Install memory upgrade computer

If no amount is listed, that memory slot bank is empty. Installing memory in your desktop computer Use the following steps to install memory in an HP or Compaq desktop computer. After reviewing the following steps, if you are not confident in performing the installation yourself, contact an HP authorized distributor for technical assistance.

The customer assumes all risk and liability for damages for any such installation or upgrade. You might find that your HP or Compaq computer is able to support a physical installation of 4 GB or more memory. However, this maximum memory might be further limited by the operating system not being able to address the full range of physical memory. This limitation is present on all bit hardware and bit operating systems and is not limited to HP and Compaq PC systems or Microsoft software operating systems.

See Maximum memory supported by operating system for more information. Step 1: Opening the access panel to install memory in your desktop computer Use the following steps to open the case:.

Be careful not to slide skin along any interior metal edge of the computer. To reduce the chance of ESD damage, work over a non-carpeted floor, use a static dissipative work surface such as a conductive foam pad , and wear an ESD wrist strap connected to a grounded surface. In the Search field or Questions or keywords field at the top of this page, type your computer model number, a space, and the words "opening the case.

Turn off the computer and unplug all cables, except for power, and write down each cable location. Unplug the power cable and press the Power button. If possible, move the computer to a clear, flat, stable work surface over an uncarpeted floor. If opening the case is difficult, search for a support article that specifically pertains to your computer.

In the Search field or Questions or keywords field at the top of this page, type your computer model number , a space, and the words " opening the case. Step 2: Determine if memory needs to be removed before installing additional memory in your desktop computer Use the following steps to locate the memory sockets:.

Look inside the computer and locate the memory modules on the motherboard. Memory modules are long thin boards, short in height, that stick up from the motherboard at a degree angle. If the computer has an open socket, continue to add an additional memory module into the open socket. If the computer does not have an empty socket, skip to the next step to remove a memory or continuity module.

This has to be done before adding a new memory module. Account for how much memory will be removed before purchasing your upgraded memory module s. Step 3: Remove a memory or continuity module in your desktop computer Continuity modules do not contain memory, but are placeholders to close the memory circuit.

Use the following steps to remove a memory or continuity module:. Pull out, and then press down on the holding clips that retain the memory modules. The memory modules should rise up slightly out of the socket. Step 4: Add a memory module in your desktop computer Use the following steps to insert a memory module into an empty socket:.

Align the slots in the memory module to the notches in the memory socket. Push straight down on top ends of the memory module until the memory module is fully seated in the socket. The retaining clips on the ends of the socket lock into place when properly seated.

Step 5: Replace the cover after installing memory in your desktop computer Use the following steps to replace the cover:. Slide movable bays and sections back into their original positions and secure with screws.

Align the panel or cover with the respective slots in the sides of the computer case. If the computer does not start or a beep code sounds, use the next section to troubleshoot the problem. If the computer starts, make sure that the new memory amount displays in the BIOS as is shown in the section Verify how much memory can be added.

What to do if problems occur after installing memory If the computer does not start properly after replacing the memory the screen will remain black and the computer will turn itself off within a few seconds , or if there are memory errors including beeps after the computer starts, try the following steps:.

Reseat the new memory module by following the steps in the Installing memory section. Over the years, operating systems like Windows, software like Photoshop, and now even web browsers like Chrome, have built reputations for being unabashed memory hogs. Loading too many tabs in Chrome or keeping to many programs open on your desktop could use up all of the memory your system has to offer, slowing your system to a crawl.

Gamers with an eye towards future-proofing might even want to consider 32GB—the downside being increased cost, of course. There are different types of RAM. For now, DDR4 is king.

Your Memory is now Installed! Helpful Hints and Installation Troubleshooting Tips. If your system does not boot up, check the following items: If you receive an error message or hear a series of beeps, your system might not be recognizing the new memory modules. Remove and reinstall the modules. Push down hard on the modules until the clips fold back up. If your system won't boot, check all the connections inside your computer. It is easy to bump a cable and pull it out of its connector, which will disable devices such as your hard drive or CD-ROM.

When restarting your system, you might get a message prompting you to update the configuration settings. Refer to your owner's manual for information. If you are still unsure, please call Crucial Technical Support for assistance. If you get a memory mismatch message, follow the prompts to enter the Setup menu, and then select Save and Exit.

This is not an error—some systems must do this to update the system settings. If the groove on the memory module and the ridge in the computer do not match up, do not force the module into the slot. You might have the wrong type of memory. Your system recognizes only half of the new module's memory. Remove all the cables and external accessories from your computer, then move it to a table or desk. If your home is particularly susceptible to static shocks, you might want an anti-static bracelet as well.

Remove the screws on the back holding the access panel in place. At this point you should be looking down at the motherboard. The RAM should be easy to spot. It will be two or more modules sticking up from slots that are usually near the CPU, but more toward the front of the computer. Simply press these tabs down away from the RAM until they click. Repeat this step with all the modules you want to remove. Before you plug the new RAM in, take a look at the slots. Remember how we said RAM is installed in pairs?

Where you install it matters. On the motherboard in the image below, the paired slots are different colors—black for one pair, and gray for the other pair. Note : Some motherboards use different indicators for slot pairs. To install the new RAM align the electrical contacts with the memory slot, making sure the notch in the connector is positioned correctly—they can only fit in in one orientation. Then press the memory module into place gently until you hear the plastic tabs on either end of the slot click into place, securing the module.

If you unplugged any of the power or data cords on your machine to get better access to the RAM slots, plug them back in now. Replace the access panel and screw it back down on the rear of the machine. Take your machine back to its usual spot and plug everything back in. Ultralight laptops almost never have user-accessible memory. Most laptops that allow user-accessible memory upgrades to do so either through a small access panel on the bottom of the case, or by performing some level of disassembly sometimes by removing the entire bottom, sometimes by removing the keyboard, sometimes a combination.

My ThinkPad Ts is pretty middle-of-the-road here: it requires me to remove the battery, take out eight different screws, and pop off the metal bottom to access the RAM.

Other designs only require you to remove a single screw, then take off a sectional cover. I only have access to one DIMM slot, the other is soldered to the motherboard. In this position, simply grip the card gently and pull it out of the slot. Be careful not to touch the electrical contacts, and set the module aside. To insert the new module, go in at the same angle. The module should sit in the slot evenly, with no electrical contacts still visible. The pressure should make the clips clamp down on the module automatically, locking it into place.

Then, you put everything back together.