Upgrading RAM on an ASUS notebook

This thread will be attached to the sticky in the ASUS forum, feel free to comment if needed.

Upgrading RAM on a notebook may sound like a tough cookie, but it is alot easier then it sounds. Before we start, lets see what's recommended for notebooks.

Using XP: 1gb minimum, 1gb is ideal
Using Vista: 1gb minimum, 2gb is highly recommended
Linux/Ubuntu: 256mb minimum, 1gb is ideal

So what does your ASUS notebook require? Well, here's a small guideline in what to look for when upgrading your RAM.

If you have a:

1)Core 2 Duo Processor[Merom - Santa Rosa platform - 800mhz FSB], you can use:
-PC6400 800mhz SoDimm (However, it will clock itself down to 667mhz since it can not utilize it fully)
-PC5300 667mhz SoDimm (Recommended RAM)
-PC4200 533mhz SoDimm (Can still use but will be a bit slower)

2)Core Duo/Core 2 Duo[Yonah/Merom - Napa platform - 667MHz FSB], you can use:
-PC5300 667mhz SoDimm (Recommended RAM)
-PC4200 533mhz SoDimm (Can still use but will be a bit slower)

3) Pentium M [Sonoma - 533mhz FSB], you can use
-PC4200 533mhz SoDimm (Recommended RAM)
-PC3200 400mhz SoDimm (Can still use but will be a bit slower)

4) Pentium M [Dothan - 400mhz FSB], you can use
-PC3200 400mhz SoDimm (Recommended RAM)

If you have an older model or if you are still a bit confused on what RAM you should use, go to the Crucial RAM website and find your model, it will list the RAM you should use.

For great deals on RAM, check out this thread by Gophn, found here.

RAM upgrade picture guide:

Note: This is a generic guide, your steps may or may not be similar to the steps shown below. Please use precaution when upgrading. I, coriolis, nor Notebookreview.com will not have any responsibility to end users upgrading. Upgrading is your choice, if you are not confident in doing so, please contact a professional computer technician instead.

Being properly 'grounded':

Wearing a properly grounded anti-static wrist strap is a good precaution to take when opening electronics, especially if you are opening a delicate electronics's such as a notebook. However, if you make sure you are not on a carpet while wearing anything wool, but just to be on the safe side, try to discharge yourself before touching anything sensitive like the notebook's internals. To do so, just touch something metal like a lamp or a doorknob.



Step 1: Turn notebook off, unplug notebook and take out the battery. Close the lid and make sure you lie down the notebook face down on an nonabrasive surface, on a piece of cloth if possible.



Step 2: Some notebooks have two RAM slots at the bottom of the notebook, some have one at the bottom, the other under the keyboard. I will guide through both types of notebooks. Using a screwdriver(Usually a regular Phillips head), unscrew the main department of the bottom and check if the RAM slot or slots are there. If so, then that is all that is needed, proceed to step 4. If only one appears, unscrew the screws marked 'K' for keyboard. Make sure to store the screws in a safe place, if possible a small plate.



Step 3: Once the screws marked 'K' have been removed, flip the notebook back to its regular positioning and open up the lid. Now check the top of the keyboard, mainly above the first row of keys. You should notice four 'tabs'. These tabs are a locking mechanism to keep the keyboard locked in place. Using a straight edge, a Credit Card works fine in the example, press down on the tabs. This will result in the keyboard 'popping up'. Now you can move the keyboard to the side or take off the keyboard by removing it's cable.










Step 4: To put the RAM in, it looks really weird since the RAM is parallel to the notebook. To remove the old RAM, you need to press on the two tabs that lock the RAM in place, and to do that, put your thumbs on the two tabs and press away from the RAM. If you do this correctly, the RAM should pop up.



Step 5: When the RAM pops up, it will be in a 45 degree angle. This means all is well. Now all you need to do is pull the RAM out.



Step 6: Once it is out, put the new RAM in at a 45 degree angle, slowly pressing until an the RAM slot has been inserted. Now just press down until the two tabs lock the RAM into place.

Step 7: All done, put the screws back in and boot your computer. Make sure your OS recognizes the RAM. And if you find a problem, like a blue screen or the notebook stalling, run MemTest86 to check on the RAM.

Hopefully you do not run into problems, so do yourself a favor and upgrade your RAM

 

Great guide, Cori! It will be of great use to the Asus forum.

 

Mate thank you so much. I never tried to chnage the RAM underneath until I read your guide. I didn't even notice the "K" screws underneath were for the keyboard :|

Again thank you, much appreicated !!

 

Great Guide


But wasn't santa rosa only a new chipset? The CPU are still merom no?

 

Santa Rosa is a new Chipset and a new pin config. for the CPU along with the change in the FSB - and things like the Robson flash memory. The CPU is still a C2D Merom, but non-Santa Rosa and Santa Rosa CPUs are not pin compatible.

 

Ugh, Intel and their naming schemes

And yes, it's the S.R. platform, with the Merom chipset(which has 2 types, both named Core 2 Duo, both referred to as the Merom chipset, but one is Socket M, the other Socket P, one with 667mhz the other 800mhz, and on different chipsets).

