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Installing Additional Memory By John Seal In what is our first issue of tech tips, I’d like to thank you for signing up for our newsletter. It is one of the ways I hope to provide you with some helpful and practical information to keep your computer working at its best. I would love to get your feed back and if you have topics which you would like to see us cover please let me know. The purpose of this letter is to provide the average user with ways to improve his or her computing experience. I specifically did not call it High Tech Tips. These newsletters should give you useful information that anyone can implement to keep your computer operating at its peak, free of virus problems and other intrusive software attacks. Although I had a few other topics in mind for this initial newsletter an opportunity for computer users has presented itself as a result of the current economic crisis. Memory is cheap and that is something you should take advantage of. This newsletter focuses primarily on the desk top computer. While ordering more memory can be accomplished the same way for a laptop, installation is a little more difficult. If you want to increase the memory in your laptop call me for more help. There are two kinds of memory in a computer. The first is commonly called RAM, short for random access memory. The second is usually referred to as the hard drive. The hard drive stores your files, programs and other information. This newsletter is about the RAM although disk memory is also available at the lowest prices we have seen in a long time. RAM is used by your processor to do calculations, move files and other operations. Nothing is permanently held in this memory. The amount of this memory has a big impact on how fast your computer can perform the functions you ask of it. Increasing the RAM will increase the speed of your computer. Why do you need more memory now, than when you bought your computer? First of all, when you bought your computer the manufacturer was making a trade off between a competitive price and performance. Memory was a lot more expensive then (18 months is a long time in the life of computer technology.) Second, you have added many programs since you bought your computer. Each of those programs grows with each update adding thousands of lines of code. Each time you download some “free” program it adds tracking software to your system. Your disk has become fragmented. All of these things have their own cures, which are subjects for future newsletters, but more memory can make up for many of them and now the price makes it the best initial solution. Two years ago it was hard to find Gigabyte memory chips. Today they cost between $16 and $35. If you bought your computer more than two years ago it is likely that you got it with 512k of memory. (half a gigabyte) and at best one gigabyte. That system is capable of using either two or four gigabytes which can really speed up operations. (In general Windows xp© is capable of dealing with 3.5 gigabytes.) Chances are if you bought your computer more than a year ago you got one gigabyte of memory or less. If you got it this year you may have gotten two gigabytes. To see how much memory you do have go to your computer and click on the start button, right click on my computer and select properties. You will get the System Properties screen. It should be on the general tab. It will look something like this and have the memory shown down where I have put the arrows.
Ok, so how do I add more memory? Installing new memory is really one of the easier upgrades. The difficulty used to be in determining what type of memory to buy. With each new generation of computer technology a new faster type of RAM has been developed. Besides having different amounts of memory they come in different speeds, chip formats, and forms. The best way I have found around this problem is a web based program developed by one of the premier memory manufacturers, Micron Technology, Inc. To find out what kind of memory you need you go to their website www.crucial.com and click on a button to scan your computer. It comes up with a list of options for expansion with the prices. For example it will tell you that you have 512k of memory in two slots and can add 512k more for $20 or 1 gb for $30 or 2 gb for $60. You can then take this information and shop for the best price if you like, but I have found that their prices are about the best. The easiest and quickest way is to choose an option and order right from Crucial. In a few days you will receive the package. We normally charge about $25 for the installation labor, but you can do it yourself in about 20 minutes. If you would like detailed help with the Crucial website including screen shots go to this link to my website. www.perfectdatasystems.com/buyingmemory. Ok, what do I do when I get the memory.
Installing the memory is quite easy. For this tutorial I will assume your computer stands on the floor. As you face it from the front the left side panel is the access panel. First you need to shut down your computer and lay it down flat on the floor or a table with the left side up. If you look at the back of the computer you will see two screws that hold this cover. Remove these screws and save them to reinstall the access panel. Next slide the panel to the rear of the computer. It should slide back about ½ of an inch and then lift off.
Once this panel is remove you can see inside the computer. For clarity I have removed some of the components, including the old memory.
The memory slots are in the lower right portion of this mother board but may be in a different location on other motherboards. Some computers will have only two memory slots, some will have four. Here is another motherboard with four slots all of which have memory modules in them.
If you have to remove the old memory: Note the white locking tabs at the end of the memory slots on the view below. In order to remove your old memory you must push down on these tabs and the memory will pop up.
The memory you receive will look like this photo below. Note the location of the notch. You will need to put the memory in the right direction in order for it to go into the slot. Warning: When you handle the memory modules remember that they are sensitive to static electricity. The will come in a static proof bag. You must ground yourself to the frame to eliminate static electricity in your body prior to taking the memory out of the bag. Many professionals use a grounding wrist strap which grounds to the computer frame. Avoid touching the gold terminals on the memory at any rate.
The memory is inserted by placing it in the slot and pressing it in place. You will hear the white locking tabs snap into place when the memory is properly seated. If it does not seat properly check to see that you have the notch lined up with the plastic divider in the slot. Here is what your computer will look like after installing the first module.
Note that the white tabs on the first module have clicked in place. Now insert the second module, replace the cover and stand up your computer. Replace the AC power line and start it up. If your computer has a screen that shows you the boot procedure you will see the memory test and you should be able to tell if the new memory is being recognized by the computer. You can also tell by going to the start menu, right clicking on my computer and selecting properties. There you can see the new memory that Windows© is recognizing.
That’s all there is to it. If you have any problems please feel free to email me jon@PerfectDataSystems.com or call 561-339-2859.
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