Does changing RAM void Sony warranty?

I am thinking of buying a Vaio FW390 and not sure if its a good idea to pick the lowest RAM and then adding it afterwards at a local store for cheaper. It comes w/ DDR2, so maybe I can change it to DDR3 as well. Does anyone know if this void the warranty or if its a good idea? Thanks.

 

If done by a certified tech, no.

But you could just do it yourself and change it back if you need warranty services.

And make sure you can use the DDR3 fully.

 

First of all - DDR2 and DDR3 are not interchangeable - so you can't just swap them round.

On the warranty side - simple rule:
If they give you easy access its OK, if not make sure you leave no marks

What do I mean by easy access: A dedicated flap/cover at the bottom.

If the RAM is hidden very obscurely they most likely don't want you to change it. You can still do, and as long as you don't break any seals will still be in warranty - but If you "mess up" - it may be that they won't cover it.
(And from an "honestypoint of view" you shouldn't try to claim if its your fault)

 

As DetlevCM stated, DDR2 and DDR3 are totally different. You cannot swap them. Search for the VAIO user manual to see how easy installation is. I don't believe it would be too hard to swap memory and I would recommend it, but research it beforehand to be sure.

 

... this isn't rocket science, buy the ddr2 ram, open that ram slot and slide it in.

 

Some notebooks aren't that easy. Some require you dissembling the case.

 

The only notebook that I have come across that difficult is a 4-5 year old thinkpad r51.

I doubt a new sony doesn't have a screws access to the RAM slot.

 

While I agree about the Sony, there are some recent laptops that have one easy access slot under and another under the keyboard (I believe such as LG's P300/310).

 

This is not quite true. Different manufacturers allow that different components should be consumer-upgradeable, and the RAM is almost always a consumer-upgradeable part unless accessing it requires disassembly.

 

If there are instructions in the manual or on their website your good, at this day in age im sure it wont make a difference.

 

Not if they don't know it

Just put the old RAM back in when you send it for repair. You can even replace the hard drive, CPU, optical drive without voiding the warranty. The trick is to put the old components back in before sending it for repair.

As long as they don't know that you replace anything, they will honor the warranty.:rolleyes2:

 

RAM is a user-replaceable part and its upgrading doesn't void your warranty unless you screw up something during the "installation process". The RAM compartment is on the bottom of the FW and you just need unscrew a single screw to remove the cover and access the slots.

Sony FW User Guide (Adding and Removing Memory - Page 106)