Upgrading RAM

redvanman

I only have 256 mb of RAM on my computer, I was looking at putting another 1 gb on the computer, Is this easy / hard to do?.

Laz123

It's very easy. Go to Crucial http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/drammemory.aspx?gclid=COf77e6gjaECFVVo4wodV3-WMg&cpe=pd_google_uk which will scan and select your appropriate type. Then follow the guide http://computermemoryupgrade.mysuperpc.com/

Make sure you're earthed when you open the case and fit the ram otherwise a static spark can fry your mobo.

John_Gray

There are two answers: fairly easy, and impossible.

Dealing with the 'impossible' first, it depends on whether your PC's motherboard supports 1 GB of memory. Find out by plugging the information about your PC into the Crucial Memory Advisor tool or download and run their System Scanner tool. This gives you two pieces of infomation which will determine whether and how you can do the upgrade - the number of memory slots, and the maximum memory supported by your motherboard. It is probable that you only have one memory card installed, a 256 MB one. I suggest you open up your PC (careful - power it down and take the power cord out of the back first) and look. (There are various software utilities which tell you what your memory configuration is, but you're going to have to open the PC case up anyway to do the upgrade, so you might as well have a look now...)

Now dealing with the 'fairly easy' answer. If you have one or more memory slots free, and Crucial says you can install a 1 GB module, and you don't need to install memory in pairs, then go ahead and buy the upgrade.

There could be complications, such as having only two memory slots and both filled with 128 MB memory cards. To upgrade, you'd need to remove and bin or Ebay them (little difference IMHO!) before you can replace them with (say) two 512 MB cards or maybe one 1 GB card.

If any of this baffles you, ask again!

totalsolutions

As John says, The newer case styles are "screwless", no tools required. The RAM chip is secured by two clips (one at both short edge, look at the unused memory slots)
Dump the 256Mb chip in firmly install two new.
Easy yes, quick yes, cheap maybe.

redvanman

Thanks for the advice, I have 3 memory slots 2 have 128 mb the other is free.

googler

...and there are many, many visual guides all over the interweb showing you what to do and how to do it (and how not to do it), including videos on youtube, etc.

A short amount of google searching should yield results quite easily.

Once you've determined the type with the Crucial advisor tool, factor that into the searches too.