Synology DS920+ NAS – 20GB Memory Unofficial Upgrade Guide

How to Upgrade the RAM in your Synology DS920+ to 20GB Memory

Back in May 2020, when the Synology DS920+ was first revealed, many users were surprised at the maximum memory limit that the manufacturers stated ion the specifications – 8GB of DDR4 to be precise (as well as only 1 memory stick being accessible and the other 4GB secured from access via pre-populated with soldered memory). With the Intel J4125 chip that the Synology DS920+ arrives with, it did seem odd that the maximum or 6GB or 8GB of DDR4 memory (between the DS920+ and DS720+) for this chip was listed firmly in the specification.

On the face of it, 4GB by default, as well as 6GB or 8GB seems like plenty. That will comfortably support the NAS tasks of a plex media server, all those productive first-party NAS applications and backups. However, as file sizes grow, as NAS surveillance gets popular, as virtual machine and container station applications grow in popularity, it will not be too long before you will see that memory use ALWAYS above 60% in the task manager. Sadly, we have asked the manufacturers and they continue to stand by the fact that you cannot exceed this limit, officially. It was also a hot button topic in both the comments in our DS920+ reveal video and the NASCompares DS920+ Review HERE. However many users could not resist testing the limits on day 1 (such as ZeroSuitSamus on Reddit, who has helped us with his images showing success at increasing memory). Because of this, I am pleased to tell you that I am pleased to confirm that not only can you use non-official own-brand memory in the Synology DS920+, but also that you can install a single module of 16GB DDR4 Memory (in the single available slot) meaning you can have a Synology DS920+ with 20GB of Memory! Read below for my guide, it will detail how to install the RAM, how to check that it is installed correctly and how to test that it is working straight away.

Upgrading your Synology DS920+ to 20GB of Memory – Pay Attention

Before we continue with the guide, it is worth highlighting that the Synology DS920+ manufacturer strongly recommends that you do not exceed the stated memory limit on their specifications page. They also highlight that using non-official memory in your Synology DS920+ may well result in them being unable to provide technical support, as this would be an unsupported setup. We at NASCompares cannot be held accountable for how you use this guide. However below I will show you where to buy the individual memory and Synology DS920+ NAS device you will need. ONLY attempt this upgrade if you are comfortable with the terms laid out above by the manufacturer.

Where to Buy the Synology DS920+ with 20GB Memory

It’s important to know that although there are many different kinds of Synology NAS, this guide is for the DS920+ NAS. Although many of the Diskstation range are similar, there are many differences in Memory module frequency, size and capacity support between the hardware architecture of devices, so make sure you are only following this guide if you want to upgrade the memory unofficially on a Synology DS920+ NAS drive. The details of this NAS are:

NAS Model	Synology DS920+ NAS CPU: Intel Celeron J4125 Quad-Core 2.0 GHz (up to 2.7 GHz) MEMORY SLOT(S): Default = 1 Available Slot Default Max 8GB = 4x 4GB Synology DDR4 RAM. Please note, exceeding 8GB is not officially supported and might invalidate your warranty Suitable for Surveillance: YES Suitable for Virtua Machines: YES 4K Transcoding Support: YES Warranty: 3 Years
Where to Buy Synology DS920+ 8GB Model NAS

20GB Synology DS920+ Memory Upgrade – Step 1, Physical Installation

What you will need:

• A Synology DS920+ NAS – Obviously

• 1x Crucial 16GB DDR4 SODIMM 2666Mhz (20GB Total) Memory Upgrade – Link below:

VERY IMPORTANT – The Links used in the article below towards the correct unofficial memory are occasionally changed (beyond my control) as it will direct you to the site in your own region/country. MAKE SURE to check that the memory module (especially 16 and 32GB SODIMM modules) are DUAL RANK or ‘DR‘, as Synology NAS typically have trouble with SR/SINGLE RANK modules.

NAS Model	Memory Type	Official Memory	Unofficial Memory
DS920+	DDR4-2666 non-ECC unbuffered SO-DIMM 260pin 1.2V	D4NESO-2666-4G	Crucial 4GB – Buy Here TimeTec 4GB – Buy Here Kingston 4GB- Buy Here Crucial 8GB – Buy Here TimeTec 8GB – Buy Here Kingston 8GB- Buy Here Crucial 16GB – Buy Here TimeTec 16GB – Buy Here Kingston 16GB- Buy Here Crucial 32GB* – Buy Here * = UNTESTED, TBC

• Small Phillips Head Screwdriver – (kinda optional but recommended for chassis)

• (OPTIONAL) Anti-static gloves and Envelope – useful to eliminate static charges and also to store the removed older official memory sticks):

First, we need to ensure the Synology DS920+ is completely powered down/off and the mains power has been disconnected. It is recommended that you remove the Hard Drive or SSD that you have installed before accessing the RAM as it may block the slots. Additionally, you should remove the hard drive media as the unit will be moved around a lot during the memory installation and this could damage the drives. Be sure to keep a note of the drives that you remove and the order they were installed (HDD Bay 1, HDD Bay 2, etc) as installing the drives in the wrong slots could damage any existing RAID you have setup internally.

