iMac Intel 21,5" EMC 2638 RAM austauschen

Geschrieben von: Walter Galan

Kommentare: 181

iMac Intel 21,5" EMC 2638 RAM austauschen

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Mittel

Schritte

Zeitaufwand

45 Minuten - 1 Stunde

Einleitung

Hier wird der Austausch des RAM gezeigt.

Werkzeuge

Ersatzteile

Schritt 1

Mit einem frei beweglichen Gelenk kann der iMac unkontrolliert pendeln, das macht es schwer an ihm zu arbeiten. Es geht leichter mit einem iMac Service Keil, es kann aber auch ohne ihn durchgeführt werden.
Wenn du die iFixit-Reparaturhilfe aus Karton verwendest, dann baue sie zuerst mit Hilfe dieser Anleitung zusammen.
Bevor du beginnst an deinem iMac zu arbeiten: Ziehe den Netzstecker, drücke und halte den Ausschaltknopf für mindestens zehn Sekunden. Dadurch werden die Kondensatoren im Netzteil entladen.
Sei sehr vorsichtig und berühre nicht die Leitungen oder Lötstellen an den Kondensatoren auf der Rückseite der Platine des Netzteils. Fasse diese nur an den Kanten an.

The wedge is an extremely tight fit for this model. I was worried that the amount of force needed to use it as shown might damage the stand, so I used it with the long side down instead. It worked fine that way and didn’t need anywhere near as much force to insert.

roberttrevellyan - 19/09/17

Here’s a good YouTube vid on upgrading the RAM: Can a Normal Person Upgrade the RAM in the 2017 21.5" iMac?

Dan - 12/02/18

Here are a couple tips from me:

1) Expose the adhesive to extreme temperatures. I did this by transporting my iMac in my car, screen-down on a piece of cardboard on a cold February morning (in Chicago). When I went to pick up the iMac, the screen practically fell off the chassis. I would have been distraught by this if I hadn’t already planned this replacement. So it was a happy accident.

2) Remember to expell the residual power from the power supply by pushing the power button while the iMac is unplugged. This does NOT guarantee it’s safe to touch, but when I accidentally brushed the solder and exposed capacitors, I didn’t get shocked.

jerrid_foiles - 31/03/19

Instead of using the wedge, I placed the iMac faced up with the top side (web cam) facing me while I ran the pizza roller around. It worked out great!

Sam Fung - 06/06/19

“All iMacs also come with a traditional hard drive” mine doesn’t!! it’s HDD bay is completely empty, no SATA cable or anything. I guess I’ll have to upgrade the PCIe SSD instead.

Chris Hughes - 10/11/19

There is no replacement glass for this model, it is part of the LCD and impossible to remove or replace- the entire LCD has to be replaced unfortunately if the glass is cracked or damaged. You will have to Google search for a replacement. Also be careful with some of the lock tight tork screws as I broke one of my screw mounts taking one out.

Phil Tesone - 18/01/21

I used this service wedge but also found it a very tight fit. The same stabilization can be achieved by using a big rolled up towel.

Ernst -

While this is a good instruction guide, I recommend to also look at OWC’s instruction video about drive installation, before starting the exercise. Those install videos are very detailed and useful.

Ernst -

Main advice: TAKE YOUR TIME with the pizza roller.

Make several passes, until you really feel like there's no more sticker in the way. Stay away from the camera though (approx. 1inch / 2.5cm on both sides). This will reduce the work left with the plastic card. Adhesive is really on the edge of the screen so there is absolutely no need to go any further than the recommended 1cm / 3/8inch depth.

Where are the sensitive parts?

Facing your iMac, imagine you're looking at a watch. There are antennas on 1, 2 and 4 o'clock. Do not insert any metal piece there (nor anywhere else, btw). Other than that AND the screen cables underneath the camera, not much danger.

Froggy Manny - 23/03/23

Schritt 2

Setze das iMac Opening Tool an der linken Seite des Displays, in der Nähe des An/Aus Schalters beginnend, in die Spalte zwischen Glaspanel und Rückgehäuse ein.
Die Achse am iMac Opening Tool verhindert, dass du es zu tief einschieben kannst. Wenn du ein anderes Werkzeug verwendest, musst du aufpassen, dass du es nicht tiefer als 9 mm in das Display einschiebst.Sonst riskierst du ein Durchschneiden der Antennenkabel, was zu ernsthaften Schaden führen kann.

Don’t get too worried about starting exactly where the picture says. The glue is stronger in some parts so just start wherever is easier and then work slowly and patiently around in the direction shown.

Richard Cook - 15/02/19

As this guide doesn’t cover replacing the adhesive strips, I found referring to the following was useful (noting that it’s not for the same model of iMac, so the modification they mention wasn’t necessary): IMac Intel 21.5 "EMC 2544 Klebestreifen ersetzen

Alan Digby - 24/06/20

It is very easy to crack the glass in front of the LCD during this step. I used the guitar pick, maybe it was too thick… crack is just on the frame but anyway it is disappointing :(

Nikolay - 30/06/20

This part of the exercise should be done with extreme patience. I took my sweet time with the opening tool, rolling it through the entire panel and enclosure gap over and over again, until I was very sure no parts were sticking together anymore. And when I thought I was I done, I decided to do it over again.

Ernst -

You can "warm up" the adhesive before try to cut it with the tool using a hair dryer. Heat the edges for about a minute, keep moving it so you don't cause stress in the glass. Also the above note.. use the tool and then the cards. Do not use a guitar pick or other objects as the thickness will cause you to break the front glass, which is a bonded part of the display (expensive).

Carl Schultz -

Schritt 3

Benutze es wie einen Pizzaschneider - Rolle es entlang des Spalts und trenne dabei den Klebeschaum in der Mitte.
Achte darauf, dass du es immer mit dem Handgriff hinter dem Schneidrad führst. Wenn du ziehst, kann sich das Rad aus dem Griff lösen.
Lasse das Werkzeug die linke Seite des Displays entlang laufen.

Erreur de traduction: "de bas en haut" et non de" haut en bas" sur le côté gauche de l'écran

Moreau - 15/04/17

If re-opening a screen that was opened and re-attached using iFixit’s adhesive strips, I would strongly recommend heating it first with an iOpener, heat gun or hair dryer. 20 minutes after attaching with the iFixit adhesive I tried to open it again with the pizza slicer to fix something and cracked the screen on the left-hand side.

plasticpool - 08/12/20

Schritt 4

Fahre fort und lasse das Werkzeug um die obere linke Ecke laufen.

