Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
speed, physical size, capacity, and error-correction features. Your motherboard probably
supports only one or two different types, so consult your PC's manual or a reliable reference,
such as the Crucial utility used in the following exercise, to determine what to buy.
EXERCISE 7.3
Checking the RAM
1.
Open a web browser, and go to
www.crucial.com/store/drammemory.aspx
. Click Scan My
System. Then click Download The Scanner, and follow the prompts to install the scanning
tool. The website automatically detects your OS and offers the appropriate version; if you're
installing the Mac version, drag it into the Applications folder after the download.
2.
Run the scanning tool. It reports what memory you have installed and what slots are
available. Here's an example of the results. On this system, one slot holds 4 GB, one
holds 2 GB, and there are no empty slots. The report also tells what type(s) of RAM
would be compatible with this system—DDR3 PC3-8500 or DD$3 PC3-10600.
3.
Close the web browser.
4.
(Optional) If you don't want to keep this scanning tool, remove it from the Control
Panel (Windows) or drag it out of the Applications folder (Mac) as you learned to do in
Chapter 6, “Installing and Confi guring Software.”
Hard Disk Drives
Replacing the main hard disk drive in a notebook or other portable computer isn't easy,
but it may be the only available option if there is room for only one hard drive. Replacing
a hard drive means backing up all its data, installing the new drive, partitioning and
formatting the drive, and then restoring the data to it.
Adding another hard drive and keeping your old one too is easier, but installing
an internal drive requires an available
drive bay
(that is, a cavity where a drive can be
mounted). In a desktop PC, there is almost always room for at least one more hard drive.
(It doesn't hurt to peek inside the case and make sure before you buy, though.) In a
notebook PC, there almost never is an open bay. If you don't have an open bay, you can use
an external USB or FireWire drive instead to increase your storage capacity.
