Originally Posted by
mechanicsville
We did a system back up but just wondered if these are 2 different things.
They are two different things, but it is prudent to always do a backup before fiddling with a computer's innards. For commodity personal computers, the C: drive information is permanently stored on the hard disk, a physically separate device from the memory modules. The memory modules (RAM) provide a working place for information while the computer is operating and do not retain information after the computer is shutdown. Changing the memory modules will not affect information stored on the hard disk, however, the motherboard does need to be fully unpowered (power cord removed, etc.) and antistatic precautions taken while handling the modules and touching anything inside the computer to avoid damage.