Ne pincez pas l’écran avec l’autre main. Vous exercez une pression inutile sur le verre et empêchez la roulette de couper le joint.

phfoglia -

Schritt 5

Schneide die Klebeverbindung entlang der oberen linken Seite des Displays auf.

Schritt 6

Fahre an der Oberseite des Displays fort.
Du kannst das Werkzeug mehrmals hin und her schieben. So trennst du so viel wie möglich von der Klebeverbindung auf.

In this step can I cut along the display without make any damage to the front camera?

arisnordico - 22/01/15

Hi! Actually - there is no need to cut the tape around the camera area - there is no tape to cut at all! And so, the way go is easy - just pass 10 mm to the left and to the right from camera and start cutting!

P.S. Just did the whole procedure to replace a RAM and to add SSD on PSIe an hour ago! Seems to be different reading the instructions... you know - 2/10 and so on. But it's really not that hard, trust me. I'll give it 5/10.

P.P.S. By the way there is one trick to pass the difficult steps. Any action which requires pulling smth (motherboard, speaker, power supply unit) from the narrow crack (or should i say - slit?) at the bottom of your Imac is really not so easy.

And the trick is to first remove a thin metal stripe with some kind of insulation on it which held by 5 small (very small!!) screws at the bottom of your Imac. After you done it - it's easy to pull everything! Pay attention to the fact that one of this 5 screws at the center are more shortly than others.

dv1977 - 24/01/15

I did all steps like this manuell but now the Display wont work only some colered strips are to see! Whats happend??

Can anybody help me ? Maybe the connector cable is broken?

djfanta - 28/05/15

Check both connectors, probably one of them not seated well

pzhivulin - 12/06/15

You can add a SATA SSD if you already have a PCIe SSD Factory?

kaserlik - 30/05/15

If you're changing cracked EMC 2638 display to new assembly, there's two more steps:

Step 24: Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.

Carefully pull the display data cable from its socket on the display assembly.

Step 25: Use the tip of a spudger to unplug bracket of the thermal sensor small cable near display data cable.

Carefully remove scotch tape covering thermal sensor. Using iSesamo or flat tip of the spudger carefully peel the thermal sensor away.

pzhivulin - 12/06/15

omg - forgot to switch the termal sensor from the old display...

now fan runs like crazy...

Andrei Balotescu - 05/02/16

The key thing is to never put any force on the opening tool when working through the tape. Just roll it back and forth with ease.

Ernst -

Schritt 7

Schiebe das Werkzeug um die obere rechte Ecke des Displays.

Schritt 8

Rolle das Werkzeug die rechte Seite des Displays nach unten.

Schritt 9

Beende das Schneiden mit dem iMac Opening Tool unten auf der rechten Seite des Displays.
An dieser Stelle solltest du noch einmal das Werkzeug um das ganze Display laufen lassen, um wirklich soviel von der Klebeverbindung wie möglich aufzutrennen.

Yes, do it many times to loosen the adhesive.

Noah Ralston - 19/07/18

Would be good data to show the 3 areas (wifi antennas where the "tape" is larger and covers them. The rest of the "tape" is 1.4" and easy. Also after removing the display, be sure to remove the old "tape" from both the display and the rubber parts of the case. Use the spudger to start an end and it should pull off easily. Careful on the baackside of the display as you can scratch off the black paint/covering.

Carl Schultz -

Schritt 10

Das Werkzeug hat den größten Teil der Klebeverbindung aufgeschnitten., aber das Display ist immer noch ein wenig mit dem Gehäuse verklebt. Den letzten Rest musst du mit einer Plastikkarte lösen.
Lege den iMac mit der Scheibe nach oben auf den Tisch.
Beginne in der oberen rechten Ecke und zwänge eine Plastikkarte zwischen Display und Rahmen.
Achte darauf, die Karte nicht tiefer als 9 mm einzuschieben. Du könntest sonst Bauteile im Inneren beschädigen.

this step is extremely important NOT to stick in the cards too far….. doing so, you risk a 600 euro replacement as I experienced………

Edgar Broekema - 18/11/17

I drew a 3/8” line on my cards with a marker first.

Max Romano - 27/09/20

I’m reading this on the EU store, please change all measurements to cm/mm.

Morgana Devina - 30/10/20

@ifixit The next batch of cards you create should have a line printed on the card 3/8” in from the edges. Would make a nice reference.

Richard Giratd -

Here’s where OWC provides glass removal suction cups, which is a better solution than plastic cards.

The suction cups help to easily lift the glass panel, without risking the damaging of any internal wiring that the plastic cards could cause.

Ernst -

Better to remove stand wedge at this point? Can’t see from pics

derekrobinson -

Schritt 11

Verdrehe die Plastikkarte seitlich und vergrößere so den Spalt zwischen Display und Rahmen.
Bewege die Karte vorsichtig und langsam, damit das Displayglas nicht zu stark belastet wird - du brauchst nur einen Spalt von etwa 6 mm Breite zu öffnen.

This part must be done very carefully or you can damage the flat cable from display, despite it was under a iron cover.

Cassio Machado - 17/09/16

Schritt 12

Schiebe die Karte zur Mitte des Displays hin und schneide so allen Kleber an der rechten oberen Ecke des iMac auf.
Halte unbedingt vor der iSight Kamera an, damit sie nicht beschädigt wird.

You don't need to do it like this, simply open the iMac bendidng the LCD completely and use the pizza cutter to remove the adhesive.

Felix - 31/05/20

Using glass removal suction cups will avoid running this risk of damaging the camera (or any wiring).

Ernst -

Schritt 13

Zwänge die Plastikkarte erneut in die obere rechte Ecke ein und lasse sie dort stecken. Damit verhinderst du, dass sich die Teile wieder verkleben.

Schritt 14

Setze eine zweite Plastikkarte an der oberen linken Ecke des iMac in den Spalt zwischen Rahmen und Display ein.

Schritt 15

Verdrehe die Karte nach oben, vergrößerte so den Spalt zwischen Rahmen und Display ein wenig.
Drehe, genau wie an der anderen Seite, langsam und lasse dem Klebstoff Zeit beim Auftrennen. Achte drauf, das Displayglas nicht zu stark zu belasten.

