How to Install Memory in a Mac Powerbook

Macintosh Powerbooks still are very useful laptop computers. They aren't as fast as Macbooks, of course, but they still have lots of uses. You can increase the speed and reduce the heat produced by doing two things to a Powerbook: upgrading the hard drive to a newer, faster model and increase the random access memory (RAM) to its maximum.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Nickel
• Phillips screwdriver
• PC2-4200 DDR2 RAM chips
• Or PC2700 200-pin SODIMM RAM chips

1. Unplug the Powerbook and turn it over. Use a nickel or other coin to open the battery compartment and remove the battery.

2. Remove the four screws in the RAM compartment door with the Phillips screwdriver. These screws are located in the center, bottom of the Powerbook.

3. Remove the RAM compartment cover and look to see if there are one or two RAM chips inside. One will be over the other. For 15-inch Powerbooks, both RAM chips are removable. In 12-inch Powerbooks, the bottom one is hard-wired to the computer and can't be removed.

4. Pull the side clips away from the RAM chip, left and right. The chip will pop up. Slide it out of the connection and remove it. Repeat this for the second RAM chip underneath on 15-inch Powerbooks.

5. Take the new RAM chip and slide it into the bottom connector, then press it down until it locks in its clips. Repeat for the top chip.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you select the right RAM chips for your Powerbook. Older Powerbooks take PC2700 200-pin SODIMM RAM chips while later models take the PC2-4200 DDR2 RAM chips. 12-inch Powerbooks only can handle a maximum of 1.25 GB of RAM; the built-in 256mb chip and up to one 1 GB chip. 15-inch Powerbooks can handle up to 2 GB of RAM.

[paulvail]

on 8/8/2009 Some older Powerbook G4/12" machines had 128 Mb soldered in, not 256 Mb as described above.