How to Upgrade RAM in HP Pavilion Zv5000 Series Laptop

HP Pavilion zv5000 series laptops can be a mystery on upgrading RAM, but not any more. HP Pavilion zv5000 series laptops take DDR RAM not DDR2 RAM. You should use PC2700 333MHz Memory chips, the board will accept 400MHz but it will not make use of the extra MHz. HP Pavilion zv5000 series laptops can handle to 2 Chips of 1 GB each of RAM.

RAM for the HP Pavilion zv5000 series laptops can run anywhere from $80 - $110 for 1 GB chip, unless you go to EBay where I discovered them at $34 each.

The first and easiest RAM chip to upgrade is located at the bottom of the laptop. Simply turn your laptop over and you will see an expansion slot between the 2 fans. It will have one screw holding the cover on. Remove that screw and cover. Spread latches on both sides of the RAM chip and remove the chip that may be located there. Should no chip be located there, simply slip in the chip until the latches on either side click into place. Be sure you are lining up the RAM chip correctly with their proper slotting. Replace the cover and screw the cover on.

Now comes the hard part. With your laptop still turned upside down near where your plug adaptor goes, unscrew the 2 screws in the silver, and the 4 screws on the black. It's very important that you not only unscrew the 2 screws in the silver area, but the 4 on the black. Some laptops may contain 5 in the black. The reason you need to unscrew all these screws in the same area is because you are going to be lifting the keyboard. And if you haven't removed the proper screws you will need up prying your laptop apart and could cause damage. This really is easy providing the right screws were removed.

After the screws are removed from your HP Pavilion zv5000 series laptop turn it over and lift your screen up and back flat with the keyboard. Take your screw driver and gently pry up the silver section that contains the power button and WI-FI unit. It should lift from either side with a gentle push up in the middle and flip just like the screen. You don't have to take out the entire plastic piece to reach the 4 screws that are securing your keyboard.