Next, we need to access and remove the existing memory, as the news 20GB of memory for our Synology DS920+ will occupy both slots.

Be sure you eject the official memory sticks using the clips either side of the slot, as well as only holding the memory sticks by the narrow side edges, never touching the chips or board of the money or NAS.

Once you have removed them, they can either be stored away for a later project, installed in a compatible laptop or sold on eBay etc to make a little cash back!

Once they are clear, install a 16GB Crucial Memory stick in the available slot, making sure that you click them both in with the clips either side.

Once down, replace the Synology DS920+ chassis lid if you removed it for ease of access, as well as the hard drives. You have now concluded the physical installation of 20GB of crucial memory in the Synology DS920+.

20GB Synology DS920+ Memory Upgrade – Step 2, Checking the 20GB Memory is Recognized

What you will need:

• A web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc) on a Windows, Mac or Android Machine) accessing the Synology DS920+ user-interface as you normally would.

Next you need to power up your Synology DS920+ NAS and access it as you normally would. If you are buying this NAS first time and have yet to set it up, there are numerous first time set up guides and tips on the YouTube channels – that will get you from the hardware installation to set up the Synology DS920+ NAS for use. Once the NAS user interface (UI) is ready to go, head over to the hardware specification page shown here:

As you can see from this CPU and Memory display, the Synology DS920+ has recognized and made available the 20GB of crucial memory. It will be immediately available for use and you will see that the % amount of use of the RAM in the resource monitor will be much, much lower, as there is significantly more memory available for the system!

20GB Synology DS920+ Memory Upgrade – Step 3, Checking the 20GB Memory is Working

There are several ways to check the memory is working on your Synology DS920+ correctly. One easy method that can be done very quickly is using the Synology Memory Test tool.

To run a memory test:

1. 1. Download and install the Synology Assistant, where you can find the memory test function. The application is available at Download Center.
   2. Open Synology Assistant, click and enable the memory test service.

1. 1. Select the device where you wish to run the test and click Memory Test.

During the memory test, your Synology NAS will be rebooted. It will recover after another reboot if its memory is normal and passes the test. However, if the memory test fails to finish or shows that there is an error, the memory may be faulty. In this case, you are strongly recommended to return your Synology NAS for repair. Just in case you have installed a non-Synology memory module, please remove it and rerun the memory test. Though once again you should remember that Synology do not recommend using memory modules that are not from Synology themselves, so this test may not be indicative of the health of unofficial memory in your Synology NAS. Alternatively,you can perform as many actions and processes as possible (scans, copy/pastes, thumbnail generation, transcode a 4K file, RAID changes, synchronisation, etc) at once to see how the task manager and resource monitor behaves in the Synology DS920+. It should spike each time and at a greater height as you do more and more and once it exceeds the memory you had previously installed, this is a good confirmation that the installation is working fine.

Alternatively, you can temporarily allocate chunks of memory and then that is a much more reliable test. Install the virtual machine application for the Synology DS920+ (P.S. for Synology users it is the Virtual Machine Manager and for QNAP it is the Virtualisation station). Then you can create individual VMs (it is alot easier than it sounds and the Synology DS920+ VM software is very user-friendly) then allocate 3-4GB of memory to each one. When you have created 3 or 4 individual virtual machine containers on the Synology DS920+ software, then you can run them all at once and that will immediately use almost all the memory at once! If there are any issues with the memory, it will show here almost immediately. If no problems, then you know the Synology DS920+ 20GB crucial memory installation as successful. You can then delete the VMs in the virtual machine software and then free up all that memory again.

 

📧 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER 🔔

🔒 Join Inner Circle

This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today's content. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit the NASCompares Deal Finder to find the best place to buy this device in your region, based on Service, Support and Reputation - Just Search for your NAS Drive in the Box Below

Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Finally, for free advice about your setup, just leave a message in the comments below here at NASCompares.com and we will get back to you. Need Help? Where possible (and where appropriate) please provide as much information about your requirements, as then I can arrange the best answer and solution to your needs. Do not worry about your e-mail address being required, it will NOT be used in a mailing list and will NOT be used in any way other than to respond to your enquiry. TRY CHAT Terms and Conditions   Alternatively, why not ask me on the ASK NASCompares forum, by clicking the button below. This is a community hub that serves as a place that I can answer your question, chew the fat, share new release information and even get corrections posted. I will always get around to answering ALL queries, but as a one-man operation, I cannot promise speed! So by sharing your query in the ASK NASCompares section below, you can get a better range of solutions and suggestions, alongside my own.

☕ WE LOVE COFFEE ☕

  This description contains links to Amazon. These links will take you to some of the products mentioned in today’s video. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases