RAM upgrade for Acer Aspire One D255E - How?

[garybond]

My local computer shop installed a 2 gig RAM stick I bought from Crucial for $25 plus $15 shipping. On eBay I bought a Windows 7 basic upgrade to Windows home premium for $38 which in local stores cost $99. I also bought my netbook at the Canadian Costco near me because of its automatic extended warranty. I don't mean to gloat here… Oh yes I do… But instead of the usual $309 it only cost me $259 because there was a $50 discount on it about a month ago. I am writing this post using Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 and it works like a champ. I am surprised as you are.

 

[xgsound]

If you don't absolutely need the smallness and huge battery time of the $300 Aspire netbook at costco , for $400 (also at Costco) I got a 15.6" notebook Aspire One with a dual core E-350, 4 Gb ram, Win7, and DVD. It has more omphh in every category and the cd for booting and troubleshooting.

Jim

 

[mikestjames]

Here is the 2gb Crucial item that worked fine in my wife's Acer D255e-1428 (Costco-$299-$20=$279). Atom N570/1.66mhz - 250gb

CT1596442 2GB, 204-pin SODIMM - $25

Strange that this model number isn't to be found on the Acer website. Anyway, on this model, no need to remove any but the four screws marked DOOR under the keyboard. Once these screws are out, the case plate on the bottom can be pushed loose through the exposed hole on the inside. There's a little diagram molded to the case (under the KB) in case you don't immediately recognize the push-through hole.

As far as the keyboard release clips go, the leftmost one along the top and the one on the left edge do not depress (not spring-loaded, just lugs.) Don't keep pushing those...they don't move. Your model may differ. Once the others have been depressed, you can gently pull the case edges out along that corner so that the KB pops up from the last two lugs. There is enough upward tension on the KB that it pops up as soon as the lugs are released. I did not remove the KB cable; it's easy enough to do this leaving it attached.

The D255e booted right up, 2gb recognized, no need to enter BIOS. Seems a little bit faster booting, but that could be all in my mind. Windows Experience Rating doesn't identify RAM as a problem anyway. The low numbers 2.9 and 2.0 come from the GRAPHICS and GAMING GRAPHICS, which no one buys these cheap netbooks for anyway. They are basically email, Facebook, and casual browsing machines, with decent performance on Office productivity tasks (if you MUST.) The rest of the WERs are Processor 3.3, RAM 4.6, HD 5.7.

It's for my wife, who already has a recently built Sandy Bridge DT, so we'll wait to see how she uses this before considering upgrades to W7 full version and MS Office. My guess is it will be fine as it is for lounging on the sofa and for staying in touch when traveling.

Incidentally, I originally bought a slightly older model for myself from Costco, hoping it would be a good, portable writer, but I have huge paws and just couldn't get used to the wrist angles needed for the smaller KB, so I took it back and got a 14" HP laptop instead. I loved the machine for its size and battery life, but my ape hands just didn't fit the KB.

 

[Slickone]

Darn. I was was looking for RAM for an Acer AO532h, but since it's DDR2, it's $9 more:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...e%20%28532h%29

 

[BillPNJ]

I think I just managed the upgrade... Pry the keyboard off. To do this, look carefully on the left, right and top: there are small little tabs that are spring loaded that are easy to push back with a 1/8" jeweler's flat screwdriver. There are one each on the sides, and 3-4 across the top...once pushed back the keyboard can be popped out. I left it tethered.

Once behind the keyboard you'll notice a large silver metal plate about the size of a 2.5" drive. There are 4 screws labeled "Door", roughly on the 4 four corners of this plate that come out with an 1/8" jeweler's phillips. Ignore the other screws. Once these four are out, tip the netbook on its side and push a small screw driver into the hole in the plate....a section of the back will pop off (the area with the stickers and roughly bounded by the 4 rubber "feet") once this is pried off, the memory and hard disc are easily access.

Is there a way to pry the back door off without removing the keyboard, and without damaging the door? I was able to partially pop it off by shimming my 1/16" jewelers' screwdriver under the edge of the door, but it's giving me some resistance, and I don't want to inadvertently bend the door or break tabs off it.

Just wanted to ask ... I've tried taking the keyboard off, but it's not cooperating with my fat fingers! Thanks!

 

[Beer4Me]

Is there a way to pry the back door off without removing the keyboard, and without damaging the door? I was able to partially pop it off by shimming my 1/16" jewelers' screwdriver under the edge of the door, but it's giving me some resistance, and I don't want to inadvertently bend the door or break tabs off it.

Just wanted to ask ... I've tried taking the keyboard off, but it's not cooperating with my fat fingers! Thanks!

No, it is not possible as the 4 screws you remove after you pop off the keyboard actually screw in to the plate you're trying to pry (or in this case, break) off.

 

[xrtyz200]

I think I just managed the upgrade.

My wife's Acer is a D255E, and I took it to 2Gb...it boots, but I don't have her password to check the System settings.

The above is correct, ignore the screws on the back they are a red-herring. Pry the keyboard off. To do this, look carefully on the left, right and top: there are small little tabs that are spring loaded that are easy to push back with a 1/8" jeweler's flat screwdriver. There are one each on the sides, and 3-4 across the top...once pushed back the keyboard can be popped out. I left it tethered.

