Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying About the Warranty and Love the Extra Memory
This is not the only guide of its kind. But unlike some, it does not end half way through the process with words to the effect of, "now, just reverse what you've done so far, to complete the upgrade."
Undoubtedly, the most serious "bear-trap" that confronts the would-be memory up-grader is the effect that the do-it-yourself approach may have on their AAO's warranty. There may not be any "warranty void if seal broken" stickers in evidence, but there is no way that the AAO could be said to have been designed with owner memory upgrades in mind. A fact obscured by the brevity of some how-to guides on the subject. Acer may have included a SODIMM socket in their design of the One, but the fact that you have to, more or less, completely disassemble the machine in order to access it, suggests that it was never intended for anything other than factory use.
There is some merit to the suggestion (made elsewhere) that the warranty conscious AAO owner may prefer to take it and their memory module purchase to their original AAO supplier for fitting. However, you would need to be confident of their service department's ability to perform what is, after all, a tricky operation. Don't assume that you're covered if they break something that you've entrusted to their care. (I have personal experience of the damage that so-called service engineers can do to a motherboard that they are unfamiliar with. Luckily for me, the manufacturer came to my rescue on that occasion.) At the very least, you would hope that anyone performing this procedure on your behalf knew at a minimum as much as is contained below.
With this in mind, if you can handle delicate components with confidence, you may prefer the DIY approach. Anyone with a background in watch making, dentistry, eye surgery, bomb disposal, or, of course, electronics assembly, armed with a few small screwdrivers and the following instructions should have no trouble in achieving success. And that is the reason for producing yet another guide.
What follows is a step-by-step account of the complete process of installing a memory module. Save for the one above, there's no further mention of bear-traps. Rather consider the whole process to be one big bear-trap, around which you need to keep your wits.
Finally, it should go without saying, that these instructions are offered "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The entire risk of undertaking them lies with you.
What's needed:
- A suitable memory module[1]
- A pair (sizes #0 and #1) of cross-head jeweller's screwdrivers[2] (one response has suggested using sizes #00 and #0)
- A flat head screwdriver at least 3mm wide, worn, if possible, to avoid scratches
- A pair of tweezers for handling small screws is optional but highly recommended
- Plenty of space on your working surface, and
- A couple of hours peace and quiet.
In addition, at least one sheet of A4 paper would be handy, as would printouts of some of the following figures.
Electro static safety
Electronics blowhards would have you believe that every time you pick up a device with a printed circuit board in it, you run the risk of frying its integrated circuits. By all means use any anti-static equipment that you already own. But don't feel you have to go out and buy some, if you don't. There are a number of tips you can follow for free to minimise the risk of causing damage through static.
Avoid working in a room with carpet, or, for that matter, in a lightning storm. Seriously, though, you can pick up static charge by walking on carpet, especially if you're wearing rubber soled footwear. So work in a room without carpet, like a kitchen or garage. Any room fitted with a radiator, cooker, boiler or pipe work, would also be suitable as any static that you may have picked up could be discharged through touching an exposed metal surface.
You can also pick up static charge from your clothing. So if you've just pulled your favourite sweater off over your head, be sure to earth yourself, as described above.
Also, handle electronic circuit boards as little as possible. Leave them in any anti-static packaging that they came in for as long as possible, and only ever hold them by their edges. In particular, avoid touching any exposed metal pads or terminals.
Finally, if you have a lamp with a unpainted metal base, and a three pin plug, the metal base will be connected to the earth pin of the plug. Put it on your work surface and plug it in. It doesn't need to be switched on. As long as it's plugged in, you can earth your hands before you touch anything sensitive to static, by first touching the lamp base. This last tip is particularly useful if you have no choice but to work in a carpeted room.
And so to war
The first and most important step in the whole process is to read through these instructions thoroughly. Do not attempt them unless you understand them completely.
A few words about how the AAO is constructed will help explain the terms that are used below. The AAO consists of two major parts that are hinged together: a cover (housing the screen and webcam) and a case. The case itself is made of two pieces that are screwed together: a lid (housing the keyboard and touchpad) and a base (housing the battery compartment and internal components). The internal components include a solid state disk (SSD), a wireless network adapter (wifi card), a mainboard (housing the bulk of the processor chips and a variety of i/o ports that poke through portholes in the left side of the base), and a secondary board (housing more i/o ports poking through portholes in the right side of the base.)
Cracking open the clam
Or: Opening up the case to expose the internal components
The SODIMM socket can only be accessed by exposing the under side of the AAO mainboard. And that involves removing the lid of the AAO's case.
So, with the AAO shut down, disconnect its power lead and flip it over onto its closed cover. Working on a large piece of paper or card will help protect the cover's finish.
Fig.1 Remove battery and rear rubber feet
There are three obvious cross-head screws that will need to be removed from the under side of the case. But removing the battery and the two rubber feet nearest to it will reveal a further five that must also be unscrewed.
The feet are held down by double-sided adhesive tape. A bluntish (3mm, or similar) flat head screwdriver, is useful for prising them out of their shallow housings. If you're lucky, the adhesive tape will peal away with them. If it remains attached, use the screwdriver to gently peal it off and immediately apply it to the foot it came off. Keep the feet sticky face up, clean and dust free. The feet must be re attached later, so preserve as much of their stickiness as possible.
In order to keep track of which holes the screws you are about to remove belong to, you may like to arrange them in their correct positions on a (full size) printout of the following figure.
Fig.2 Remove all 8 exposed screws
Use a #1 cross-head screwdriver to remove all the exposed screws. Notice that the three removed from the holes in the battery compartment are shorter than the rest.
In the figure, the accessory compartment has been uncovered. This proved to be an unnecessary step. It can be left unopened.
With the under side screws removed and stored safely, flip the AAO over and open the cover to reveal the keyboard. The case lid is still secured to the case base by several screws underneath the keyboard, which is, therefore, the next thing to remove.
Fig.3 Release keyboard retaining clips
The keyboard assembly is held down by five sprung clips: three along the back edge and one along either side.
A flat-head screwdriver is a pretty blunt instrument with which to free the keyboard. Without a more suitable tool, the risk of causing damage is high. Covering the end with a piece of tape adds some protection. But use as little force as you can get away with.
Start with the middle of the three rear retaining clips. Hold the screwdriver perpendicular to the back edge and as flat against the keyboard surface as possible. Apply horizontal pressure with its very tip in order to force the clip back into the body of the case lid. You'll probably end up pressing the F8 key down in the process, so be careful not the damage it. Start with a very gentle push, and gradually increase the pressure. You'll see the clip disappear into the lid, but it may take several attempts before it goes in far enough to allow the keyboard assembly to pop up.
Once the middle has popped up, use the same technique to free the other two clips along the back edge, and then the two smaller clips on either side of the keyboard. Thus freed, the keyboard assembly can be tipped up to reveal the flat thick-film cable that attaches it to the mainboard.
hmraao wrote:roberton wrote:... Instead of a screw-driver I used a credit card and a small piece of a CD to pop-out the key-board.
Excellent suggestion
Fig.4 Release keyboard ZIF connector latch
Release the keyboard cable by flipping up the ZIF connector latch running along its length. Put the keyboard assembly to one side.
Fig.5 Release touchpad ZIF connector latch
The touchpad assembly that is part of the case lid, is attached to the mainboard by a much narrower flat cable. Release the cable by flipping up the latch of its much shorter ZIF connector, that, like the keyboard's ZIF connector, pokes through the case lid.
Again, in order to keep track of which holes the screws you are about to remove belong to, you may like to arrange them in their correct positions on a (full size) printout of the following figure.
Fig.6 Remove remaining 6 lid screws
Use a #1 cross-head screwdriver to remove all but one of the screws still securing the lid. The silver screw on the extreme right of the figure needs a smaller #0 cross-head screwdriver, and is the only such screw you'll come across.
With these six screws removed, all that is holding the lid and base together is some thin flanging around the front and side edges. Starting at the rear and working forwards, all that is required is some gentle flexing of the case to free its lid.
Fig.7 Rear case lid spurs hinder its removal
Unfortunately, figure 7 is misleading. It gives the impression that the case lid can be removed by tipping it up at the rear. In fact, the case lid has to be tipped up from the front. The figure shows, not very clearly I'm afraid, one of a pair of spurs at the back of the lid. They hook round the hinge mechanism in the base and prevent the lid from being tipped up from the rear. There is a better view of the spurs, and the problem they pose, in figure 22 below.
Tip the case lid up at the front and manoeuvre the spurs out from under the hinges at the rear, to reveal the contents of the case base in all its glory.
