HOWTO Upgrade RAM in Aspire One 533 from 1GB to 2GB

[stardancer]

So I just successfully upgraded my ram in my new Acer Aspire One 533 from 1GB to 2GB and thought I would share. It's easy to do, I think it's even slightly easier to access the RAM slot in the 533 than on earlier models.

First: make sure you get the right ram! More on this at the end of this guide. You need: 2GB 204-pin PC3-8500 CL7 RAM. You can get this from Crucial.com.

- IMPORTANT UPDATE: My friend ordered a SODIMM from crucial and here was low-density and it did not work. My original 10600 chip that didn't work was also low-density. The chip that did work was high-density. It may be that the chip from Crucial was defective but to be safe, I recommend calling Crucial to place the order and specifically request at *high-density* chip!


A video of this is available right here.

• Step-by-step
• Unplug the computer and remove the battery.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Remove the keyboard. Using a plastic tool, gently push the tab near the top-right of the keyboard and gently pry it up. Once you have the corner up, gently work around the keyboard, pushing in tabs as needed.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• optional - if you want, remove the keyboard cable by gentle pushing down the two small white clips on the side of the connector. Pull the cable ribbon out of the connector. If you do not do this step: BE CAREFUL - you do NOT want to break this cable or the connector.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• You should be able to see 6 screws clearly marked (they say "M2x6"). Unscrew these 6 screws (there is a 7th one but it has black paint/marker on it, you don't need to touch this one.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Poke a scew-driver through the hole near bottom right of the hard drive (there is a picture of a screw-driver being poked through the hole). This will pop off a corner of the back panel.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Flip the computer over, gently work around the back panel with your fingers and pop it up.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• You should now be able to see the RAM slot. Gently separate the two metal clips on the side of the RAM slot - this should release the RAM that is already in there. Pull it out, pay attention to the position of the little notch.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Place the new RAM chip in, lining up the little notch. Gently push the RAM down until the two metal clips "grab" it.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Put the back panel back on, put the big tabs in first than just push the rest of the panel down gently[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Flip the computer back over, screw the 6 screws back in[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Replace the keyboard cable if you disconnected it.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Replace the keyboard, start with the big tabs on the bottom - slide them in, then just push the rest of the keyboard down until all the tabs "click"[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Cross the fingers, start the computer.[/*:m:fus3l0zt]
• Ta-Da![/*:m:fus3l0zt]

Notes on the RAM in the AO533: The RAM SoDIMM that came with my computer says "Kingston 1GB 1Rx8 PC3-10600S 9-10-B1", this looks a lot like PC3-10600 to me. I bought a 10600 SoDIMM (Kingston KVR1333D3S9/2G 1.5V, 2GB PC3-10600 CL9). It didn't work! It may be that it is CL9 and not CL7. Anyway, the second SoDIMM I got was from Crucial, using their online tool. It's 2GB 204-pin PC3-8500 CL7 RAM, from Crucial.com.

You may be able to put in PC3-10600 if it has CL7, but I didn't want to waste any more cash.

If you have successfully upgraded your RAM, can you please post which SODIMM you used and any issues you encountered, this will help others! Thanks.

 

[ibmusa]

A much simpler way is to pry the back panel out from the side where the headphone jack is (left hand side if you have the computer upside down with the battery facing away from you). You can pry the back panel out all the way to the lower right hand corner but don't go further -- if you really want to remove the entire back panel, you do have to remove the keyboard (no need to remove any screws) and poke the hole marked by a screwdriver. This essential push an extension of the back panel out of the computer. The rest of the back panel is only held by tabs. None of the screws mentioned in a youtube video attached to the back panel at all.

To change the RAM, you do not have to remove the back panel completely. The panel is made from a flexible plastic. You can band it without breaking it. I was able to remove and replace the factory RAM just by prying it out starting from the top (next to the battery compartment) and work my way to the left. You will see the RAM around mid left hand side with the panel pry open.

 

[ibmusa]

Stardancer,

Are you running Windows 7? Have the 533 been working ok after the RAM upgrade? The tread in the YouTube video says some of them have blue screen of death problem occasionally. The YouTube poster says she mostly run Linux without problem.

Is you 533 running fine so far?

 

[stardancer]

Hi,

I am the youtube video poster

I use linux mostly, though I have MacOS Snow Leopard and Windows 7 on the machine. All seem to run fine, no lock-ups. I can't guarantee anything, the person with the lock-ups may have had a bad ram chip or the wrong kind of RAM (they did not install the ram I used).

In terms of the back-panel: If it's possible to pry the panel off without opening the keyboard, then I highly suggest it. On my machine, there is one or screws that are attached to the panel, if however you can pry it open enough to replace the memory, tant mieux, go for it!

If you have success upgrading the ram, I would love it if you posted your results in this thread with information on the RAM SoDIMM you used and any problems you had.

Thanks, SD

 

[Tony123]

Hi,

Wow...scary stuff...and to think that if they'd put a little door in the back it would be so much easier....!

Anyway...since this looked scary I took a look around the inside of the battery slot and there look to be 3 tabs that could potentially be popped to get the back panel off. Has anyone had any experience of trying/doing this? Did you consider this as a possibilty before going the whole hog and taking the keyboard off? Just asking 'cos I'd really prefer to not be jabbing screwdrivers around if I don;t have to!

Tony.

 

[Tony123]

OK...answering my own post here..sorry!

Well...I bit the bullet and went for it. Used the Crucial online memory checker to pick the RAM and I think it wwas basically the same as yours. Anyway, since it chose it I didn't have to think about it!

Prising the keyboard off....scary stuff but eventually managed it. May be worth saying that there are 3 spring loaded tabs at the top part of the keyboard that you can press in to pop the keyboard up a little before doing the prising. Used a metal screwdriver (couldn't find any plastic ones..meh) so got a couple of scratches, but hey...it's not an ornament!

After that on the plastic below there were instructions to remove 2 screws, both were lablelled "1" on the plastic moulding so removed those - once the back came off it was clear that these were definitely attached to the back panael and holding it on so no amount of prising was going to compelteley remove it. Poked the blunt end of a wooden skewer through the hole to pop the back off and it came off OK.

Then, simply a matter of popping the memory and re-inserting the new stuff. Seems to work OK so far (only did it half hour ago so still time for problems though....!)

Thanks very much for the INCREDIBLY informative video there - don't think I'd have been able to do it without. Gold star for you

Oh..love the backing music too..never heard her singing those tracks...must look them up!

Tony.

 

[casemods]

Anyone got pictures of the process?