"self-installation" of memory in Mac Mini Intel Duo 1.66

Question

I am using a Mac Mini Intel Duo 1.66/512 memory at present and as obvious for anyone with this machine it requires more memory.
I am considering buying 2GB of"Crucial" memory, which they advertise as"self-installable" in 15 minutes.
Is it really viable for one to do this himself?
An Apple dealership is quite inconvinient for me, so this, at this point, is my only way of upgrading.
Caleb

Answer 1

If you do it yourself watch the video then consider a couple of things:
1) Use a card, putty knife, taping knife, or whatever at the same time on both sides. You'll notice the retaining clips drop down or re-attach a few times in the video. That's just not worth it. Get both sides out at the same time, but:
a) don't break the tabs
b) try (if you care) to not mar the METAL.
2) I don't know if you caught it in the video, but the trick is to load both the memory modules into the slots and THEN press the slots down. It seems counter-intuitive, but once you see how it works you'll get the idea.
Then there's the 'little black cable' in the front. IIRC it's the fan controller. BEFORE you disconnect it look at how it re-connects. It's slotted, but it's a little bit of pain.
If your machine is the new duo 1.66 vs the old top end duo 1.66 it probably will look at bit different than what was shown. There might be caps above the airport card. If you look under it (ok antenna) you'll see two vertical bars. Pinching these together releases the unit. Pay attention to where the wire is routed, as it's...well...just a little odd when you think about it.
Is it worth doing? If an Apple store isn't an option or you're stubborn, or just enjoy working on machines then yes. If it's about saving $35 installation fee and a couple of hours w/o your machine then I'd say no.
If you break something you will void your warranty for that part and anything directly affected by the damage caused to that part (or if you live somewhere w/o halfway decent consumer remedies you might just void the whole thing by thinking about opening it so check you local rights regarding this matter). If you've seen repair sheets from Apple you know how much components cost so don't break anything or be prepared to live w/ it.
Finally...and I couldn't watch all of that video...if it gets to testing the machine BEFORE re-assembing the case you might want to consider what will probably happen: You MIGHT knock out 802.11 service around you because a normally shielded antenna is now free and is a nice and potent emitor. If you live in a densly populated area then be considerate, get it all right the first time and put it back together (or test it in the basement if you're smart).
Good Luck,
-j