Laptop Memory factory 101 - Locating Sodimm Memory Slots

You've researched and subsequently hopefully bought the definite Sodimm(s) with which to upgrade your laptop but are left scratching your head over just where to install them? Why don't laptop manufacturers just make your life easier by giving clear instructions instead of regularly acting as if too much to ask? Truth be told that's something only they truly know the retort to, meanwhile let's try and lift the strain off your shoulders by contribution you some pointers in where to look, after all who needs their help anyway?

Underneath your laptop

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The vast majority of laptops feature two memory slots which are placed on the underside of your laptop, or if you wish to be technically savvy the back side of its motherboard. To check either this is the case, plainly turn your laptop upside down. You'll likely spot some bay covers held down by one or more tiny screws. Depending on your laptop model these will hide the memory, the wireless card, graphics card and/or processor, or any such combination.

The bay containing the Sodimm's is regularly one of the larger ones so first achieve a view of your laptop's underside and then once you think you've spotted one that might include Sodimm's put your small screwdriver to use. Not found the right one? plainly saunter via the same route until you find the right one. What if you're still unlucky? Should this be the case, it's time to move on to your keyboard.

Under the keyboard

Select laptops that feature two or more memory slots may hide Sodimm's under their keyboard. To unravel this difficulty you will need to shape out which screw(s) hold the keyboard down so you can take off them to loosen it. Sometimes this will be one screw, at other times think along the lines of four or more. Unfortunately, it's not always clear sailing and thus in order to take off the keyboard you'll sometimes be required to first take off the palm rest and/or other screws that aren't immediately obvious. One worthy thing to remember is to note what screws go where when it comes to piecing it altogether again. This is especially true if you've removed screws of varied sizes and lengths. Once inside try not to nudge the flat cable that runs from your keyboard connecting with the motherboard.

After all the churn the above has likely caused, you should be rewarded with unmasking one or more memory slots. This will be literally be the case for laptops that have two memory slots on their underside and one or more memory slot(s) under the keyboard. If the old slots were already occupied by Sodimm's and the latter are not then install your new laptop memory upgrade here. If you're still left wondering where the slots are then saunter onto the palm rest.

Under the palm rest

Your laptop isn't production life easy for you is it? If you own a pro firm model laptop then you've likely already placed some of all the memory slots your laptop offers only to find they're already preoccupied then try the following. Similarly to finding under the keyboard study how you can take off the palm rest area. In laptops that feature four memory slots the lower part of the chassis which houses the palm rest will cut off separately to the upper section. As with the keyboard, the palm rest's section mouse pad will be associated via a flat cable with your laptop's motherboard, remember not to knock it thus risk damage. Unless your high-end firm laptop already shipped outfitted with four Sodimm's, the slots under the palm rest will be vacant.

Houston, I still can't find my memory slots

If none of the above suggestions helped you find the memory slots then it could be that your laptop model isn't intended to be upgraded. This is particularly true in cheap laptops as well as the majority of netbooks. Such devices have their memory soldered onto the motherboard, which cannot be removed and thus substituted without devotee equipment. Should this be the case then unfortunately there's nothing you can do. In such scenarios it might be a good idea to consider upgrading your hard disk drive (Hdd) for a modern solid state drive (Ssd). While virtual memory is by no means as high doing as conventional memory, even when simulated on a Ssd, you'll consideration a much smoother wide user experience.

Houston, all my memory slots are already full

If after all the above your efforts go in vain only to examine all memory slots are already filled with Sodimm's then there's literally no choice than to take off existing Sodimm's to make way for new ones. Before you embark on such decision however, check to make sure your laptop isn't already running the maximum capacity it supports. In some cases this will hold true while not in others. Remember that although adding more memory than your laptop officially supports is at times potential and thus does enable carport operation, it's not always this simple. To save yourself the inconvenience and potentially money loss don't go assuming this to be true unless you understand the fundamental hardware and its specifications.

Houston, is there any shortcut to knowing which slots are free?

In short, the retort is yes but that's still only part of the full picture. While you can equally learn how many memory slots your laptop contains as well as which are currently occupied by Sodimm's via software such as Cpu-Z, Aida64 etc., this doesn't offer you any indication as to where they are physically placed inside. As a result, while you'll learn the necessary piece of information that is the number of memory slots present in your laptop, you will still need to look on its underside and/or under the keyboard/palm rest to examine their corporal whereabouts.

Laptop Memory factory 101 - Locating Sodimm Memory Slots