Flipping the pancake
Or: Inverting the mainboard to access the SODIMM socket
Figure 8 below is the final one worth printing out (full size) in order to keep track of the screws you will be removing. Note that one of the screw locations is actually obscured in the figure, though it is still highlighted.
Hint: This is, in fact, the figure that I wish I had been in a position to print out. If you print out none of the others, at least print this one, because, as you can see, there are a lot of empty screw holes that can lead to confusion.
Fig.8 Final screw removal locations (one obscured) required to free mainboard
The mainboard with the SODIMM socket on its reverse, is the large printed circuit board on the left. There is only one more screw securing it. Unfortunately, even without that screw, it would still be practically impossible to flip without first removing most of the other components contained within the case base. So, brace yourself sweet cakes...it's going to be a bumpy ride.
An alternate approach to accessing the sodimm socket has been suggested: see viewtopic.php?f=40&t=2673&p=24863#p24863
Fig.9 Unplug internal speakers cable. Remove MB and wifi card screws
Ease the white, red and black speakers cable's plug from its connector near the centre of the mainboard. The plug is small and very firmly inserted. So, if you need to use tweezers or a screwdriver to help it out, take great care not to damage surrounding components.
Remove the screw near the edge of the mainboard, where the speakers cable disappears under it.
Remove the screw holding down the wifi card just to the right of that.
Fig.10 Remove secondary board screws
Remove the three screws securing the secondary "interface" board.
Lifting the left of the board a few millimeters with a slight anti-clockwise twist, will ease it away from the portholes on the right side of base. Take care not to damage the switch that mates with the wifi activation slider at the front of the case base.
It isn't necessary to disconnect the thick black cable that runs between the two boards near the front of the case. Just move the secondary board enough to access the SSD that it partially covered. It also helps to move the wifi card to one side.
Fig.11 Remove both SSD screws
Remove both screws that secure the SSD, one of which was hidden by the secondary board.
Fig.12 Release the SSD ZIF latch
Flip up the latch of the ZIF connector to release the SSD board's flat cable. Lift out the SSD and put it to one side.
Fig.13 Limb of mainboard wedged at rear of case base
The only remaining obstacle to flipping the mainboard is a short limb of PCB, highlighted in the figure above, that is wedged under a recess at the rear of the case base. A very slight lift and counter-clockwise twist to the mainboard will ease it out of the portholes on the left. You don't want to move the mainboard far, just ease it enough towards the front of the case base, so that the PCB limb in the top left corner is freed.
hmraao wrote:Yako wrote:... for HDD user[s] there is one step that is different ... I didn't find a way [to] remove the HDD first without removing the [main]board. What I did was flipped the [main]board [together] with the HDD. The HDD is [fixed] to a cage-like mechanism that is securely attached to the [main]board, so try not [to] flex it too much when lifting [them.]
This message is just my observation during the changing the ram process and is posted as is without warranties what so ever.
Indeed, it is not strickly necessary to detach the SSD from the mainboard in order to perform the flip. It's just not as well secured as the HDD, so more likely to come adrift unexpectedly, if you don't detach it.
A very helpful comment, slightly edited to match the rest of the guide.
Fig.14 Flip main and secondary boards onto display revealing SODIMM socket
With the mainboard now free to move, and the wifi card out of the way to the right, align the secondary board with the mainboard on top of the case base, so that you can flip them both together to lie on the display, thus revealing the empty SODIMM socket.
Tip: DO NOT DO WHAT I DID, as seen in figure 14. Rather, protect the display surface with a spare sheet of paper before flipping over the boards.
Filling the hole
Or: Inserting the RAM module
Carefully remove your SODIMM memory module from its packaging.
Fig.15 SODIMM memory module locating notch
Figure 15 shows the memory module's locating notch which must be lined up with the corresponding locating pin on the memory socket when it is inserted. Notice, that as shown, the module needs to be flipped over left to right in order to line up with the socket in the figure below.
Fig.16 Line up the SODIMM socket locating pin with the memory module notch
If you jiggle the memory module gently as you slip it into the SODIMM socket at a slight angle, it shouldn't require a great deal of force to push it completely into the socket, so that the locating pin almost completely fills the notch.
Fig.17 Properly seat SODIMM module then press flat into socket
Once the module is properly seated, only gentle pressure is needed to push it flat into the socket, so that socket's retaining arms clip onto either side of the module.
