installable RAM on HP laptop

OK I have a Compaq CQ60-418DX, bestbuy was selling them for 380 with a 250GB USB drive. Anyway my wifes netbook is speced out to only handle 1GB ram and I know it can handle 2. So I was thinking if thats true could it also be true for other HP made machines.

I currently have 4GB, not same clock speed but it works for now and would love to upgrade to 8 for photoshop and 3D work. yeah I know this isn't a computer made to handle this kind of work but I can't afford the laptop that would and I won't go back to a desktop (spend to much time in hospitals) I have been researching upgrades possible for my laptop and so far I know I can upgrade:

wireless card
CPU
RAM
HDD
and add the HDMI connection (this model they just leave the connector out but the MOBO still has the chips ect for it)

I even found a 15.6 in touch screen that I could replace my screen with but don't want to lose the HD screen since movies look great and games play pretty nicely.

but anyway if anyone knows where I could find info or have upgraded past what HP reports that would be great thanks.


Also was wondering if anyone knew what HP used for the CPU thermal compound between CPU chip and heatsink. the laptop gets upto 80 C pretty easy and the top temp is 100 C so I was thinking of getting something better and not having baught any artic silver type material in many years was wondering what the gurus around here would suggest for a laptop. Yes I am going to take it part, have done a basic tear down already to get some "lint" out of it and I can do it pretty easy if I skip my meds for a day and if it will keep things inside cooler its worth it.

So thanks for any help and I look forward to seeing what people suggest.

I am using Core temp to get my temp scores, other apps report the same anyway.

right now as I type this with my knee semi blocking the fan intake my temp is 60. If I play online flash games like dark Orbit I hit 70-75, if I play America's Army 2.8.5 I hit 92. Photoshop hits 80-83. I am going to try better thermal paste on the CPU as one attempt to control the temp.

Crucial's app reports what the specs tell me, which was the same with the HP netbook I had 2GB installed and crucial's site told me max was 1 thought that was kinda funny. So my guess is that Crucial bases their info from the reported specs from the Manf.

I did find someone with 6GB ram installed in the same laptop but she isn't running windows so I don't know what to think about that info. Currently at the hospital again so getting very bored.

you can check out this site here for ram I use it when i need memory for any of my laptops www.18004memory.com I have used them many times for a lot of different laptops my two a HP DV5 and a Compaq. I would like to get more memory for my DV7z but those 4gig sticks are so expensive for a laptop yet. Im going to give them more time and hope the price keeps falling.

I wasn't looking to buy at this time just wondering if HP made a habit out of saying a system can have X amount when Z amount is possible.