Schritt 16

Fahre mit der Karte zur Mitte hin, halte auch hier wieder vor der iSight Kamera an

Schritt 17

Zwänge die Karte wieder bei der linken oberen Ecke ein.

Schritt 18

Verdrehe nun beide Karten seitlich, wie im Bild zu sehen an den Ecken eingesetzt, und vergrößere den Spalt zwischen Gehäuse und Display.
Wenn manche Stellen noch verklebt erscheinen und sich nicht trennen lassen, dann musst du aufhören zu verdrehen und mit einer der Karten die Klebestelle auftrennen.
Fange an, die Oberkante des Displays vom Rahmen weg zu heben.
Hebe es nur ein paar Zentimeter an - die Datenkabel und Versorgungskabel des Displays sind immer noch am Logic Board angeschlossen.

Schritt 19

Während du das Display mit einer Hand nach oben hältst, trenne mit der anderen Hand das Stromkabel des Displays.
Hebe das Display nur so weit an, dass du genug Platz hast, um an den Anschluss zu kommen, jedoch nicht so weit, dass du die Kabel dehnst und ihre Anschluss überbeanspruchst (~20cm).

Pulling the display power cable by the wires makes me nervous..

bstaud - 28/03/18

I had a small flight light ready so I could see. Follow the directions - don’t blindly pull.

Noah Ralston - 19/07/18

Head lamp gives you the best hands free view!

Macrepair SF - 28/06/19

bstaud - The display power cable has two squeezable levers on each end of the cable’s width.

Squeeze the left lever with your thumb while you simultaneously squeeze the right lever with your

index finger, and gently pull the cable straight back and out, and the cable comes out very easily.

Ted Horodynsky - 10/08/19

When reassembling, make sure you get a “click” confirmation that both the levers have locked AND the pins have seated on this connector. I was treated to a black screen upon startup, and had to re-cut my newly installed adhesive strips to get back in to firm up this connection. Better would be power up with the bottom adhesive in place, screen resting in place and held on top with blue painter tape to confirm connections, THEN pull off screen-side adhesive tape covers for final re-bonding.

Robert McKillip -

Can someone post a link to actually purchase these cables?

Jay Hernandez -

E-bay had one for me

Roger -

Schritt 20

Klappe die Metalllasche am Anschluss des Display-Datenkabels mit einem Spudger hoch.
Ziehe das Display-Datenkabel vorsichtig aus seinem Sockel auf dem Logic Board.
Achte darauf, dass du den Verbinder des Display-Datenkabel gerade aus dem Sockel herausziehst.

Sure could use a magnified picture of this connector and socket, especially the first time you go in. And it is the most critical step of the whole operation — bung it up and we’re toast.

bstaud - 28/03/18

Hi bstaud! If you hover over the image you can click on the magnifying glass and get a large image of any guide photo. Hope that helps!

Sam Goldheart - 29/03/18

To clarify, the connector pulls out in the plane of the logic card, not perpendicular.

David Thompson - 20/12/18

Schritt 21

Hebe das Display an, bis es fast senkrecht ist.
Es gibt immer noch einen Klebestreifen an der unteren Kante des Displays, der den Display wie eine Art Scharnier mit dem Rahmen verbindet. Klappe das Display einige Male auf und zu, um den Kleber zu lösen.

Where can I find a replacement display for my iMac?

Braydon Boyce - 26/11/17

iFixit has listings for replacements. Go to the Parts section

jerrid_foiles - 04/05/19

Schritt 22

Wenn nötig, kann eine Plastikkarte helfen, den unteren Klebestreifen vollständig zu abzutrennen.

Cutting through this extra adhesive on the bottom took a bit more effort than the step and picture implied (to me). Unlike the other edges, here don't be afraid to really push the card in there to break the seal, there's nothing behind that adhesive that is breakable.

phil - 13/02/16

cutting through the adhesive is unnecessary if it's not been opened before (outside of an apple store) there will be a tab at the end of each VHB strip that you can use to simply pull the vhb strips off.

Rory McKenna - 20/09/16

YES, exactly the same here. more but more simple.

Lucio Alves - 14/09/19

To save a few steps and a bit of time, if you have a helper, they can hold the display at a 90° angle while you unscrew the brackets and remove/replace the hard drive rather than remove the display entirely. Also reduces the likelihood of damaging the display as you remove and handle it.

marty - 03/09/17

The proper way to remove the display according to the Macintosh tech manual and videos is as Rory McKenna and Lucio Alves have learned is to pull the tab at the end of each VHB strip until it is off.

Ben Varela - 05/03/20

This worked great! look for small left over adhesive on either edge of the bottom of the screen and pull each one towards the center. Screen assembly removes after that with no fuss.

Miguel Rivas -

Schritt 23

Hebe das Display nach oben aus dem Rahmen und entferne es aus dem iMac heraus.
Möglicherweise musst du an einer Seite anfangen, das Display langsam anzuheben, um den Rest des Klebebandes zu lösen.
Sei vorsichtig bei der Handhabung des Displays. Es ist groß, schwer und aus Glas.

Schritt 24

Entferne folgende fünf Kreuzschlitzschrauben, welche die untere Displayhalterung befestigen:
Vier 3,2 mm Schrauben
Eine 1,7 mm Schraube
Es gibt aber auch EMC2544-Geräte, bei denen alle fünf Schrauben gleich sind.
Du musst eventuell die Verklebung am unteren Rand der Gehäuseöffnung ablösen, um an alle Schrauben zu gelangen.

I used the CR-V 4.0 standard screwdriver head to help peel away the adhesive lining. My fingers were too big to grab it, and my fingernails too short to get the removal started. This 4 screw head worked perfectly.

airshack - 07/02/20

Schritt 25

Entferne die untere Displayhalterung von der Gehäuseöffnung.

Of all the parts of this entire procedure, replacing this one piece is the hardest part! The screws are tiny and they just don’t seem to want to grab the support piece. Also it seems to perform no function which is also annoying.

John M - 25/01/19

I left mine out. LOL

jerrid_foiles - 04/05/19

Line up the screw holes and press on the bracket from the back to help the screws grab. If your fingers are too big, press with the flat side of your spudger. As long as there’s no gap between the bracket and the iMac’s frame, the screws should grab easily.

Jeff Suovanen - 07/05/19

I put it in at a slight angle lining up the right hand side holes, screwed in the two screws and gently pressed my finger behind it on the rest

jmorphett5 - 30/04/20

If you only want to replace the HD and RAM, take a big shortcut and leave the logic board in, as well as all the parts needed to remove it (speaker, power supply etc). Once the display is removed, just take out the fan and the top two logic board screw. There is than sufficient space to gently remove and insert the two ram modules. HD can easily be replaced with an SSD by just removing the HD mounting brackets...

diddl14 -

Schritt 26

Entferne folgende Torx T10 Schrauben, welche die Festplattenhalterung am Rückgehäuse befestigen:
Zwei 21 mm Schrauben an der linksseitigen Festplattenhalterung
Eine 9 mm Schraube
Eine 27 mm Schraube

Pay attention to this photo and where the fan is. It is 180° from where the previous step shows it is oriented to you.

Max Romano - 27/09/20

Schritt 27

Entferne die links- und rechtsseitige Festplattenhalterung vom iMac.

Schritt 28

Die nächsten Schritte bringen deine Hände in die Nähe der offenen Oberfläche der Netzteilplatine. Fasse diese und die offenen Lötstellen nicht an , um einen Stromschlag von den vielen großen Kondensatoren auf der Platine zu vermeiden.
Drücke mit der Spudgerspitze abwechselnd auf jeder Seite des Steckers am Kabel zum Netzschalter und lasse ihn langsam aus dem Sockel "herauswandern".

I would advise that before removing the PSU unit and all other components from the bottom of the case that you remove the 5 screws at the bottom of the display which hold an insulation strip in place.

The guide shows this piece removed, but does not tell you how to remove it.

There will be 5, small J1000 screws. The middle one, which goes over Apple Logo is the shorter one of the 5, all others are the same length. Once this piece is gone removing the components is much easier, and chance of damage lessened.

[deleted] - 16/01/16

Added to the guide. Thanks for the tip!

Jeff Suovanen - 06/07/16

No need to remove power board and logic board and all other components, just remove the fan and it is quite "easily" accessable to change the RAM. Just need to use the tools to remove the old RAM and carefully install the new RAM.

I just did it without removing the logic or power board

Oleksandr Trokhymchuk - 11/08/17

could you elaborate a little more, I would love to skip the rest of these steps. How did you accomplish this?

ej P - 03/07/18

Oleksandr Trokhymchuk,

Thank you! You just saved me so much time! I wouldn’t call this “easy” but it saved me a lot of time and effort.

Joshua Ericson -

ej P: remove the fan assembly first. Then remove the connector that runs from the iSight camera to the logic board on the left.

the RAM is located right near that cable. It’s tricky to remove but you can pop open the connectors with a black nylon stick and the RAM chip will pop up at 45 degrees. Make a mental note on which way you will need to install the new ram as it’s tough to see. For the Crucial memory I got it was label side facing away you (facing towards rear metal enclosure).

the second chip has a plastic adhesive piece on it that you should probably attach to the new ram.

remove both chips then install the new ram in sequence from the board out.

Wizdom On Wheels - 10/07/19

In the photo for Step 28, the power button cable connector is placed around the power board screw hole on the top left of the power board.

However, on the iMac I upgraded, the power button cable connector was “fed” through the power power screw hole on the top left of the power board. The cable was too short to run around and below the hole.

Hence, I had to ensure the cable was “fed” through the hole during re-assembly and the screw carefully screwed back through the hole.

I guess every iMac is assembly just a bit differently, just to make repairs that much more fun.

Tim Telcik - 01/09/19

This is not correct and may have been assembled incorrectly during a previous repair.

Charlie Nancarrow -

Just replaced the hard drive and RAM with SSD and 16GB respectively and did NOT remove the power supply or logic board. Tricky is a word to describe putting the RAM in without removing the logic board. You work in the dark with little room to get your fingers in between the logic board and the back of the case. I put the first RAM chip in without a problem (the one next to the logic board), but the second to four tries and dropped it behind the logic board three times before finally getting it to position correctly. Just impossible to see and must work but feel. Still it was faster than removing all the components… though did remove the fan (needed cleaning anyway). All in all I can’t say enough about the help the guide was through the upgrade ! Thanks !

Ray Burgard - 14/12/19

I found this connector to be very tight and was afraid of breaking it off. I just kept slowly working on it—it did eventually come out.

I did try to sneak the RAM in without removing the logic board but my fingers were too big. I found it too difficult and just continued on with this guide.

Mikkif - 30/03/20

I was not able to install the memory without removing all the components. My fingers are too big and I could barely get in that tight spot to swap out the memory. The hardest part about the power supply is that one connector under the chin next to the Apple logo. Once it is out, you are home free because it is so easy to plug it back in when you are putting it all back together again. Ridiculous that Apple did not put a simple access door behind those memory slots because they are on the backside of the Mac! They did an access door on the PowerBooks and it did not ruin the appearance. They could have designed a cool looking pop out door that only had a thin seam around it so it would still look good. Then you could remove the access door to upgrade the memory easily.

Peter Hillman - 18/10/20

Does anyone know if this is the same situation as in the 2017 model? I just changed RAM in the 2017 version and also skipped taking out the logic board. I just bent a pair of tweezers and put some tape around the tips to make them less scratchy and used them to place the RAM modules into the slots. Worked supereasy and much much quicker than performing the complete tear down of the whole machine.

Nils Witte - 26/12/20

This step is impossible!

Cecily Walker - 05/01/21

@wizdomonwheels, I don’t see how I can get the RAM shield off of the logic board to access the RAM without removing the logic board. What am I missing?? I’m guessing that those of you that are suggesting this technique are working on older iMac models that don’t have the RAM shield.

jiclark - 11/03/21

Yes, you are correct. It is likely the various steps are a bit different on each model. If I recall I was likely working on a 2015 or older system. If there’s a shield in the way, I can’t think of a way you could get around it without pulling the logic board.

Wizdom On Wheels - 12/03/21

Schritt 29

Drücke vorsichtig mit der Spudgerspitze abwechselnd an jeder Seite des Steckers der Netzteilsteuerung, um ihn aus seinem Sockel "herauswandern" zu lassen.

Schritt 30

Entferne die beiden 7,2 mm Torx T10 Schrauben, welche das Netzteil am Rückgehäuse befestigen.
In neueren iMac Modellen sind dies 7,2 mm Torx T8 Schrauben.
Achte beim Zusammenbau darauf, dass sich das Kabel zur Einschalttaste nicht hinter der Leiterplatte verfängt.

In my case, the left side corner of the PS was caught against the Lower Support Bracket, and I had to remove the LSB in order to get the PS freed and out.

I think the author Walter Galan should put this in the main section of his instructions. I have TWO identical iMac 14,1 / i5 2.7GHz / 21 Inch Late 2013 / Order ME086LL/A. They both required removing the LSB. Thank you very much Walter Galan & others for your contributions.

Ted Horodynsky - 15/07/20

Those screws were definitely not T10 but T9 on my unit

Vincent Monteil - 27/12/20

Those screws were T8 on my unit.

jag32mobile - 17/01/21

Schritt 31

Wenn du am Netzteil arbeitest, musst du sehr vorsichtig sein: berühre keine Kondensatoranschlüsse oder auch Lötstellen auf der Rückseite. Fasse die Platine nur an den Kanten an.
Kippe das Netzteil nach vorne.

When replacing the PSU (on the re-build) take care not to trap the power button cable behind it - I did...

Dave Hallett - 10/08/17

Schritt 32

Ziehe das Netzteil leicht hoch und aus dem Rückgehäuse heraus.
Drehe das Netzteil gegen den Uhrzeigersinn, so dass die rechte Seite etwa 2,5 cm höher als die linke ist.

In my case, the left side corner of the PS was caught against the Lower Support Bracket, and I had to remove the LSB in order to get the PS freed and out.

Ted Horodynsky - 15/07/20

Schritt 33

Schiebe das Netzteil nach rechts um es von den Schraubenpfosten am Rückgehäuse zu befreien.

Schritt 34

Rücke das Netzteil nach vorne und entferne es aus seinem Sitz im Rückgehäuse.
Versuche noch nicht, das Netzteil ganz vom iMac zu entfernen, es ist immer noch mit dem Logic Board verbunden.

Schritt 35

Sei ganz vorsichtig und berühre keine Lötstellen oder Kondensatorkabel auf der Rückseite der Versorgungsplatine. Fasse nur die Kanten an.
Drehe das obere Teil des Netzteils zu dir, um an den Stecker der Gleichstromversorgung hinter dem Logic Board zu kommen.
Drücke die Lasche am Stecker der Gleichstromversorgung zusammen und ziehe ihn gerade aus seinem Sockel auf der Rückseite des Logic Boards.

when pulled the cable, even slightly, the actual female piece that connects to the logic board came off. am i screwed?

Racheal Major - 08/05/17

Repairing sockets that come off the logic board is possible, but very specialised work. Unless you have a magnifying lamp and the necessary desoldering and soldering skills, it will be difficult but not impossible.

Charlie Nancarrow - 28/07/19

The tab is at the far end of the connector, so you’ll need to reach farther than you might think.

lkollar - 30/12/19

When I pulled the disconnect, I pushed down on the disconnect, instead of pushing down on the tab on the disconnect and bent those pins… tried to straighten the bent pins and two of the pins broke off the logic board. Will I need a new logic board or can I purchase the pins…?

Ray AA - 04/06/20

I could not disconnect this cable without fear of breaking something (as previous posters did). I found that I could skip this and the next step by wrapping the power supply in a couple layers of a small towel (to prevent shorting with any other metal surfaces), and laying the power supply on the aluminum face of the iMac near the Apple logo. This got it out of the way enough to do what I needed on the logic board (changing PRAM battery) after completing removal of the other items in this guide.

Phil McInnis -

Schritt 36

Es ist wahrscheinlich hilfreich, wenn du für die nächsten Schritte den den iMac mit der Rückseite auf den Tisch legst.
Drücke die Raste an der Seite des Steckers des Wechselstromkabels mit dem flachen Ende des Spudgers nach innen.
Halte die Raste mit dem Spudger gedrückt, fasse das Wechselstromkabel an und ziehe den Verbinder aus seinem Sockel.

I didn't disconnect the input cable to the power supply. Because I had the machine lying on its back throughout, I placed it on to the metal bit at the bottom of the machine instead (with a cloth to stop the metal getting scratched). The AC inlet cable was pretty tricky to get un-locked, and the PSU sat on the case fine. It didn't hinder anything else throughout the guide.

Dave Hallett - 10/08/17

I thought from Dave’s comment that I could leave the power supply completely in place, but I was mistaken. In order to remove the hard drive assembly after you remove the center screw in it, you’ll need to at least unscrew it and the HD assembly will slip out. Like Dave said, you don’t need to unplug the AC or PSU, which I left hanging.

Getting power supply to the logic board unplugged is also tricky without unscrewing the two bottom screws. They didn’t make this part easy.

delacrj2 - 22/12/17

Kleiner Rechtschreibfehler - statt „denac“ muss es wohl „den iMac“ heißen

Gonzalo - 01/11/18

Au ja. Du kannst so was selbst ausbessern. Einfach auf “Übersetzen" gehen und loslegen.

VauWeh - 01/11/18

I would like to thanks Dave Hallett for his tip of not removing the AC inlet connector of the power supply. I simply wrapped the board in bubble wrap and taped to the iMac case, out of the way, thus giving access to the remaining disconnection procedures and preventing the board from scratching to the iMac case. It also made reassembly much simpler.

Rob Hogan - 04/08/20

Yeah, that AC inlet plug was a nasty one to unplug, mainly because I was trying not to bump the solder joints on the PSU. After a few wiggles and pulls while manipulating the spudger tool to release the clip, it finally unplugged. Made it easier by removing the PSU completely so you don’t have to worry about it. Don’t worry, plugging it back in is a breeze!

Peter Hillman - 18/10/20

With the right tool this plug comes out very easily. Forget about your tiny computer tools, go to the garage and grab a regular old needle nose pliers. Grab the clip and the plug at the same time. The plug will come right out.

Carin Ann Loewen - 08/03/21

Carin Ann— The most helpful comment on this procedure. After reading what you wrote I maneuvered the board, grabbed the clip with my left hand (a little awkward because of the cooling enclosure), squeezed the front of the plug, and got it out.

Glen Kohler -

+1 for needle nose pliers!

