I recently bought an HP pavilion zv5000 (3.2 GHz laptop with 512 MB of
memory).  I want more RAM.  How much can I get?  Do I have to be
careful about compatibility--does it have to be specifically for my
computer or can it be generic?  Where can I buy it (the cheaper the
better, of course)?  How do you install it?  Lots of questions, I
know, but I don't need a long answer.  I'm clueless.  I would like an
answer along the lines of:


****
You can get up to 1 GB additional RAM.

You must buy it from HP, otherwise it won't work.  It will cost you $200.

Install it by removing the keyboard (to do this you ...).  Then find
the doodad, which you will recognize by its jiggers, and plug your
chip into it.  Then put the keyboard back.

****

Greetings Citson:

Thank you for confirming that my comments were, indeed, the answer you
were seeking.  Being a "geek wannabe," I wasn't certain if I had
thoroughly answered your question.  lol  Below is the reposting of my
comments.


I've been recently looking into extra RAM for my computer.  I visited
Circuit City and was told by an employee "Don't buy it today. Go home,
and look up your system on Crucial.com. You'll know exactly what you
need from their spec results."  Needless to say, his advice came as a
shock since all stores tell their employees to sell, sell, sell before
a customer leaves the store.

I just visted Crucial.com and looked up your system. According to them
- http://www.crucial.com/store/ListParts.asp?mfr=HP&model=Pavilion+zv5000+Series
- "The maximum memory your HP Pavilion zv5000 Series can support is
2048MB"

Also, "The amount of total memory slots in your HP Pavilion zv5000
Series is 2 (2 banks of 1). The first number refers to the total
number of slots your system has for memory modules. For example, if
the first number is "2," a maximum of two modules can be installed.
The numbers in parentheses refer to the number of banks in your
system. If you have banks of 1, you can purchase and install one
module at a time. If you have banks of 2, you need to purchase and
install two modules at a time..."

The memory module is defined as "200-pin SODIMM modules".  Crucial
recommends these products they sell:

1GB [1024] ? CT367238 DDR PC2700 Non-parity  US $389.99 (each)          
512MB ? CT367240 DDR PC2700 Non-parity  US $109.99 (each) 

Other price source for comparison:

512MB PC2700 DDR SODIMM Memory Module
Product Number: 50361869
Brand: HP  $287.65
http://www.compusa.com/products/products.asp?cmid=topnav&N=200454+400547&Ne=400000&

You may also view some prices through Google results at
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=512MB+PC2700+DDR+SODIMM+Memory&btnG=Search
and ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=1GB+PC2700+DDR+SODIMM+Memory&btnG=Search

Also check Froogle:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&tab=wf&q=512MB+PC2700+DDR+SODIMM+Memory
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=1GB%20PC2700%20DDR%20SODIMM%20Memory&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&sa=N&tab=wf

On Froogle, you can sort prices low-to-high.

Unfortunately, my "expertise" ends here.  lol  I don't know how to
tell you to install the memory, but I hope I have helped you a bit
with your query.  Perhaps another Researcher will be able to tell you
how to install.

Best regards,
journalist-ga

P.S.  I found this tutorial for installing laptop memory with photos:
http://compreviews.about.com/library/weekly/aa-diy-lapmem.htm

Still, I'm no expert so don't know if it's applicable to your laptop.

*****************

Also, thank you to fellow Researchernd, Aht, for providing another
source for your memory installation!

Greetings Citson:

I've been recently looking into extra RAM for my computer.  I visited
Circuit City and was told by an employee "Don't buy it today. Go home,
and look up your system on Crucial.com. You'll know exactly what you
need from their spec results."  Needless to say, his advice came as a
shock since all stores tell their employees to sell, sell, sell before
a customer leaves the store.

I just visted Crucial.com and looked up your system. According to them
- http://www.crucial.com/store/ListParts.asp?mfr=HP&model=Pavilion+zv5000+Series
- "The maximum memory your HP Pavilion zv5000 Series can support is
2048MB"

Also, "The amount of total memory slots in your HP Pavilion zv5000
Series is 2 (2 banks of 1). The first number refers to the total
number of slots your system has for memory modules. For example, if
the first number is "2," a maximum of two modules can be installed.
The numbers in parentheses refer to the number of banks in your
system. If you have banks of 1, you can purchase and install one
module at a time. If you have banks of 2, you need to purchase and
install two modules at a time..."

The memory module is defined as "200-pin SODIMM modules".  Crucial
recommends these products they sell:

1GB [1024] ? CT367238 DDR PC2700 Non-parity  US $389.99 (each)          
512MB ? CT367240 DDR PC2700 Non-parity  US $109.99 (each) 

Other price source for comparison:

512MB PC2700 DDR SODIMM Memory Module
Product Number: 50361869
Brand: HP  $287.65
http://www.compusa.com/products/products.asp?cmid=topnav&N=200454+400547&Ne=400000&

You may also view some prices through Google results at
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=512MB+PC2700+DDR+SODIMM+Memory&btnG=Search
and ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=1GB+PC2700+DDR+SODIMM+Memory&btnG=Search

Also check Froogle:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&tab=wf&q=512MB+PC2700+DDR+SODIMM+Memory
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=1GB%20PC2700%20DDR%20SODIMM%20Memory&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&sa=N&tab=wf

On Froogle, you can sort prices low-to-high.

Unfortunately, my "expertise" ends here.  lol  I don't know how to
tell you to install the memory, but I hope I have helped you a bit
with your query.  Perhaps another Researcher will be able to tell you
how to install.

Best regards,
journalist-ga

P.S.  I found this tutorial for installing laptop memory with photos:
http://compreviews.about.com/library/weekly/aa-diy-lapmem.htm

Still, I'm no expert so don't know if it's applicable to your laptop.

Best regards,
journalist-ga

Thank you journalist, I think you have answered my question.

citson-ga:

My colleague journalist-ga has indeed provided you with the answer
about what to buy in order to upgrade the memory in your laptop. When
journalist-ga posts the Answer, the following HP service manual will
come in handy, especially due to (in my opinion) the extremely
annoyingly difficult way that HP designed the laptop!

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00212209.pdf

Please refer to section 5.5 (on page 5-11 of the guide, page 118 of
272 in the file) for how to access and upgrade the "expansion" memory
slot, and then refer to section 5.13 (which in turn requires you to
follow sections 5.9 and 5.10) for the much-more-difficult-to-access
primary system memory slot (page 5-37, or 144 of 272).

If you are lucky, you have a 512 MB DIMM in the primary system slot
already. Then, it is a very simple matter of undoing one screw to get
to the expansion memory slot on the bottom of the laptop, to add up to
1 GB (in a single DIMM).

If you need to upgrade the system memory module... well, I'd suggest
you read the guide procedure several times to familiarize yourself
with it, then if you are still not comfortable, print out the entire
section 5.13 and bring it, the laptop, and the memory to a computer
store for help. If I were doing this, it would take about 10 minutes
total for the entire upgrade, so a reputable shop would most likely
help you with this for a nominal fee at most.

Hope this helps you get the most out of the Answer that journalist-ga
should be posting soon.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher