RAM Upgrade - Easy?

[camerajuan]

Just got a spanking new netbook free with my phone upgrade and its a bit sluggish already. Its only got 1GB of RAM, thinking about increasing to 2GB. Just wondering if anyone has done this before and is it easy?

Samsung N250 Netbook, just in case.

[Burble]

I don't know that specific netbook but it should be an absolute doddle to upgrade the RAM. Turn the machine off, turn it over and there is usually an obvious access panel that you can get into by undoing a couple of screws. The memory should be under there. Remove what's there, replace with new, put the access panel back on and away you go.

It'd be worth taking some precautions against static electricity damanging the RAM so try to do the work near to a radiator and touch it before you start, that should discharge any built up static. That said, I never both and just do the swap without doing anything and I'm yet to have a module go pop.

[Mark]

Unfortunately the N250 is so new that it's difficult to find information on it (i.e. what memory needs to go in it), but if you have that information then the above should apply.

Maximum is probably 2GB and there's probably only one memory socket, so you'll have to remove what's there.

[camerajuan]

Thanks guys.

I've found the panel, nicely marked "memory". Haven't opened it yet cos got uni all day today & kinda need it here.

I downloaded a system checker that can find what I need but as Mark said, the N250 is too new for information to be easily found. 2GB would be fine, just hope I only need a 1Gb stick as they're dirt cheap.

[Burble]

If it's got 1Gb in there nowthat'll probably physically be 2 x 512Mb modules so to get 2Gb you'd need to buy 2 x 1Gb and remove both the current modules.

[camerajuan]

Cheers mate.

Is there any specific number I should be looking for when I open up the casing? Serial number, model number etc. Literally never done any netbook upgarding before.

[Burble]

The model numbers on the current modules won't help because you'll be replacing them with different modules. Have a look on www.crucial.com/uk and see if they have your netbook listed in their memory advisory tool.

[Justsomebloke]

Make sure you take the Battery out Before you go to change the ram, I know it's obvious but if you don't you'll blow the Ram. ;)

[camerajuan]

Thanks again guys.

Just did a scan, I have 4 memory slots with a 1GB stick in one slot, possible my system won't be able to handle anymore than 2GB RAM as mentined before so one more stick I think.

Would you advise checking the specs on that stick and buying another one? or getting a generic stick for my model number?

[Justsomebloke]

Check the specs as there's no point putting in ram thats faster than the mobo will use so you'll save money. Get the fastest the mobo can take though.

[Burble]

4 slots on a netbook? That's unusual.

[camerajuan]

I thought it would be 2 slots at best, but 3 empty slots & 1 with 1GB stick means I can potentially upgrade to 4GB but unsure if my mobo can take it. Asked a netbook site if it can, gonna find out soon & see what my options are.

[Burble]

Netbooks tend to have 1 slot, or 2 at most. It's very unusual a netbook to have 2. Best bet is to have a look for yourself under the panel. I've seen scanners give the wrong results a few times.

[Mark]

Figured a possible way to resolve this quandry, and it worked out...

The John Lewis version of the N250 ships with an Atom N450 processor, and the CPW one ships with Atom N455.

Both of which support only one memory socket, DDR2 or DDR3 RAM (depends on the system), to a maximum of 2GB. Case closed. :)

[Stan_Lite]

Mark's post pretty much confirms what I thought. I would have been surprised if it had more than one slot. As Burble suggests, it should be an easy job to change out the sticks. It was the first thing I did when I got my NC10 and it was a doddle. Second thing I did was to take out the weedy 160GB HDD and bung in the 500GB one from my old laptop and then slapped Windows 7 on it. Changing the HDD was equally simple if you ever feel the need to do that.

[camerajuan]

Thanks for everybody's assistance!

I opened it up yesterday and found the scanner results to be out by three slots! One slot, one 1GB stick.

DDR2 1GB PC2-6400. 2GB version wanted.