Sony: Removing the cover from a VGC-RC102 tower PC

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Removing the cover from a VGC-RC102 tower PC

Topic started on Dec 30, 2010 8:05 PM , last reply on Apr 25, 2011 3:02 PM

in VAIO and Computing All-in-one Desktops

jad222

12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

I have a Sony Vaio VGC-RC102 tower PC which has 1GB of RAM but should take 2GB. In order to extend its life I plan to upgrade the RAM but am currently being frustrated by my inability to remove the cover from the tower unit.

The user manual describes removing 2 screws from the left hand panel and then pulling this panel off. This doesn't seem to work and as the graphic for this operation doesn't look like my unit it's very difficult to be sure that I am doing the right thing. I've now removed all 5 screws from the cover but nothing seems to want to budge and I'm reluctant to use any force for fear of damaging the unit. In the past when I've removed covers from tower or desktop PCs they've come off quite easily ... Any ideas or advice please?

Blencogo
10,957 posts since
Dec 22, 2004

Written on Dec 30, 2010 9:37 PM

Ah ... Now I have a RC102 and I have upgraded the memory to 2GB ........

...... but I am not at home and it was a long time ago. The instructions in the manual are obviously wrong and refer to the older Vaio desktop RA-Series.

Try removing the 5 black screws and with the Vaio upright, pull the entire case (2 sides and top) backwards. You may have to gently open up the case at the bottom to slide it backwards 6" and then the whole thing should lift off. It is in one single piece.

This is probably the best PC I have ever owned!

If this doesn't work, I'll have a look when I get home!!
jad222
12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

Written on Dec 31, 2010 6:03 PM

I had already tried removing all 5 screws as I had expected to need to do that and only checked the manula when this didn't seem to do the trick!

I will try again and use a little more force than I did previously; can't try now as this is the only PC I've got.

By the way did you upgrade to 2 GB using a 2 GB chip or 2 x 1 GB?

Julie
Blencogo
10,957 posts since
Dec 22, 2004

Written on Dec 31, 2010 7:05 PM

Hi Julie,

As the RC102 has four memory slots and already has 2 X 512MB modules installed, I bought two more 512MB memory sticks and now have 4 X 512MB installed.

This was the cheapest way back in March 2006 but is only just the cheapest today by a few pounds. I bought my modules from Crucial.com: -

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=VAIO%20VGC-RC102#

When you have taken the cover off once, you will see how easy it is. Once you realise it is in one single piece and that you just have to gently loosen the black cover at the bottom at the back by pushing the sides outwards a little, it will then slide backwards quite easily.

Although the diagrams are a bit dodgy in the User Guide, the internal diagram on page 63 looks OK (it is the only one). You may have to remove a few bracing struts to get easy access to the memory slots at the bottom.

Good Luck.
jad222
12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

Written on Jan 1, 2011 10:11 AM

Many thanks I shall try this tomorrow though Crucial sold me a 2 GB chip which concerns me a little on that front as I will need to take both original chips out.

Thanks again

Julie
jad222
12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

Written on Jan 12, 2011 7:53 PM

Hi

I have now succeeded in removing the cover and upgrading the ram (after I had bought the correct modules as those I had been sold originally didn't fit).

The cover did eventually turn out to be just the left side of the unit which slid back once the 2 screws had been removed, it was just very tight. I then had to remove some plastic covers over the ram slots and the fan before I could access the slots - very easy in the end.

Thanks for your help

Julie
JonStroud
3 posts since
Feb 20, 2011

Written on Feb 20, 2011 5:36 AM

Hi Julie

I've also got an RC102 which I've owned since about 2006.

Thought you might be interested to know that you can improve performance even more should you ever feel the need.

Back in the good old days one of the limitations on the amount of RAM you could install was the operating system - 32bit Windows XP only supported a maximum of 3.5GB

This machine easily upgrades to 64bit Windows 7 - having done that I have installed a total of 4GB of RAM (2x2GB) and it's now running faster than ever.

Not performance related but I've also installed two 1TB SATA internal hard drives.

Hope this might encourage you to keep upgrading in the future.

Cheers

Jon
jad222
12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

Written on Feb 20, 2011 6:35 PM

Jon

Many thanks for this information which I find very interesting indeed. I had been wondering whether it would be worth buying a Windows 7 upgrade licence and was put off a little by colleagues who said the spec of the PC was too low so to date I haven't taken this any further.

However, if you say that after upgrading to Windows 7 (assume this needs to be to the 64 bit version?) I could then further upgrade the Ram to 4GB I think it would be a worthwhile exercise. However having taken 2 attempts to get the right memory modules this time around could you give me any more information on the modules I would need to buy?

