title of your articles appears at the bottom of the page, often with the second line on the next page.

Answer:
The best way is to use Safari's "Reader" feature and then print from there (or print to PDF). Here is an article I wrote on how to do this (read the last part on "Making a clean PDF"). This can be done for numerous online articles to make "clean" PDFs or printouts of them.

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