Sam -

Schritt 37

Entferne das Netzteil vom iMac.

erreur: retirer "la carte d'alimentation" et non" le disque dur" !!!!!

Moreau - 16/04/17

Schritt 38

Ziehe vorsichtig den Stecker des Lüfterkabels gerade aus seinem Sockel auf dem Logic Board.

Schritt 39

Entferne die drei 12,3 mm Torx T10 Schulterschrauben, die den Lüfter am Rückgehäuse befestigen.

Schritt 40

Entferne den Lüfter vom iMac.

Schritt 41

Hebe die Festplatte am Rand in der Nähe des Logic Board an und ziehe sie etwas aus ihrem Sitz.
Die Festplatte ist noch über die SATA Kabel für Daten und Stromversorgung angeschlossen, versuche also noch nicht sie ganz zu entfernen.

The newer drives have rubber ends and an adhesive side, be careful removing them if replacing the drive and be sure they are securely pushed back into the holder

Carl Schultz -

Schritt 42

Löse das SATA Combo Kabel für Daten und Stromversorgung, indem du mit dem Spudger vorsichtig seinen großen Plastikverbinder weg von der Festplatte hebelst.

When reconnecting the SATA cable, there is nothing to make the connector hold still, and it is hard to reach, so it took several tries. I ended up taking off the rubber baby buggy bumpers to get more room, and then jamming them back on after getting the SATA connector snugged up.

bstaud - 28/03/18

If by rubber baby buggy bumper, you mean left speaker, then yes, I agree. Reinstall the hard drive before the left speaker.

jerrid_foiles - 31/03/19

Kudo to @jerrid_foiles! I was going crazy trying to attach the SATA cable until I took the two screws out of the left speaker and slid the top end of it aside by about 3/4 inch. Make the whole process SO MUCH easier!!

jiclark - 11/07/19

We solved this by removing the hard drive tray screw, then inserting the cable into the SATA hard drive. Then hold the hard drive a bit out of the way to insert the 7.3mm hard drive tray screw.

Marjie - 25/07/19

Agree with this method, found it an impossible task to reconnect the SATA connector until removed the tray screw, then it was relatively easy to reconnect and then replace the tray screw.

daveedwards - 20/09/19

Also agree with this method!

jmorphett5 - 30/04/20

Schritt 43

Entferne die Festplatteneinheit vom iMac.

When reassembling, I found it easier to loosen the HD tray screw from Step 48 and pull the tray outwards from the left side in order to plug the SATA cable in more easily.

Cool_Breeze - 10/05/17

Thanks! I, too, had a hard time reconnecting the SATA cable.

boboswell - 16/06/17

I found this helpful too!

Anwar - 07/02/21

And DON’T do what I did, which is to remove the left speaker - which can easily lead to breaking the cable between the power on button and the power supply. The cable is routed through a hidden slot at the very bottom of the left speaker

bsmith1 - 15/12/17

I did loosen the speaker so I could get a tool behind the SATA cable to push it on to the SSD drive. Otherwise hard to align cable.

Noah Ralston - 19/07/18

I found the easiest way to connect the SATA cable was to not screw the plastic hard drive tray down until you plug the drive in. That way you can easily push the connector in and due to the cable you’ve got some wiggle room. You can position the tray then just lift one end of the drive up and secure the screw. Then just push the drive down.

Chris Caldwell - 21/03/19

This was the step that I had the most trouble with. I’m used to replacing a hard drive in a MacBook Pro, where the “plug” that you plug the drive into is a rigid thing that you can firmly press the hard drive into.

With the iMac, the plug is situated on the end of a non-rigid cord, so the plug moves back when you try to snap a drive into it. Also, those two rubber gasket things that you adhere to the side of the drive really make it difficult to maneuver the now-overly-chubby drive towards the plug.

After must frustration/concern, what I ended up doing was temporarily removing the rubber gasket things, using the “spudger” as kind of a lever behind the “plug on a cord” so that it didn’t move as much, and then pushed the gasket-less SSD into the plug.

Once I got it connected, I put the rubber gaskets back on the sides of the SSD and kind of coaxed it down into place, using the pointy end of the spudger to get the chubby corner pieces to “sit” correctly in the rigid plastic tray that the SSD kind of rests in.

Jack OnFlickr - 29/05/19

From another comment elsewhere on this repair, I *highly* recommend removing the two screws holding the left speaker in place, then sliding it just a tad out of the way to be able to easily attach the SATA cable. You don’t have to move it much to make the whole process so much easier!

jiclark - 11/07/19

Schritt 44

Entferne die einzelne 7,2 mm Torx T10 Schraube, welche den Festplatteneinschub am Rückgehäuse befestigt.

HD Screw is a T9 on mine

TheStudioDrummer -

Schritt 45

Entferne den Festplatteneinschub vom Rückgehäuse.

You will have to reroute the sata cable beneath too. The drive tray will not simply lift out.

biscuit - 04/02/17

Schritt 46

Drücke abwechselnd mit der Spudgerspitze an jeder Seite des Steckers vom linken Lautsprecherkabel und lasse so den Stecker "herauswandern".

A step is entirely missing here – removing the right speaker cable connection from the logic board and also removing the right speaker casing (all the pictures below show it already having been removed). You actually don't need to entirely remove the right speaker to get the logic board out but you will need to remove its screws and lift it slightly. And you will need to remove its plug from the motherboard but that's not hard and it looks identical to the left speaker plug/socket.

biscuit - 04/02/17

This does need adding to the guide if anyone from ifixit sees this!

Alan Digby - 24/06/20

Schritt 47

Löse, falls nötig, mit einer Pinzette vorsichtig das Klebeband ab, welches das Kabel zum linken Lautsprecher am SATA Daten/Versorgungskabel befestigt.

Actually i didn't get why should i unstick the tape which gum up left speaker cable to the SATA data/power cable. It's gonna be hard to bond the tape again cause it looses the clue ability. I can definetely claim that there is no need to touch the tape.

dv1977 - 26/01/15

I too can say that there was no reason to remove the tape.

[deleted] - 16/01/16

Agreed. I completed the repair without removing the tape.

phil - 13/02/16

Schritt 48

Fädle das linke Lautsprecherkabel aus, indem du es direkt aus seiner Halteklammer hinten am Rückgehäuse herausziehst.
Hebe auf gleiche Art das SATA Combokabel für Daten/Versorgung aus der Halteklammer.

