I'm just getting an iMac apart to attend to the damaged 3.5MM jack plug input. Your video is really helpful, thanks so much, getting the front panel off safely seemed impossible. Just one criticism: the sound quality is really bad, and at times your remarks are very indistinct, especially when you turn away. Have you tried a headset or a tie clip microphone? But all in all a very instructive video, thanks again
Thank you very much for this video! It really helped me out to fix my iMac.... Apple wanted $333 for a 320GB drive install.... I did it myself with a 750GB drive for $69 Woot! This video was a life safer... keep up the good work!
Fantastic video--Thanks! Got the front off! Took me forever, but I didn't give up until I got it, since your video made it clear how and that it could be done (with some patience).
Thanks! Made my own tool from an expired SAM's card. (I knew that would be useful someday!) The top left unclicked right away but the top right wouldn't. I got the other corners loose and was able to get the last with my finger from the front inside. Did Apple go to an extra effort to make that difficult? Replacement LCD on order.
Hey Carter, thanks much. watched the other video on how to make the Access Card, I didn't need the boiling water and seeing what you did in this vide, I got the face off lickity split. Glad you posted this. Thanks again...
Fantastic Video! This question feels out of place but the top left corner of my imac front panel is split open...would it be a bad idea trying to crazy glue it together or perhaps best to replace front panel? Is finding a front panel replacement difficult or expensive? Thank you for any help you can offer!
thanks for the vid. i have an old iMac G5 that i wanna get rid of. it will cost me $1000 to repair it. i bought a new one already. i just wanna make sure if i throw away my mac or recycle it that no -one can access any of my information on the computer. ive just removed the memory sticks. is this enough? or do i also need to remove the hard drive??
This, is just just just what i needed, great details, nice and relaxed explanations. you really make me feel confident in taking the iMac apart. i got the 20" isight G5 model for FREE because it would not power on fully... (lets have a look for leaky caps inside!)
By the way, does the main display calbe attachment screws require a torx 6 screw driver on this model?...I saw vid on a newer model which is similar in construction but has the cable located on the left side instead of right, and the guy mentions a torx 6 driver for those screws on the late '07 imac model (silver/black). Serisouly there's way too many different screw bits required to get anywhere on this imac. G4 was simple a torx 8 and 10 and philips, that's it. and no ugly sticky tape either.
thanks for your generosity....you make our world a better place. As for that hbmkeith comment, the world can also be a better place without those kind of people...;-)
You didn't zoom in very close to show how the card actually touches the clamp. Does it slide up behind it, in between the clamp and the bezel, then push it forward? Or does the card push up on the clamp, nudging it against the top of the bezel?
ALL NOTE!!! The 2006 24" iMac I have does NOT have those latches!!!! Just take all the screws out of the bottom (4 plus 2 for ram access), lift lower part of bezel, then slide the bezel "up" towards the top of the monitor and it just slides out! NO CATCHES to mess with! So that this FIRST, it's amazingly simple and I only did this as I'd given up on using the cards to open the latches. Top of bezel has metal angle plates attached to inside top on each side. With right angle parts facing down that fit into slots on top of the rest of the case. NO idea which/why mine doesn't have the latches as all the other info I've found on youtube and elsewhere says it does. Again, this is the case for MY 2006 24" iMac, but it's so simple to try, I'd advise trying this first. If it doesn't slide up fairly easily, then go the credit card route. Good luck to all! RichE San Diego, CA
Cool, I learned how to get to the RAM and replace it which is all I need to do...Don't have to remove the whole cover, for which I am grateful. Never opened up one of these all in ones...good to know.
Hey, how do you unplug the isight?, I got the face off the imac, but have to keep it angled 180 degrees right next to the computer without detaching it. I tried to unplug the wires, but they feel so fragile that I'm afraid I'll pull too hard and rip the wires. Is there any particular way to take these cables apart? without damaging the wires around them? Man this imac seems like a major pain in the ass, makes the G4 a piece of cake to gut out. So far i hate how this model is put together.
Wonderful Video, I have a DVD that is stuck in my IMac. How can I get it out. It doesn't even go to the DVD or CD mode and I can't get anything to work. I have pressed down on my eject key and nothing happens? Can anyone help?
when to turn on my imac today and something was smoked, it's been work fine till today,i unplug everything and plugs and all. now i need togo in a fix the problem any idea on where to start. or what got fried. i need some in put
Could not get the card to work. Such a bad design having to do it that way. I decided to drill some small holes so i could press the levers with a pin (like the hole on CD/DVD drives for manually ejection). I took an educated guess at where to drill from looking at another video where the persons hand was in frame at the corner of the bezel and the clips were visible so I could gauge where to aim for. Fist hole is 1cm in from edge of vent slot and 1 and 1/2 the thickness of the bezel below the seem between the main body and the bezel. Second hole ended up at 1 and 1/2 cm. The clip inside has the lever portion and it is a large area to shoot for really when your hole is only 2 or 3 mm. This is how it should have been from the factory if you ask me.
Oh and is that black/aluminum tape even necessary? What's its purpose? It makes the taking apart process more annoying. I'd rather have the tape off. I do take my apple machines apart from time to time to clean and inspect that all components are in good working order. Or does the tape have something to do with maintaining temperature?
@mattcarterVIDEO, thanks for your response nevertheless. It turns out the the new iMacs have a simple command that you execute when you turn your iMac back on. Hold down the eject button and turn the mac back on. Like magic it pops out!! Hurayyyyy!! Cheers!
Hey man, im trying to fix the same imac and on the logicboard there is 3 leds. the LED601 its on. The second LED602 is blinking. The third LED603 is off.. So the problem is that the computer does not turn on. The fan try to spin but i does not spin. Any Idea? Im thinking is the logic board
I bought my mac direct from Apple in mid 2009 and nothing in your video applies as to how to get the case open. I have a stuck disc and I have not found one single video (yet) TH-cam ( or anywhere) about how to take my iMac apart. Apple must be aware of users trying to take their iMacs apart and decided to make it next to impossible for home owners to get inside the unit, let alone get the stuck CD out without having to take it into the shop. Not one single video for stuck discs applies to me.
@hbmkeith ...... those videos I talk about that are on TH-cam of people pulling up on the front panel only and not using the card tool is correct. I'm not talking about the iMac G5 that pulls off from the back. The iMac G5 has three screws on the bottom and the back panel pulls off. I have a 30 of those iMacs at my work.
just bought one of those PPC G5 1.9Ghz, lovely display but horrible YT due to the stone age GPU, first time ever with Apple and loving it. wonderful media machine. quaint and historic but fun. a slight hint of Amiga influence, but lots of future Android.
@hbmkeith ..... yes the original iMac G5's only have the three screws on the bottom with the panel pulling off the back, I have had entire labs with these iMacs as well but the iMacs this video is for it for the last generation iMac with iSight & White Intel iMacs. These all need the card tool. The first model G5 that you have at your work is the only model iMac that had the screws on the bottom to pull the back off ***Best iMac Design IMO ;-)
My G5 Intel iMac heats up almost right away when turned on and will freeze/fail in minutes. The upper left corner on the back is extremely hot. Can't really use it during day, just cold nights. Any idea? Other than throw it away xD
Volume is too low after the first few seconds. SOLUTION: download the video using Freemake Video downloader (it's free and easy to install) and play it using VLC video player which amplifies audio nicely.
@JamesRoneyMusic You will probably not find many videos on the new iMacs for take aparts as they are still under warranty for the most part unless the extended warranty has not been purchased. I have taken them apart many times and they certainly are different from the white iMac. If you venture this yourself be careful with the glass panel and careful with the screen itself. It gathers dus fast and sucks when you have the glass back on and notice it.
@fenixfire077 It's an Apple access card but they can be $20 - $30 ..... I outline how to make one yourself free, check out my other videos and checkout the video "Make your own "Apple Access Card Tool" for Free"
This is an excellent instructional video, and clearly comes from an expert, so please don't take offence at a well meant criticism from a trained sound engineer. The problem with the audio isn't that it's not loud enough, after all I could simply turn my computer's volume up - sorted. It's because there's next to no high mids ('treble') in the sound. This is essential in distinguishing the different elements which go to make up 'speech sounds' (phonemes) in in human languages. It takes place in as little as the first 20 milliseconds or so of the different 'speech sounds'. Quote: "Phonemes, the smallest units of speech that distinguish between meaningful spoken words, are a characteristic ingredient of spoken human languages. The world's languages include approximately 100 overall, and each language has approximately 50 of them". Without the 2000 - 5,000kHz band the phonemes turns into indistinct mumbling. You need to be 'face on' to the mic and fairly close at all times; a lavalier or a tie clip mic works best, they are very 'bright' and they aren't expensive and don't need to be 'professional' quality. Same applies to music: if you knock out those frequencies at the commencement of each note, you'll still hear the notes, but it's hard to tell what sort of instrument it's coming from. But a really useful video for all that, and as you can imagine, my iMac is constantly in use, and 90% of that time it's me working with music recording and video production
it seems you talk to us from building on the other side of road. If you do not have professional setup, then mind proximity and distance of microphone or at least niemalże your voice as I have ramped up to maximum volume on my Samsung Galaxy S8 and I honestly don't hear what you are saying. mind that I can clearly hear what is being said in professionally recorded videos at 1/3 of volume, while being good 10 metres away.
