X360 Pavilion Convertible RAM upgrade?

[MrRoar]

Daughter has a X360 Pavilion convertible and been complaining it’s slow. I tried and wow it’s unusable. 

It has Win 10 on, is an i3-6100 2.3GHz, but says only has 4Gb RAM!!! Is this correct? I can’t believe only has this amount in, its only 2 years old. I’m not sure if bought it like this with 4Gb RAM in or it’s faulty? It says only 4Gb RAM in BIOS as well I checked. 

So I’m thinking of factory restoring it, but if it only has 4Gb RAM this is a serious limitation. 

So how can I upgrade the RAM? Is it easy? Happy to open it, but used to have little slots for ease of use, can’t see this on this model. Is there any YouTube videos?

The product number is Y0B27EA#ABU if helps,  13-u014na. On the spec page it states DDR4-2133 SDRAM, is this correct? What is the max amount of RAM it can support? Does it have 1 or 2 slots?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Below is the link to the crucial memory report for the 13-u014na, notebook you have...

https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/HP-Compaq/pavilion-x360-13-u014na

Two slots, each can take an 8 GB memory module.

Below is the link to the service manual, where you can also find the memory upgrade info and memory removal and replacement procedures.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05226489

[MrRoar]

Hi

 thanks a lot for reply and links, can you confirm the RAM on the UK site for me as this please?

https://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/compatible-upgrade-for/HP-Compaq/pavilion-x360-13-u014na

It says on the specs from here on hp site the RAM is DDR4-2133 SDRAM, whereas crucial link says DDR4-2400. Is this compatible? Could I if has 2 slots just buy one 8Gb stock and have the 8Gb and leave the original 4Gb in it, so total of 12Gb? But they have 2400 and 2133 in?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Looks good to me.

The 2400 MHz memory will work fine, and will downclock to 2133 MHz to work to the processor's FSB 2133 MHz speed.

Here is why you don't want to do what you suggest...

With a single memory chip, or two of mismatched capacities such as you propose, the memory runs in the lower performing single data rate (SDR) mode.

Memory modules of matching capacities run in the better performing dual data rate (DDR) mode.

Watch this video for a graphic explanation...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=E_aPaj5QkmM

Since you are going to open up the notebook to add memory, you may want to consider replacing the mechanical hard drive with a much better performing, normally more reliable solid state drive (SSD).

The Crucial site has a listing of those on that page as well.

[MrRoar]

Well opened it up (it’s out of warranty), and eventually found the RAM, buried deep so no way to easy upgrade. 

Have ordered two 4Gb modules as you say better to match, will 8Gb in total need enough though now though for Win 10 home? It’s only doubled the RAM from original 4Gb?

Also ordered a small SSD as imagine this will help a lot as it’s only used for basic office so hopefully 120Gb is enough. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

8 GB should definitely help, though 16 GB would have been better.

I guess it is a matter of how much money you want to put into it.

[MrRoar]

I was maybe thinking of that, but also of getting an 8Gb stick and putting the original 4Gb as well, for a total of 12Gb but crucial said to put the matched 4Gb as a pair in that they recommended, rather than an unmatched 8Gb and 4Gb stick in?

 I’m not sure how this is going to work, so didn’t want to spend a great deal, with the SSD and memory , I’m hoping helps. If it works when it’s back together!?!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I hope it works for you too!

These new notebooks are very hard to take apart and upgrade.

There are no service doors like there used to be.

I have never attempted to disassemble a notebook like yours, and would probably be hesitant to do so, so my hat is off to you.

You have a way to reinstall W10?

I think since you are going with a much smaller drive, you will have to use the Media creation tool to create a bootable W10 installation flash drive, and then reinstall the programs and files your daughter needs.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

[MrRoar]

Well it was unusable so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s poor that it’s not easy to upgrade the RAM though but most are like that now unfortunately. 

I hadn’t thought of that! On the crucial site for SSD it says you can clone, but I’m going from a 1Tb HDD to a 120Gb SSD (there’s enough space). 

So can I just use the product key if I can find it from the laptop?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I don't think you can clone from a 1 TB to a 120 GB.

You don't need a product key. It is in the BIOS.

When you go to reinstall W10, just make sure you select the plain W10 Home version and it should work just fine.

As long as you have the installation files and product keys for any other programs, such as Microsoft Office, you should be fine.

If Microsoft Office was preinstalled, I don't believe that you can reinstall it from anywhere else.