Adding a memory DIMM to an HP XL753

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Our secretary is using an older HP XL753 with 64MB RAM.

When I was cleaning that box (from dust buildup), I thought
I'd check how easy it would be to add a second 64MB DIMM
(which is easy to buy for the XL753). I found that the memory
slots were essentially not accessible without removing
most of the hardware holding the CD and Floppy drives.
Does anyone know of any directions on exactly how to do
that; I would not attempt it by the seat of my pants for
fear of disturbing something critical.

Thanks.
Skip

Herman D. (Skip) Knoble, Research Associate
(a computing professional for 38 years)
Email: SkipKnobleLESS at SPAMpsu dot edu
Web: http://www.personal.psu.edu/hdk
Penn State Information Technology Services
Academic Services and Emerging Technologies
Graduate Education and Research Services
Penn State University
214C Computer Building
University Park, PA 16802-21013
Phone:+1 814 865-0818 Fax:+1 814 863-7049

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Herman,

While you're at it, why not go for more memory than another 64MB? The system
uses PC100 non-parity unregistered 168-pin DIMMs, very common commodity stuff.
There are 2 DIMM sockets, and the maximum memory possible is 512MB, which is
also the practical limit for Windows 98 or ME.

Yes, the Pavilion chassis is not built for maintainability. I attempted a
memory upgrade for a client's Pavilion with Athlon CPU, and gave up, not wanting
to break some damned part on the chassis. If I could have gotten the system
away to my workplace, I might have succeeded.

Maybe if you can get your hands on a used ATX or microATX chassis, it would be
worth the effort to move the guts of the Pavilion into a better chassis?

I have a couple of years of computing experience on you, but I am still stymied
by poorly designed hardware, which is what this era of Pavilion is. I have
often said that system hardware and chassis designers need to spend a month in
service shop attempting to repair their products. Then we may end up with
systems better designed for maintainability. The older HP Pavilions are among
the worst, along with eMachines, which share the same physical chassis (and
system assembler). Older Gateway, Dell, Compaq (DeskPro only), and IBM systems
are very accessable for purposes of maintenance. So are newer Dells, Compaqs,
IBMs... Ben Myers

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 08:29:52 -0500, Herman D. Knoble
<SkipKnobleLESS@SPAMpsu.DOT.edu> wrote:

>Our secretary is using an older HP XL753 with 64MB RAM.
>
>When I was cleaning that box (from dust buildup), I thought
>I'd check how easy it would be to add a second 64MB DIMM
>(which is easy to buy for the XL753). I found that the memory
>slots were essentially not accessible without removing
>most of the hardware holding the CD and Floppy drives.
>Does anyone know of any directions on exactly how to do
>that; I would not attempt it by the seat of my pants for
>fear of disturbing something critical.
>
>Thanks.
>Skip
>
> Herman D. (Skip) Knoble, Research Associate
> (a computing professional for 38 years)
> Email: SkipKnobleLESS at SPAMpsu dot edu
> Web: http://www.personal.psu.edu/hdk
> Penn State Information Technology Services
> Academic Services and Emerging Technologies
> Graduate Education and Research Services
> Penn State University
> 214C Computer Building
> University Park, PA 16802-21013
> Phone:+1 814 865-0818 Fax:+1 814 863-7049

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Ben: Thanks. I knew about larger DIMM's, but one might have to put the larger
DIMM in the first slot and move the 64MB DIMM to the second slot. For your
information on taking HP's apart:

HP Technical support supplied this hardware Web page:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph05901
which is the step-by-step instructions on how to slid the drive cage half-way out
thus making room to install/remove DIMM(s).
This web page doesn't cover the XL753, but it clearly refers to a web page that does.
One of these two sets of web pages covers dismantling a lot of Pavillion models.
And yes, there's a simple trick to sliding whole drive cage part way out to give
access to otherwise inaccessible parts of the mother board.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my request.
All the best.

Herman

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 14:30:27 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote:

-|Herman,
-|
-|While you're at it, why not go for more memory than another 64MB? The system
-|uses PC100 non-parity unregistered 168-pin DIMMs, very common commodity stuff.
-|There are 2 DIMM sockets, and the maximum memory possible is 512MB, which is
-|also the practical limit for Windows 98 or ME.
-|
-|Yes, the Pavilion chassis is not built for maintainability. I attempted a
-|memory upgrade for a client's Pavilion with Athlon CPU, and gave up, not wanting
-|to break some damned part on the chassis. If I could have gotten the system
-|away to my workplace, I might have succeeded.
-|
-|Maybe if you can get your hands on a used ATX or microATX chassis, it would be
-|worth the effort to move the guts of the Pavilion into a better chassis?
-|
-|I have a couple of years of computing experience on you, but I am still stymied
-|by poorly designed hardware, which is what this era of Pavilion is. I have
-|often said that system hardware and chassis designers need to spend a month in
-|service shop attempting to repair their products. Then we may end up with
-|systems better designed for maintainability. The older HP Pavilions are among
-|the worst, along with eMachines, which share the same physical chassis (and
-|system assembler). Older Gateway, Dell, Compaq (DeskPro only), and IBM systems
-|are very accessable for purposes of maintenance. So are newer Dells, Compaqs,
-|IBMs... Ben Myers
-|
-|On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 08:29:52 -0500, Herman D. Knoble
-|<SkipKnobleLESS@SPAMpsu.DOT.edu> wrote:
-|
-|>Our secretary is using an older HP XL753 with 64MB RAM.
-|>
-|>When I was cleaning that box (from dust buildup), I thought
-|>I'd check how easy it would be to add a second 64MB DIMM
-|>(which is easy to buy for the XL753). I found that the memory
-|>slots were essentially not accessible without removing
-|>most of the hardware holding the CD and Floppy drives.
-|>Does anyone know of any directions on exactly how to do
-|>that; I would not attempt it by the seat of my pants for
-|>fear of disturbing something critical.
-|>
-|>Thanks.
-|>Skip
-|>
-|> Herman D. (Skip) Knoble, Research Associate
-|> (a computing professional for 38 years)
-|> Email: SkipKnobleLESS at SPAMpsu dot edu
-|> Web: http://www.personal.psu.edu/hdk
-|> Penn State Information Technology Services
-|> Academic Services and Emerging Technologies
-|> Graduate Education and Research Services
-|> Penn State University
-|> 214C Computer Building
-|> University Park, PA 16802-21013
-|> Phone:+1 814 865-0818 Fax:+1 814 863-7049


Herman D. (Skip) Knoble, Research Associate
(a computing professional for 38 years)
Email: SkipKnobleLESS at SPAMpsu dot edu
Web: http://www.personal.psu.edu/hdk
Penn State Information Technology Services
Academic Services and Emerging Technologies
Graduate Education and Research Services
Penn State University
214C Computer Building
University Park, PA 16802-21013
Phone:+1 814 865-0818 Fax:+1 814 863-7049