What should you avoid touching when replacing a memory module?

When replacing a memory module, it's crucial to avoid touching the contacts of the memory module. The reason for this is that the contacts are responsible for creating a reliable electrical connection with the motherboard. Touching them can lead to several issues, such as grease, dirt, and oils from your fingers contaminating the connection points. This contamination can result in poor conductivity and can lead to instability, crashes, or failure of the system to recognize the memory module altogether.

Maintaining the integrity of the memory module contacts is vital for ensuring optimal performance and longevity of the component. In contrast, touching the memory module casing or the motherboard surface typically does not pose a risk to the functionality, though it is advisable to handle all components carefully. Furthermore, power supply connectors, while also sensitive, are not directly impacted by touch in the same way as the contacts on a memory module. Thus, focusing on avoiding contact with the contacts themselves is key to a successful memory module replacement.