Also my sister owns a Sony Vaio VGC V2M which according to the documentation would only take 1 GB RAM over its 2 slots. We didn't feel this would be worth upgrading and I was also concerned (as it wasn't my PC!) about attempting this upgrade as the website recommends these are only installed by Sony engineers. However, if by also upgrading the OS to Windows 7 we could then upgrade the RAM to 2GB or even 4GB then this may also prove worthwhile. Do you have any idea or know how I could find out?

Mnay thanks

Julie
JonStroud
3 posts since
Feb 20, 2011

Written on Feb 24, 2011 8:41 PM

Hi Julie

I couldn't answer regarding the VGC V2M - sorry!

Regarding the RC102, you need to look for 240 pin DDR2-PC2-4300 (533MHz) DIMM modules - there are 4 slots available in your machine so you could just add to what you have got already (or even just pop your original 2x512 back in aswell!. I use the modules built by Transcend.

The processor in the RC102 is a Pentium D which is a 64bit Dual Core processor so there are no worries in using W7 64bit

Good luck!

Jon
DuncanLMT
2 posts since
Feb 26, 2011

Written on Feb 26, 2011 12:25 PM

Hi, after reading this thread i've had a go at upgrading the memory in a VGC RC102.

I got a couple of 1gb simms from amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002H0CQS/ref=oss_product

i moved the two 512mb sims to the spare slots and dropped the 1gb's to the original slots.

after booting, still only 1gb was recognised, i tried taking out the two 512's and the system just beeped and would not boot, so for now i have just gone back to the 512's. I intend to install win 7, will this help recognition or is there something i can do to get them recognised in XP?

Do these sims look ok? i took a risk on 1gb's as you seemed to have success.

I hope you can help,
many thanks in advance
Duncan
DuncanLMT
2 posts since
Feb 26, 2011

Written on Feb 26, 2011 12:37 PM

Hi,

after reading this thread i have tried to upgrade the memory in my VGC RC 102.

I've got two 1gb sims from amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingston-ValueRAM-533MHz-DDR2-Non-ECC/dp/B0002H0CQS/ref=sr_1_5?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1298719696&sr=1-5

do these look correct, i took a chance on 1gbs as you have had success.

They were not recognised on booting, i put them in the slots occupied by the 512's and moved those the the spare slots. I tried taking out the 512's and the system just beeped.

Is there anything i need to do?

my intention is to install win7 and was hoping to get the memory working in XP beforehabd.

I hope you can help,
thanks inadvance,
Duncan
jad222
12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

Written on Feb 27, 2011 12:16 PM

Duncan

Sorry, I used 2 additional 512Mb modules in addition to the original 2 already installed to get my 2GB. Once I could get to the slots these installed very easily and worked straight away.

I now have to decide whether to go the whole hog with Jon's suggestion of upgrading to Windows 7 and then 4GB.

By the way I also managed to sell my 2Gb module on eBay and got most of my meny back.

Julie
jad222
12 posts since
Dec 30, 2010

Written on Feb 28, 2011 7:51 PM

Hi Jon

I have decided to go with the Windows 7 upgrade and over the weekend I started to look into the memory possibilities however when I contacted support at the Mr Memory website re the right chips they infomed me that the PC has a motherboard limitation of 2GB and that even upgrading to Windows 7 64 bit wouldn't alter that.

Obviously I don't want to go spending money on memory chips I won't be able to use or worse wreck the PC in the process of the upgrade. Do you have any thoughts on this?

Thanks

Julie
forza749s
1 posts since
Feb 28, 2011

Written on Mar 1, 2011 12:22 AM

deleted

Message was edited by: forza749s

JonStroud

3 posts since
Feb 20, 2011

Written on Mar 1, 2011 12:23 AM

Hi Julie and Duncan

OK - first of all, here's the inevitable disclaimer... I'm not a techie person! I've figured this out myself by doing a bit of research and making a few educated decisions!

Julie - I would imagine that Mr Memory are just covering themselves. I ran a scan on my computer to establish what sort of motherboard was being used with the Pentium D processor (which, as already mentioned in a previous post, is dual core 64 bit). The scan revealed that its an Intel PRAGUE AAD12395-206.

There's a good scan routine here... http://www.memoryx.net/

Checking into this a bit further revealed that the PRAGUE can handle up to 4GB of RAM

http://www.offtek.co.uk/ram-memory-2/intel/intel-motherboard-memory/prague/mid115420

System Specifications

Standard Memory

512MB (Removable)

Maximum Memory

4GB

Number of Slots

4 Slots (4 Banks of 1)

Notes

If 4GB of memory is installed then the system may only recognise 3.5GB or less. To recognise more than 4GB of memory, a 64-bit Operating System is required

Note the last bit... if a 64-bit OS is being used

Duncan, this would answer your question too. I reckon you're memory is not being recognised because of the limitations of the 32 bit XP operating system.

So, to summarise...

I'm running W7 64bit with 4GB on board all of which is being recognised.

Hope that helps!