 

Quote:
-PC6400 800mhz SoDimm (However, it will clock itself down to 667mhz since it can not utilize it fully)

But if you have a Santa Rosa CPU, it won't clock itself down as both are 800mhz, right?

 

No. SR uses the 965 chipset, which doesn't have official support for DDR2-800 RAM. Laptop BIOS typically don't have the ability to overclock the RAM, either.

http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/pm965/index.htm

 

1GB is not by any stretch of the imagination required for XP. Technically 256 is required (and I've run it with this) but in reality 512 is required for normal usage, 1GB is preferred for gaming. 2GB may be useful (especially if you game on integrated graphics), but not for any kind of normal usage.

And I would argue that 533MHz RAM would be equally good on Napa platform, both because of the lower cost and the lower latency.


Also, a Core Duo is a Yonah processor, not a merom. The following:
"2)Core Duo Processor[Merom - 677mhz FSB]"
should be changed to
2) Core Duo/Core 2 Duo[Yonah/Merom - Napa platform - 667MHz FSB]

Also, you might as well include Banias with Dothan, as the RAM is the same. And Sonoma is a chipset designation, not a processor designation. They still use Dothan processors, which may confuse some.

 

I was trying not to complicate things, but damnit Intel,

 

Yeah, and it's even worse if you use the official names, instead of the codenames.

 

Great guide. I am trying to add RAM to a V1S and have tried the procedures as described. I unscrew the main compartment but I am not able to remove it, it still seems solidly in place. Any pointers?

 

Same here. It seems that theres is one screw for the V1S memory cover but no way to remove the cover. Any ideas?

Thank you

 

OK, figured it out. On the V1S you also have to take off the larger panel(covering the fan assembly) above the memory panel. Just installed 2x2GB of OCZ RAM in Server 2008 (64 bit) and it's working perfectly.

 

http://www.happii.dk/product.aspx?prodid=97800

does this ram work on asus g1s?

 

There should be no issues, as the chip specs appear to match.

 

i have vista ultimate

is 4 gigs of ram best?

 

If only people would search...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3020173#ram

But I have to give you credit for looking at the Info Booth, however.

 

4GB will have problems. Multiple users have also reported system slowdowns when using 4GB in the G1 compared to 3GB, and Asus is now shipping all of their new G1's with 3GB (2+1).

 

Fwiw...my F8Sn came with the standard 2+1 3GB (Hynix Latency:5) of ram. Shortly after I removed the Hynix memory & added 2 2GB G.Skill Latency:4 sticks.

My Vista Aero improved from a 4.9 to a 5.1 and one game benchmark , FEAR , improved by a few FPS.

I did this memory change because 1) I had not heard of , before I purchased the G.Skill , the supposed possible 4GB "slow down" & 2) I HAD heard of the possible "two of the same size" memory stick(s) benefit.

So , in my case , I got a boost from the memory change. As usual , when discussing computers , a question could be asked of any change...did the memory SIZE give the "boost" or did the memory TYPE give the boost ?

I think , again in my case , it's both. I also think it's quite possible Vista & my F8Sn *likes* the G.Skill more than the Hynix ram.

One thing that is in no doubt...my notebook runs faster with the 4GB combo I used.

Your mileage may vary.

 

Interesting. It's unlikely that the RAM size difference matters much since the 32-bit OS is limited to around 3GB anyway. (actually the limit may be larger at around 3.5GB depending on the actual computer, so that might play a role)

By Vista Aero, you mean the GPU score? That might have been influenced by the fact that the GPU will get more shared memory for the system. Maybe also the slight improvement in gaming is due to that?

All coupled with dual channel which also gives a (very) few percent improvement...

 

Sorry...the Vista "Experience Index". All these new names confuse me.

It was that benchmark that the RAM went from 4.9 -> 5.1

I don't think there's much doubt there were/are multiple reasons for the increase & not just because I went to 4GB from 3GB. My point was that going to 4 from 3 did not slow me down. I find it hard to see how a increase from the 3GB to 4GB would slow anyone down. But that's just me.

Also at the time of my notebook purchase I'd planned on going to the 64bit OS. But I found that I liked Vista32 so I figured why fix something that aint broke.
I might add that I was prepared for quite a few problems re Vista because of all the stories that have been circulated about it being a terrible OS.

I'm glad to report I could not be happier with my F8Sn/Vista combination.

 

Those slowdowns when upgrading from 3 GB to 4 GB were due to bugs in the OS, which were ironed out probably (mainly in Windows updates) as 4GB became more common.

 

hi everyone!!
I have asus A6VA Q058H notebook which it has 512MB RAM memory, I want to know if can upgrade RAM to 1.5GB? Also I want to know if this 512MB RAM is 256x2 or 512x1? thank you

 

RAM is probably 512x1, but you can unscrew and pop open the RAM door under the notebook and check that out.

As for 1.5GB - yes, you should be able to do this as long as you match the current type of memory (200pin DDR2 533/PC2 4200), but it might require installing the second stick under the keyboard if that's where the other slot is..... I don't know whether your A6 model has both RAM slots underneath or just one underneath with the second under the keyboard. There are links around here describing how to pop out the Asus keyboard (see coriolis' first post on pg1 for that).

 

Yep, upgrade should be easy enough.

To check whether 2X256 or 1X512, use CPU-Z. No need to open up the computer.