"There and back again"
Or: Now, just reverse what you've done so far, to complete the upgrade
With the memory module in place, the game-plan shifts from one of attack to retreat. It may seem as if the journey home is going to be awfully familiar, but there are still plenty of points of interest to view. At least as much care is needed to put everything back together again, as it took to take apart.
Fig.18 Several pins confirm the mainboard's correct location
Flip both boards back over into the main body of the case base, checking that the speakers cable that emerges through the notch along the front edge of the mainboard, is lying properly in its channel beneath. Once you're happy that the cable will not be pinched when the board is screwed down, ease the mainboard limb back into its recess at the back, so that the ports on the left of the mainboard line up with their corresponding portholes in the case base. There are several pins that help line up the mainboard correctly, three of which are highlighted in the figure above.
Fig.19 Refit the SSD
Move the secondary board to one side, to allow the SSD board to be refitted. Secure its two retaining screws. Make sure that the flat SSD cable lies evenly in the ZIF socket and close down the latch to secure it.
Fig.20 Refit secondary board
There are also pins to help position the secondary board. But, as well as ensuring that the board's ports line up with their portholes on the right of the case base, the wifi switch at the front of the board must re-engage properly with its slider, which is part of the front of the case base. Before securing the board's three screws, check that the wifi antenna cable isn't trapped under the board. Check at the rear of the case where the antenna cable's black and white wires butt up against the end of the secondary board.
Fig.21 Refit wifi card, secure mainboard and plug in speakers cable
Refit the wireless network adapter, together with its retaining screw. Refit the mainboard's single screw and plug the speakers cable back into its socket.
Fig.22 Check display cable bundle position
The figure above offers a much better view of the two spurs that project from under the rear of the case lid. These need to be hooked under the hinge assemblies before lining up the front of the case lid and base. But before attempting to refit the lid, make sure that the display cable bundle, highlighted in the top left corner of the figure, has not splayed out beyond the bounds of the case. If it has, use gentle pressure to push it back inside the case, so that it won't be pinched when you refit the lid.
Once you are happy with the position of the display cable bundle, offer up the lid to the base, sloping it downward towards the back of the case, so that the spurs hook under the hinges. Once in, line up the front edges of the case base and lid. Then, starting at the front and working your way round the sides towards the rear, gently squeeze the two halves of the case together until they click into place. The rear edges themselves won't click together. They are secured with screws later.
Fig.23 Position and secure the touchpad cable and refit the under keyboard screws
The flat touchpad connecting cable will probably have lined up with its ZIF socket. If not, you can adjust its position using the blue pull-tab, before closing the ZIF latch.
Refit the screws (five black and one silver) that you removed earlier.
Fig.24 Position and secure the keyboard cable
Holding the keyboard at right angles to the case, as above, carefully position the keyboard's thick film cable in its ZIF socket before securing it by closing the latch.
Fig.25 Refit the keyboard
As you lower the keyboard into position, ensure that the four tongues along its front edge, highlighted above, slip into their corresponding recesses. Gently press down the edge of the keyboard at each of the five sprung clip points, until they engage.
The end is nigh
Or: Only two more figures, then a big finish
Fig.26 Refit the under side screws
Close the AAO cover and invert the case. Refit all eight screws removed earlier, remembering that the three in the battery compartment holes are shorter than the rest.
Fig.27 Refit rubber feet and battery
Press the rubber feet firmly into their housings and refit the battery. If you also removed the accessory compartment cover, replace it. Otherwise, you're good to go.
Power up, and press F2 to check that the BIOS detects the extra memory.
So, finally, that most classic of all makeover show moments: the before and after reveal.
This concludes another feature presentation bought to you by HMRAAO, inspired by the genius of Family Guy.
Giggity Goo.
...........................................................................
Footnotes:
[1] I've led too many forum horses to water that they wouldn't drink to get into any arguments about what constitutes a suitable memory module. All I did was use a well known site's Memory Advisor(TM) tool. If you want to get any more fancy than that, then good luck to you.
[2] Jeweller's screwdrivers worked for me. But I'm a "good carpenter." YEMD.
One final parting tip. Screws should never need to be forced, but will fit best in their original holes. So try not to mix them up;)
Th-th-th-that's all folks!
Copyright © 2008 HmrQtr
All guide contents is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
