220-801 · Question #390
Which of the following should a technician check FIRST before upgrading the RAM in a laptop?
The correct answer is B. The motherboard specifications. Before upgrading laptop RAM, a technician must verify the motherboard specifications to confirm compatible RAM type, speed, form factor, and maximum supported capacity.
Question
Options
- AThe speed of the FSB
- BThe motherboard specifications
- CThe BIOS manufacturer
- DThe operating system version
How the community answered
(26 responses)- A8% (2)
- B88% (23)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
Before upgrading laptop RAM, a technician must verify the motherboard specifications to confirm compatible RAM type, speed, form factor, and maximum supported capacity.
The Front Side Bus (FSB) speed is largely an older concept and is not the primary factor for determining RAM upgrade compatibility in modern laptops.
The motherboard (system board) dictates what RAM is compatible - including DDR generation (DDR3, DDR4), maximum speed (MHz), form factor (SO-DIMM for laptops), and total capacity ceiling. Installing incompatible RAM can result in the system failing to POST or running at degraded speeds. Checking the motherboard specs before purchase prevents wasted effort and potential hardware damage from incompatible modules.
The BIOS manufacturer does not determine RAM compatibility; the chipset and motherboard specifications do.
The operating system version does not determine hardware RAM compatibility; the motherboard and chipset do.
Concept tested: Motherboard RAM compatibility verification before upgrade
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/component-guidelines/memory
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