Schritt 49

Klappe den metallenen Sicherungsbügel am Stecker des Kabels zur iSight Kamera mit dem flachen Ende des Spudgers hoch.
Ziehe das Kabel zur iSight Kamera gerade aus seinem Sockel auf dem Logic Board.
Ziehe nicht zu stark. Das ist ein sehr empfindlicher Stecker, der leicht beschädigt werden kann.

Schritt 50

Löse die vier Antennenstecker mit der flachen Kante des Spudgers von der AirPort /Bluetooth Karte.
Merke dir die richtige Position der einzelnen Stecker für den Zusammenbau.

Be careful and tender here, otherwise you risk that the connectors brake

Andreas - 23/01/19

Agreed, super easy to bend these and break them.

jctracey - 11/06/19

i found it helpful to use the flat end of the spudger under the cable near the connector and gently wiggle the spudger until the cable was disconnected.

Tim Telcik - 31/08/19

Agreed, I broke one connector. The airport seems to work anyway. But what to do to fix it? Change the airport card or try to weld it again?

Paolo Galante - 01/01/20

I mark each cable tip with a different colored sharpie and then take a Pic. This gives me the order and the angle of orientation in order to reconnect these pesky connectors.

Macrepair SF - 05/03/20

OK, so when did you remove the RIGHT speaker? Suddenly it is not in the photos. I s there anything besides it's plug to remove?

Carl Schultz -

Schritt 51

Hebele den Verbinder des Kabels zur Kopfhörerbuchse mit dem flachen Ende des Spudgers aus seinem Sockel auf dem Logic Board.
Schiebe das Kabel leicht nach rechts, damit es beim Entfernen des Logic Boards nicht stört.

The photo in Step 51 shows the right speaker missing, however there is no step prior for removing the right speaker.

Hence, refer to this other guide to remove the right speaker *before* Step 51.

iMac Intel 21,5" EMC 2638 rechten Lautsprecher austauschen

Tim Telcik - 01/09/19

Its there! Step 28 & 29 is the removal, the left one doesn’t need to be removed.

Dan - 26/07/20

Schritt 52

Entferne folgende Torx T8 Schrauben, welche den Lüfterkanal am Rückgehäuse befestigen:
Zwei 6,3 mm Schrauben
Zwei 4,7 mm Schrauben

I have the Manta 64 bit kit and the driver that comes with that kit is too short/fat to reach that right 4.7mm T8 screw. I cant fit it past the logic board. i’ll have to find a T8 with a longer shaft or a skinny extension bit

Nick - 06/05/20

edit: nvm I didn’t see the smaller TR8 bit but I’m good now!

Nick - 07/05/20

A T9 bit fits and grips the screws tight enough to make it easier to work with the deep 4.7mm screw.

johann beda - 17/10/20

Schritt 53

Entferne die vier 7,2 mm Torx T10 Schrauben, welche das Logic Board am Rückgehäuse befestigen.

So a major problem for me here — my iMac (purchased 2018 ) has a solid circular fastener where the lower left T10 screw should be. So I think I’m dead in the water as far as getting the logic board off to put the new RAM in. I can’t see how people can insert the ram from behind without seeing it or being able to get two fingers to the tabs. I’m so frustrated with the design of this computer.

jctracey - 11/06/19

That’s a new one on us! We’d love to see a photo. Any chance it’s a tamper-proof sticker hiding the head? You may also be able to turn it with a set of pliers if you can get a decent grip, just be careful not to bump any board components!

Sam Goldheart - 13/06/19

It’s a tamper proof sticker. I started to peel it up, but it was just easier to press the screwdriver bit in.

as an update, these are now T8 screws

cwaldrip - 04/09/20

Schritt 54

Kippe die Oberkante des Logic Boards weg vom Rückgehäuse.
Hebe das Logic Board gerade hoch und aus dem iMac heraus.
Achte darauf, dass sich das Logic Board nicht an einem der Schraubenpfosten verhakt.
Die I/O-Platinen unten am Logic Board sind dabei die größte Herausforderung. Sei sehr vorsichtig, um jegliche Schäden zu vermeiden.

If you have a helper (or if you're very coordinated and careful), you can very likely lift up the logic board far enough to replace both RAM modules without pulling the logic board all the way out. Just be careful what you touch, of course.

phil - 13/02/16

This is the trickiest part of the whole operation. It took me a solid half hour to get the logic board out. I’m sure it would be easier a second time, because there’s not many delicate components around the USB/Internet sockets, so you can be a little more assertive with it than I felt comfortable doing.

David Thompson - 20/12/18

i found the logic board kept snagging on the USB connectors poking through the exterior case. Wiggle the logic gently to extract..

Tim Telcik - 31/08/19

There are two connections underneath, where the HDD cables plug in. This should be pointed out; they pulled loose when I removed the logic board and I didn’t notice until I had most of it put back together.

lkollar - 30/12/19

Take out the two screws that hold down the right speaker, and push it up a little, before removing the logic board. It makes things a lot easier.

Also: there’s a cable on the right side of the logic board that isn’t called out. Nor are the two HDD cables that plug into the underside of the logic board.

lkollar - 30/12/19

Photo shows right speaker removed, but this is not in the steps. I loosened it and disconnected its cable. Otherwise, the logic board wasn’t going to come out safely.

ken -

Schritt 55

Beim Wiedereinbau des Mainboards sollte darauf geachtet werden, die äußeren I/O Anschlüsse richtig sitzen. Das Mainboard kann schief sitzen, auch wenn alle Schrauben festgezogen sind.
Stelle mit einem USB Stick und/oder einem Ethernet-Kabel sicher, dass das Mainboard beim Festschrauben an der richtigen Stelle ist.

Schritt 56

Löse die Rasten auf jeder Seite des RAM Riegels, indem du diese gleichzeitig wegdrückst.
Der RAM Speicherriegel sollte ein bisschen aus dem Sockel herausspringen.
Fasse den Riegel in der oberen linken und rechten Ecke an und ziehe ihn sorgfältig gerade aus seinem Sockel.
Wiederhole dieses Verfahren, wenn noch weitere Speicherriegel eingebaut sind.

This would also be a good time to replace the CMOS 2032 coin battery while you have access.

Joshua Moyer - 16/04/21

Update on logic board alignment - use two USB plugs one in each end of the connectors through the back to be sure alignment is good before tightening screws.