Once behind the keyboard you'll notice a large silver metal plate about the size of a 2.5" drive. There are 4 screws labeled "Door", roughly on the 4 four corners of this plate that come out with an 1/8" jeweler's phillips. Ignore the other screws. Once these four are out, tip the netbook on its side and push a small screw driver into the hole in the plate....a section of the back will pop off (the area with the stickers and roughly bounded by the 4 rubber "feet") once this is pried off, the memory and hard disc are easily access.

To close repeat the above, in reverse (you made it this far, you'll be able to figure out how to undo it).

Good luck

-- J

Hello! I just joined for this actually. .
I bought an acer aspire one d255e netbook, intel atom n455, with 160GB storage. .
I had looked it all up before I bought it (first time buying a laptop myself, I'm 19. . Always stuck to my desktop, but I travel alot for work now so yeah. . lol)
And I wanted something small, cute and just for my basic needs. . But from all that I had researched about what seemed to be mine, was it could be upgraded to 2 GB (After reading this thread, another Q comes up, it possibly can be upgraded higher?)
But anyways, I bought it on sale on walmart.com for $218. Normally 248. .
So, my questions. .
Once, and if I can, get the keyboard off and the door to the ram off, what would be the best thing to use to upgrade it?
Like brand and such of the stick? Cuz I've never upgraded anything personally, and I'm learning. My uncle usually upgrades my desktop, or my dad, which I would normally ask but he told me to go look up myself LOL.
As my acer is completely different than from his laptops and he's busy with work.
So, I'm a total noob.
Also, a stupid question. . but as I'm trying to get off the keyboard to at least understand what I'm doing, the left and right tabs and the one on top to the far left will not budge in. While the other 3 on the top will, do I need to just be alittle more forceful? Or should I just stop touchin it. . . lol
I can't take it to my uncle, for. . he doesn't do laptops. . lol and we have no computer places around here for such. The last place we had shut down a few years ago.

So yes, basic Qs,
what would yall suggest for me to use to upgrade?
and what do I need to do about taking off the keyboard, if anything at all?
Oh and it possibly can be upgraded higher than 2 GB?. .

Sorry for the long post, I tend to write alot forgive me.
Thanks in advance!
~Tyz

Edit: Nevermind! Got it off and out and open, and found the stick. .
it says it's a GDDR3. . . So I suppose I'll look that up and see if I can get a bigger version?

Edit again:
I found mine on www.crucial.com for only 21 bucks. . Awesomeness!!! there isn't a higher one built for mine it seems but 2gb, but that's perfectly fine for me. So, looks like I'm buying that!
I'm leaving this for anyone else to use the info if they need it
and on the keyboard, while they still would go all the way back. . I found it easy to still pop off the keyboard over them once I got the other 4 to back in. So yeah. . Total awesomness! Gonna be ordering the 2GB card this week sometime. .

 

[inlawbiker]

I just got done finishing my Aspire One to 2gb. The above is correct here's a little more info.

Mine is a D255E-13111 (red color). First of all, if you're considering whether this upgrade is worth the hassle - YES it is. The computer is night and day faster now. It's noticeable immediately.

Which RAM to buy - doesn't matter so long as the specs are correct. I used Kingston ValueRAM from Newegg for $12.99 shipped.

Kingston ValueRAM 2GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Laptop Memory Model KVR1066D3S7/2G Item #: N82E16820134693

If you have a newer 255E - do NOT use the YouTube video as a guide. It's not correct for this model. (ignore this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EfzckyZMTk).

The previous posters are correct, you don't need to remove the screws on the back of the unit. Pry out the keyboard carefully. I unplugged the keyboard strip from the connector. It's a little hard to plug back in but not very difficult. You can leave it attached but it'll dangle there while you work.

There is where I was confused - once you remove the 4 (1) Door screws it says to push a screwdriver through the hole. What they don't say is - pushing that hole just pushes the entire back cover of the netbook off. I was expecting a little door to spring open somewhere. You will have to pick up the netbook and turn it on its side. Then push through the hole.

From there open the RAM door, plug in your new RAM and reverse your steps.

This is my first Netbook, it will come in handy for trips to offload my digital camera SD cards, check my mail etc.

In all I think this unit is pretty flimsy and I don't expect it to last, but the RAM upgrade has made me like it twice as much. Really.

G.

 

[Slickone]

I swapped out the 1GB for 2GB in an AO532H recently and thankfully it has an access door on the bottom so it only took about 30 seconds. It does seem snappier now. I'm sure everything is quicker, but without timing before and after, it's hard to realize how much, although I did notice that windows open/close/minimize/maximize quicker.

 

[terrence82]

Hi ! i am Terrence, so im using aspire one d255e with xp home os than after upgrade 1gb to 2gb 1333 kingstone ram My netbook work normaly but when i click restart my netbook won't boot the screen blank black with power light still on ! why ? can help me ?
so now i only can click shutdown to turn it off and press start button to turn it on...(Cannot Click Restart to Reboot System)!!