[acabtp]

Maxing out the memory (RAM) on your Dell Mini is easy, cheap, and effective. Do it today!

Frequently Asked Questions
I thought the max was 1 gb? Why doesn't Dell offer it with more? - In order to ship the Mini with Windows XP instead of Windows Vista, there are some hardware specs that the Mini needs to be below, one of which is a maximum installed memory of 1 gb. This is just a restriction at the time of sale... the Mini hardware and the version of XP Home preinstalled on the Mini both work just fine with more than 1 gb RAM.

Will this void my warranty? - No, as long as you are careful and do not break anything.

What kind of memory can I use? - Any DDR2 SODIMM (laptop memory chip) that runs at 533 MHz (DDR2-4200) or faster. 2 gb chips are big and cheap, so it is the only size that makes sense to buy for now.

Where did you get your memory? How much did it cost? - You can get it anywhere, DDR2 SODIMM chips are standardized, and it is not specific to the Mini. Expect to pay between $30 (online) and $50 (brick and mortar).
Buy the memory from Crucial for just $28 USD or £22 for Europe/UK


Can I use a RAM chip with tighter timings? - Yes, you can. As long as the memory you are using has its performance timing value stored in the SPD, the Mini will use them. You cannot however specify the memory timings manually in the BIOS; they must be stored in the chip's SPD.

Does the Mini support RAM speeds greater than 533 MHz? - No.

On to the installation...

Swapping out the RAM
Start by turning the Mini over and removing the two screws indicated by the red circles.



Use your finger to gently pry the module cover up at this area and pop it out

and remove it


Gently pull the two metal tabs indicated by the circles to the sides, away from the center of the memory chip.

The chip will pop up to about a 25° angle and you can remove it.


Insert the new chip into the socket, making sure it is fully seated. Note that you cannot see the gold contacts at the bottom of the chip when it is fully inserted in the socket.



Gently press down on the chip until the two metal tabs you moved before lock into place on the new chip. This does not take much effort at all (one finger) so if there is any resistance, make sure you have the chip seated properly.



Replace the module cover, starting with the edge closest to the front of the laptop. Gently bend it like so to help the side clips snap back into place.



Once the cover is snapped back on, just replace the two screws you removed at the start and power the unit back up! No configuration steps are necessary, and you should see your newly installed memory available in your OS.

[hardcrash]

just confirmation - works in both xp and ubuntu. swapped a 2gb chip in after first windows boot. SODIMM DDR2 667 MHZ. installed ubuntu same night ... both recognize 2gb.

[blooker]

Originally Posted by blooker

What improvements can one expect to see with 2GB of RAM?

Answer to my own question.

Try running Google Earth with 500mb vs. 2gb and see the difference.

[hardcrash]

Guessing big difference ..

[jp1216]

So - just to confirm - I can use either 4200/533 or 5300/667? Makes no difference. Price is about the same.

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by jp1216

So - just to confirm - I can use either 4200/533 or 5300/667? Makes no difference. Price is about the same.

That's correct. Both will work, but your Mini will run either one at 533.

[ftheriaa]

Is 2gb the max, or will the motherboard recognize 4gb?

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by ftheriaa

Is 2gb the max, or will the motherboard recognize 4gb?

That's unknown since 2gb is as big as they come and the Mini only has 1 slot.

[ftheriaa]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820134685
There are, but I'm not about to plunk down that much change to find out haha :-)

[acabtp]

huh, yeah, that's super expensive. i didn't even know there were any... i was unable to locate them when i was looking before.

[Philmatic]

Just ordered a G.SKILL 2GB module from NewEgg.com for $27.99 + $6.99 shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820231146

Here is the complete list, sorted by price: http://tinyurl.com/4bp3su

If the shipping turns you off, there is a Kingston module that is $29.99 with free shipping: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820134770