# Upgrading HP Slimline (RAM and motherboard) and putting it all into a new case



## Olly88 (Sep 12, 2011)

I have an HP Slimline computer (this one), and am wanting to upgrade the RAM. Now, apparently the computer can't accept the amount I want to put in. So, I was thinking about upgrading the motherboard. But, the whole computer is so small and crammed inside, I don't know if it will accept any regular motherboard (whatever regular is). Plus, I have heard the power supplies in these things aren't great so I would probably need a new one, which probably wouldn't fit inside the case either.

So I guess I would need a new case to put it all in. So I have a couple of questions,

1) Is it possible to transfer all the stuff inside my current computer to a new, larger case? If so, is I pretty simple to do? I have replaced and added hard drives, disc drives, fans etc quite a few times in the past, so I'm not quite a 100% idiot when it comes to taking things out and putting things in a PC :tongue:

2) What kind of motherboard should I be looking at? How do I know if it will work with the rest of the components that I would keep (processor, hard drive etc)? I don't do any PC gaming, the main things I do (apart from the basics) are graphic design and video editing work. I don't know how much of a difference that makes to the motherboard though.

Thanks in advance for any information/help :smile:


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Your Mobo is m(micro)ATX so any case that accepts mATx (mATX and larger) can be used.
How much RAM do you want? Your Mobo has two slots and each will accept 2GB sticks of 1066 or 1333MHz.
There is no need for more than 4GB unless you do serious graphics or CAD.
PSU's included with OEM PC's are commonly low quality and underpowered for anything other than the original hardware configuration.
Your Mobo also has a PCI-E 16X slot so a dedicated GPU can be added along with a suitable PSU for the intended GPU.


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## Olly88 (Sep 12, 2011)

Thanks! :smile: 

Well quite often I have a couple of graphic editing programs and video editing software open at the same time, even a video converter as well some times, so it gets a bit slow. When I have just one open it's fine, sometimes two... but yeah, any more and sometimes it can start to struggle. I do have them open for quite a while while doing regular stuff, too. So I was thinking that upgrading the RAM would help quite a bit.

Sometimes when doing a task like rendering or converting a video (or even sometimes just viewing an online flash video in full screen), something from inside the computer goes quite loud. Would that be because the PSU is low quality? Or is that nothing to do with it?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

the fans will go loud when doing something intensive to stop over heating this can also happen if the system gets dusty inside.

If you want the gpu you suggested you will have to upgrade the psu also you can only take 4GB so if you wanted to use more than that you would have to upgrade the motherboard and operating system too and probably have to get a new case which in turn would mean that you would have to repair installations on the hard drive and may other things. It would be probably be better to buy or even build a better system.


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