Chapter 5: Preparing To Upgrade - IBM Aptiva Handbook

To upgrade your computer's hardware, you can add or
replace adapter cards, drives, or system board
components. If you take the time to evaluate your new
hardware and plan your hardware changes, you can
reduce the effort required to make the changes.
For instance, the type of hardware you plan to add or
replace determines whether you begin with your
computer turned on or off. Also, if you plan to work with
more than one piece of hardware, you can avoid
repeated steps if you follow the recommended order for
hardware changes.
The instructions in this chapter contain upgrade
procedures for both the desktop systems and the
minitower systems. Use these instructions the first time
you upgrade your computer. If you make additional
hardware changes after your first upgrade, many of
these instructions will still be useful. You are
responsible, however, for recording all hardware
settings changed by your upgrades.
Preparing to upgrade
As you prepare to add or replace hardware in your
system unit, follow the instructions in these sections:
•
"Understanding the differences between the
desktop and minitower systems" on page 52
•
"Evaluating your new hardware" on page 54
•
"Planning your hardware changes" on page 56
•
"Opening the system unit" on page 58
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