Owning a desktop computer can be a rewarding and long-lasting experience. Many PC users don't know how to perform their own hardware upgrades and repairs. Users can increase the lifespan and performance of their desktop computer with simple hardware upgrades. It takes a small amount of knowledge to be able to upgrade many key components of a computer. A large portion of users are afraid to open a PC to perform a repair or upgrade. Computer upgrades are usually very simple and there's not much to worry about. Research and knowledge are the keys to any PC upgrade or repair. There are some safety precautions that must be followed, but most computer upgrades are little more complex than plugging an appliance into the wall. Hardware documentation and the Internet are the best ways to gather information about a particular computer and will determine what hardware can be used. The basics in this guide can be used to install or replace video cards, sound cards, modems, and RAM. The guide will describe the process of installing additional RAM in a desktop computer. RAM stands for random access memory and is also called volatile memory. Volatile memory loses data when the power is turned off. An example of non-volatile memory is a computer's hard drive. Since the hard drive retains data even after a shutdown, it is considered non-volatile. Every program and application running on a computer is loaded in and out of RAM. Windows runs many processes that consume a significant amount of RAM. The more RAM inside a computer, the faster it will download files, run software, install applications, start up, shut down, etc. Many aging computers become young again by adding more RAM to the system. Modern RAM is usual...... middle of paper ...... can be seen displaying "found new hardware" in the lower right corner of the screen upon initial reboot. In summary, first gather information from outside the computer and get an anti-static wrist strap. Second, gather information from inside the computer about its current configuration and purchase hardware upgrades accordingly. Finally, upgrade and verify the installation. This guide can be applied to installing a video card, sound card and many other types of PC extensions. For these other upgrades, hardware drivers must be installed. A simple Internet search for drivers is enough. Having the ability to upgrade and repair a computer can save time, money and reduce stress. Most upgrades are very simple to complete with a little research into the product. Most users should not fear making these upgrades..