How to Upgrade an Asus EEE PC 900A

The Asus EEE PC 900A comes with 4GB of solid-state drive (SSD) memory and 1GB of RAM. Users of the EEE PC might find that their performance isn't optimal and opt to upgrade the memory and the RAM. This is especially true if users plan to add another operating system to their 900A unit. However, you can upgrade the drive and the RAM.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Phillips 0 and 00 screwdriver
• USB Stick

1. Buy a 2GB RAM card, as this is the highest amount the EEE PC will accept. Buy a 16GB or 32GB SSD that is compatible with the EEE system. The Super Talent FPM16GRSE Mini PCIe and the Super Talent FPM32GRSE Mini PCIe 32GB Mini PCIe are both compatible with EEE PCs. Corsair Value Select DDR2 67MHz is a compatible RAM card for this system.

2. If you bought a SATA SSD card, you need to upgrade the BIOS for it to work in the system. Download the BIOS upgrades from the ASUS website (asus.com). Rename the file to 900A.ROM. Save this file to a USB stick (at least 1GB) that is bootable in FAT 16 (or FAT). If the stick isn't in the FAT 16 format, it might not work in your system.

3. Turn off the computer, insert the USB stick, and restart the system. Make sure your computer is plugged into an AC power source. As soon as the screen loads, press the "Alt" and "F2" keys simultaneously. The BIOS subsequently loads. Once the updates start, do not touch anything on your computer. Doing so might cause irrevocable damage. After the BIOS update is completed, restart the system. Refer to the Tips section if you can't get the BIOS screen to load.

4. Make sure your system works and then turn off the computer, unplug it and remove the battery.

5. Grab your Phillips 0 and 00 screwdrivers. Remove the back two panel screws very carefully and remove the panel. The card with the screws in the SSD card and the one below it is the RAM.

6. Remove the RAM by slightly pressing out the metal tabs on each side. Lift up the RAM, slide it out and slide the new RAM in. Make sure you slide it in completely.

7. Remove the SSD card screws very slowly and carefully. You do not want them to fall in the back of the system. Replace the card with the new one and screw it in tightly.

8. Screw the back panel onto the EEE PC 900A. Reinsert the battery and turn on your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• In Step 3, if you couldn't access the BIOS settings by pressing "Alt" and "F2" simultaneously, you might need to turn off the Quick Boot functionality. Restart your computer and press the "F2" key repeatedly to enter the BIOS. If that doesn't work after several tries, then press the "F1" key repeatedly. If that doesn't work, then press the "Del" key repeatedly until the BIOS screen loads. After it loads, go to the "Boot" tab and select the Boot Configuration Settings. Press "Enter" to disable Quick Boot and save your changes. Exit, restart and go back to Step 3.

• If the keyboard keys don't work after entering the BIOS settings, then insert a USB keyboard into your EEE PC and follow the steps.

• If you change the memory and RAM and your system doesn't start, then remove the RAM and reinsert it. Slide it in from the top to the bottom until it clicks. "Faulty" RAM is often due to incorrectly installing the RAM.

• Do not touch your computer when you are updating the BIOS. Also make sure your EEE is on AC power before you start the BIOS upgrades.

Resources

• Asus Support