I'm just getting an iMac apart to attend to the damaged 3.5MM jack plug input. Your video is really helpful, thanks so much, getting the front panel off safely seemed impossible. Just one criticism: the sound quality is really bad, and at times your remarks are very indistinct, especially when you turn away. Have you tried a headset or a tie clip microphone? But all in all a very instructive video, thanks again
Thank you very much for this video! It really helped me out to fix my iMac.... Apple wanted $333 for a 320GB drive install.... I did it myself with a 750GB drive for $69 Woot! This video was a life safer... keep up the good work!
Fantastic video--Thanks! Got the front off! Took me forever, but I didn't give up until I got it, since your video made it clear how and that it could be done (with some patience).
Thanks! Made my own tool from an expired SAM's card. (I knew that would be useful someday!) The top left unclicked right away but the top right wouldn't. I got the other corners loose and was able to get the last with my finger from the front inside. Did Apple go to an extra effort to make that difficult? Replacement LCD on order.
Hey Carter, thanks much. watched the other video on how to make the Access Card, I didn't need the boiling water and seeing what you did in this vide, I got the face off lickity split. Glad you posted this. Thanks again...
Fantastic Video! This question feels out of place but the top left corner of my imac front panel is split open...would it be a bad idea trying to crazy glue it together or perhaps best to replace front panel? Is finding a front panel replacement difficult or expensive? Thank you for any help you can offer!
Good call. It's amazing how many people that work on computers don't follow good ESD grounding.
thanks for the vid. i have an old iMac G5 that i wanna get rid of. it will cost me $1000 to repair it. i bought a new one already. i just wanna make sure if i throw away my mac or recycle it that no -one can access any of my information on the computer. ive just removed the memory sticks. is this enough? or do i also need to remove the hard drive??
Just thought I'd say thanks for your video, It helped me and my dad a lot! :D
Great video! The credit card tool is a life saver. Why in the world would apple use two different size screws!
Thanks!
This, is just just just what i needed, great details, nice and relaxed explanations. you really make me feel confident in taking the iMac apart. i got the 20" isight G5 model for FREE because it would not power on fully... (lets have a look for leaky caps inside!)
Thanks for the video.
I'm sure there's a special place in hell for the Apple engineers that designed that latch mechanism.
"A Special Hell"
By the way, does the main display calbe attachment screws require a torx 6 screw driver on this model?...I saw vid on a newer model which is similar in construction but has the cable located on the left side instead of right, and the guy mentions a torx 6 driver for those screws on the late '07 imac model (silver/black). Serisouly there's way too many different screw bits required to get anywhere on this imac. G4 was simple a torx 8 and 10 and philips, that's it. and no ugly sticky tape either.
thanks for your generosity....you make our world a better place. As for that hbmkeith comment, the world can also be a better place without those kind of people...;-)
You didn't zoom in very close to show how the card actually touches the clamp. Does it slide up behind it, in between the clamp and the bezel, then push it forward? Or does the card push up on the clamp, nudging it against the top of the bezel?
ALL NOTE!!! The 2006 24" iMac I have does NOT have those latches!!!!
Just take all the screws out of the bottom (4 plus 2 for ram access), lift lower part of bezel, then slide the bezel "up" towards the top of the monitor and it just slides out! NO CATCHES to mess with!
So that this FIRST, it's amazingly simple and I only did this as I'd given up on using the cards to open the latches. Top of bezel has metal angle plates attached to inside top on each side. With right angle parts facing down that fit into slots on top of the rest of the case.
NO idea which/why mine doesn't have the latches as all the other info I've found on youtube and elsewhere says it does. Again, this is the case for MY 2006 24" iMac, but it's so simple to try, I'd advise trying this first. If it doesn't slide up fairly easily, then go the credit card route.
Good luck to all!
RichE San Diego, CA
Super helpful...thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge! Wish me luck...I'm going in now.
Cool, I learned how to get to the RAM and replace it which is all I need to do...Don't have to remove the whole cover, for which I am grateful. Never opened up one of these all in ones...good to know.
