Replacing a laptop’s memory is not as easy as it is on a desktop. In order to fit all the necessary hardware into a small space, almost everything on a laptop is miniaturized and carefully fitted into place. This means that when replacing memory, you must know what to remove and what to avoid. Following these steps will help you avoid accidentally damaging your laptop.
1) First, find out what kind of memory your laptop uses. This information should be in the manual or specifications for your laptop. Look there to see what came installed in your machine and what the laptop’s total capacity is – for example, 2GB. You can also use an online memory detection website. Once you have this information, be sure to get the same kind of RAM (DIMM, SODIMM, DDR, DDR2, etc.) and not to buy more capacity than your machine can use.
2) Unplug the laptop and remove the battery. Then use the manual or an online diagram for your model to determine where the memory is located. Many laptops allow you to access the memory from the bottom of the machine, but others place it under the keyboard and require you to remove the keyboard to get to it. Once you’ve located the memory, use a small screwdriver to remove the necessary parts (the cover, keyboard, etc.) and expose the memory itself. Be careful – it’s easy to accidentally damage other parts while you’re trying to get at the memory.
3) Remove the memory you want to replace by pressing on the small locking levers on each side to open them, then pulling it out. Before you do that, note how it is inserted into the memory slot – there should be a small notch in the row of metal pins on one side of the memory that fits into an area in the slot. Take your new memory, holding it by the corners only, and line up the notch in the memory with the area in the slot that you noted earlier. Hold it at an angle and push firmly until the memory is seated in the slot, then push down gently until it clicks securely into place. If it doesn’t fit, don’t force it – turn it over and try again. Now replace the parts you removed to get at the memory. Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed new memory in your laptop.
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