How to Upgrade a Sony Vaio Desktop RAM to Four Gigs

While a computer's processor acts as the heart of the machine, it is the RAM that gives a computer its "go power," so to speak. The more RAM your computer has access to, the faster your machine will be able to launch programs and the more programs it can run effectively. Installing RAM on your machine is a simple task, provided that you have the time to look at what your old RAM is.

Things You'll Need

• 4GB of RAM in either two 2GB sticks or 4 1GB sticks
• Soft cloth
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Power down your computer and disconnect the power cable leading into it.

2. Lay a soft cloth down on a table and lay your Vaio, face down, on the cloth.

3. Remove the back panel by first grabbing it and sliding it towards you, being sure to slide it around the prop stand.

4. Unscrew the single screw holding down a metal plate that covers the RAM.

5. Tilt the RAM upwards and pull it out, away from the computer. If you do not intend to remove memory, only install more, move on to the next step.

6. Insert the RAM into the allotted memory slots, making sure they have a clean connection and are seated completely in the slot.

7. Place the metal cover back over the memory and screw it into place.

8. Slide the back panel back into place and sit the computer upright.

9. Reconnect the power cable to complete the upgrade process.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the RAM is the same type (DDR, DDR2, etc.) and speed (533 MHz, 800 MHz, etc.) as the RAM currently in your machine. Because the computer is pre-built, the motherboard will likely recognize only RAM that runs at the same speeds as the RAM in the machine.

References

• Sony Vaio Online Support
• Vaio System Reference Manual (PDF)
• Vaio User Guide