Thanks for this, forgot password for my old iMac, all recovery attempts failed so dismantling for fun. Removing fascia important first step😉
does the card you use to unlock the top of the front cover work the same way on a 27" imac?
thx, for the first step, on to the next (-: Worked perfectly
Hey, how do you unplug the isight?, I got the face off the imac, but have to keep it angled 180 degrees right next to the computer without detaching it. I tried to unplug the wires, but they feel so fragile that I'm afraid I'll pull too hard and rip the wires. Is there any particular way to take these cables apart? without damaging the wires around them? Man this imac seems like a major pain in the ass, makes the G4 a piece of cake to gut out. So far i hate how this model is put together.
GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! JOB!!!
SUBBED!
AWESOME DETAIL!
hey thank you for this video. I did successfully remove mine but i "broke" one of the cables....(isight) - where do i put it back in?
Wonderful Video, I have a DVD that is stuck in my IMac. How can I get it out. It doesn't even go to the DVD or CD mode and I can't get anything to work. I have pressed down on my eject key and nothing happens? Can anyone help?
apple store wanted 250 for this job, with your help, it cost me 200 less.
Do I have to do all this if I want to clean it? I think mine is full of dust s it overheats and freezes on warm days.
Thanks for the Tutorial,
Thanks
Hey, what was the link for that tool?? thanks!
Awesome! Thank you very much! This worked great.
cool video really good to see how to do it!!
when to turn on my imac today and something was smoked, it's been work fine till today,i unplug everything and plugs and all. now i need togo in a fix the problem any idea on where to start. or what got fried. i need some in put
Could not get the card to work. Such a bad design having to do it that way. I decided to drill some small holes so i could press the levers with a pin (like the hole on CD/DVD drives for manually ejection). I took an educated guess at where to drill from looking at another video where the persons hand was in frame at the corner of the bezel and the clips were visible so I could gauge where to aim for. Fist hole is 1cm in from edge of vent slot and 1 and 1/2 the thickness of the bezel below the seem between the main body and the bezel. Second hole ended up at 1 and 1/2 cm. The clip inside has the lever portion and it is a large area to shoot for really when your hole is only 2 or 3 mm. This is how it should have been from the factory if you ask me.
Oh and is that black/aluminum tape even necessary? What's its purpose? It makes the taking apart process more annoying. I'd rather have the tape off. I do take my apple machines apart from time to time to clean and inspect that all components are in good working order. Or does the tape have something to do with maintaining temperature?
Trying to figure out if this iMac off of Craigslist is busted, thanks!
Can you make one on replacing the disk drive?
@mattcarterVIDEO, thanks for your response nevertheless. It turns out the the new iMacs have a simple command that you execute when you turn your iMac back on.
Hold down the eject button and turn the mac back on. Like magic it pops out!!
Hurayyyyy!!
Cheers!
It would have been helpful to show WHERE the cables to be removed are connected.
Hey man, im trying to fix the same imac and on the logicboard there is 3 leds. the LED601 its on. The second LED602 is blinking. The third LED603 is off.. So the problem is that the computer does not turn on. The fan try to spin but i does not spin. Any Idea? Im thinking is the logic board
In taking my IMac G5 apart I could not release the clip from the back but I slid the card from the front corners.
What Size Torx Screw do i need to take the panel off? Please Respond!
Mines is older I think doesn't have the camera or the thing in the bottom and the screws won't come off I tried both wats and they just tighten
Can I just send you my iMac so you can change the processor? I'll send it with the processor. I'm really scared I'll break something.
I bought my mac direct from Apple in mid 2009 and nothing in your video applies as to how to get the case open. I have a stuck disc and I have not found one single video (yet) TH-cam ( or anywhere) about how to take my iMac apart. Apple must be aware of users trying to take their iMacs apart and decided to make it next to impossible for home owners to get inside the unit, let alone get the stuck CD out without having to take it into the shop. Not one single video for stuck discs applies to me.
What's that around your arm
@hbmkeith ...... those videos I talk about that are on TH-cam of people pulling up on the front panel only and not using the card tool is correct. I'm not talking about the iMac G5 that pulls off from the back. The iMac G5 has three screws on the bottom and the back panel pulls off. I have a 30 of those iMacs at my work.
just bought one of those PPC G5 1.9Ghz, lovely display but horrible YT due to the stone age GPU, first time ever with Apple and loving it. wonderful media machine. quaint and historic but fun. a slight hint of Amiga influence, but lots of future Android.
cool thank you
does any one know if the isight g5 imacs have the 3 led and internal power switch like the non isight g5s do
@hbmkeith ..... yes the original iMac G5's only have the three screws on the bottom with the panel pulling off the back, I have had entire labs with these iMacs as well but the iMacs this video is for it for the last generation iMac with iSight & White Intel iMacs. These all need the card tool. The first model G5 that you have at your work is the only model iMac that had the screws on the bottom to pull the back off ***Best iMac Design IMO ;-)
My G5 Intel iMac heats up almost right away when turned on and will freeze/fail in minutes. The upper left corner on the back is extremely hot. Can't really use it during day, just cold nights. Any idea? Other than throw it away xD
I know it's been 6 years but you need new thermal paste.
is this an old 2006 mac
Volume is too low after the first few seconds. SOLUTION: download the video using Freemake Video downloader (it's free and easy to install) and play it using VLC video player which amplifies audio nicely.
what is it on his hand?
@TheSuicidalTwinky Good to hear!! :-)
Show how to fix your low audio.
What panels do you mean?
@JamesRoneyMusic You will probably not find many videos on the new iMacs for take aparts as they are still under warranty for the most part unless the extended warranty has not been purchased. I have taken them apart many times and they certainly are different from the white iMac. If you venture this yourself be careful with the glass panel and careful with the screen itself. It gathers dus fast and sucks when you have the glass back on and notice it.
I got this type of iMac but it doesn't turn on
Yes the audio is way too low to figure out
to take off those latches on the top i use magnets
Canada much?
@hbmkeith how is mac useless?
@caracticuspots Thank you!!
@eliojair Always nice to save a few dollars, especially when it's $200 !!
His volume is very low. Run the sound through the Bluetooth speakers and make your sound adjustments
Nope, nothing to do with volume. See above. It's the lack of frequencies in the 2-5kHz frequency band.
i cannot hear anything
over my mechanical keyboard
I can get a g5 with 250 gb and 3 gb ram for 90 euros
@fenixfire077 It's an Apple access card but they can be $20 - $30 ..... I outline how to make one yourself free, check out my other videos and checkout the video "Make your own "Apple Access Card Tool" for Free"
Thank you for the video tutorial but nobody can hear you,
+Jason Stride lol true that
Appart from the mac mini's this thing is the worst one to repair..
@Ubuuuroi Sorry.... when I was recording the audio at that point it was very low. I boosted it just to the point where it would not sound bad.
This is an excellent instructional video, and clearly comes from an expert, so please don't take offence at a well meant criticism from a trained sound engineer. The problem with the audio isn't that it's not loud enough, after all I could simply turn my computer's volume up - sorted. It's because there's next to no high mids ('treble') in the sound. This is essential in distinguishing the different elements which go to make up 'speech sounds' (phonemes) in in human languages. It takes place in as little as the first 20 milliseconds or so of the different 'speech sounds'. Quote: "Phonemes, the smallest units of speech that distinguish between meaningful spoken words, are a characteristic ingredient of spoken human languages. The world's languages include approximately 100 overall, and each language has approximately 50 of them". Without the 2000 - 5,000kHz band the phonemes turns into indistinct mumbling. You need to be 'face on' to the mic and fairly close at all times; a lavalier or a tie clip mic works best, they are very 'bright' and they aren't expensive and don't need to be 'professional' quality. Same applies to music: if you knock out those frequencies at the commencement of each note, you'll still hear the notes, but it's hard to tell what sort of instrument it's coming from. But a really useful video for all that, and as you can imagine, my iMac is constantly in use, and 90% of that time it's me working with music recording and video production
your audio is soon low
it seems you talk to us from building on the other side of road. If you do not have professional setup, then mind proximity and distance of microphone or at least niemalże your voice as I have ramped up to maximum volume on my Samsung Galaxy S8 and I honestly don't hear what you are saying. mind that I can clearly hear what is being said in professionally recorded videos at 1/3 of volume, while being good 10 metres away.
i want to demolish my hard drive so i can get rid of the computer
sound is too low
Volume is at 100% and can still barely hear.
i cant hear you!
can't hear you, very fustrating.
its so freaking soft, cant here a thing around 4.20
WHAT???
the sound is very low y put close caption
The audio is low and this guy mumbles.
Can't here you at all.
the audio is just terrible man!
I can't hear you!
SPEAK UP
Fix your audio and re-upload!! nobody can hear you!!!!!!
Apple...what else can I say? Propriety Bull Shit.
lousy sound. shame on you
how to ruin a tutorial.
What Size Torx Screw do i need to take the panel off? Please Respond!