Carl Schultz -

Abschluss

Um dein Gerät wieder zusammenzusetzen, folge den Schritten in umgekehrter Reihenfolge.

Tinte & Feder

Walter Galan

685541 Reputation

41 Kommentare

Holy jesus - just to replace/upgrade some RAM? Wow. What advice do you have for the final stage of reassembly if you've had to take the strips of adhesive off - what (if anything) do you replace it with?

James Ward - 14/11/16

James, in the parts section at the top you can purchase the adhesive strips that are a custom fit ([verlinktes Produkt fehlt oder ist deaktiviert: IF173-005-1]). I just replaced the hard drive and these strips are quite easy to work with. It's just a pain that you have to replace the adhesive anytime you need to go inside. Apple is getting lazy.

Tom Coleman - 17/11/16

This was very easy to follow. The number of steps seem high, but half are just removing the display to make sure you are very careful with the fragile glass, so there are really only about 35 steps. You may also need to remove the right speaker before disconnecting the 4 AirPort/Bluetooth antennae, currently before step 50. The speaker is shown in earlier pics, then "disappears."

Eric Demopoulos - 20/11/16

yes from what I went through it made sense to unscrew both speakers so you can move them a little bit to get things down like that and plugging the hard drive back in

Jonathan Martocci - 12/05/20

I hate my iMac so much right now. Why Apple make so difficult to replace RAM on this machine?

error01 - 29/11/16

Want to upgrade my imac into 16GB for total

Two rams bought from Patriot

Model:PSA316G1600SK

The computer cannot detect the RAM when i turn on, sounds like bi bi bi bi bi something like that

What's wrong with it?

tinghim mak - 31/12/16

Sounds like incompatible RAM chips or not properly seated chips. Make sure you execute Command, Option, P, R. Perhaps you might get lucky.

megaspeed - 23/12/18

It’s possible you need DDR3L ram and not DDR3. The model you listed appears to only support DDR3.

Ryan McDaniel - 24/12/18

What is the maximum RAM you can upgrade this iMAC version with. 2x8 or will it take 2x16 as well?

Who is the preferred RAM card manufacture for this iMAC?

Thanks, Jan

Jan Roger - 04/01/17

Excellent step-by-step guide.

Yes, Apple should not be torturing its customers (completely on purpose, this is 100% intentional) but at least it makes this nasty process easier.

Upgraded the RAM (and swapped the original 5400rpm HDD to an SSD while at it - the hard drive swap is easy once the screen is open) and the difference is very significant - probably gives the iMac an extra 2 years of life. The SSD upgrade is probably the much bigger performance boost vs. the old SSD but the RAM upgrade once the screen is open is difficult to resist.

Well done iFixit as always!

Y G - 24/06/17

If the iMac is fully SSD, does the HDD step still apply? I thought it was some form of M2 rather than SATA.

Pete T - 06/07/17

Jan Roger -- the RAM can go up to 16 GB Total.

Melissa Morrissey - 12/07/17

No need to remove power board and logic board and all other components, just remove the fan and it is quite "easily" accessable to change the RAM. Just need to use the tools or not fat fingers to remove the old RAM and carefully install the new RAM.

I just did it without removing the logic or power board. Saved me a lot of time

Oleksandr Trokhymchuk - 11/08/17

Next time (if ever) i’ll do as @Oleksandr suggests and NOT remove the logic board and power supply. They were the most painful parts of the process. And getting the logic board back in was just a PITA (feels likes it going to break).

Craig Haydon - 18/09/17

I absolutely “ditto” this! I simply removed the upper 2 screws securing the logic board and carefully wedged something underneath its edge to make a bit more room. I, too, was able to remove and replace RAM by removing only those screws and the fan. Getting the RAM out is fairly easy. Replacing the module closet to the board—-the first one—-is really easy. It’s the 2nd module that will try your patience. My fingers are blunt and “fat, so I actually taped the RAM chip to my fingertip and then used a bent wire (not bare metal wire) to maneuver the chip into its slot. To do all that took less time and anxiety than removing all required with the full-step operation.

Danno - 13/03/18

Thanks Oleksandr your tip worked well along with HabD’s extension of your advice below.

Peter DeGregorio - 27/11/19

Does anyone know if the Crucial memory modules ( http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct8g3s160b... ) are compatible with the iMac 14,1?

Crucial support wouldn't commit to say there are compatible .. as "Memory slots are not end user accessible.".

Yet a number of sites claim they are ( https://www.ramcity.com.au/buy/crucial-8... ).

Anyone done the upgrade using the Crucial memory.

Thanks

-Craig

Craig Haydon - 24/08/17

Just done this with the Crucial memory modules (++http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct8g3s16... into iMac 14,1. No issues, with the memory. Performance dramatically improved, but I guess that is mainly down to the SSD which I upgraded at the same time.

I had a few issues getting USB and ethernet connectors back in at the end (die to slight misalignment), my advice would be to check the fit of these, and maybe leave them in-place whilst you tighten the logic board back down.

Nigel Gummerson - 03/01/18

I was motivated by the comments to change the RAM without removing all the parts. After removing the monitor glass (easy) I just took out the fan (and the HDD as I changed it too) I just unscrewed all four brews of the main board to be able to lift it slightly.

Releasing the RAM was easy, but be careful just to touch the releasers of the RAM and not to scratch the mainboard.

Putting in the new RAM was a bit more tricky as also the unscrewed mainboard still does not give much space. The trick is to put in the “inner” RAM first, the one you do not see at the edge od the mainboard. Just put it in, but do not bend it down to lock it. Now put in the “outer” RAM, bend it down to lock it and then do the same with the inner.

If you do it vice versa it is much more difficult as the outer RAM take the sight and space.

For the full operation I had put up the iMac vertically, small side down at the table to better have a look into the space between the mainboard and the case.

This saves so much time!

HabD - 08/08/18

Thanks HabD, your refinement of Oleksandr’s tip about not removing the logic board to do the memory install worked very well for me.

Peter DeGregorio - 27/11/19

Thanks for the tip about the order of placing the ram in the slots. That was the trickiest part, but a real time saver to not have to take the power supply, speakers, and logic board out. It was hard to get the angle right, it almost feels like the ram is sticking out 45 degrees. I even dropped it once, but luckily it slid back out after tipping the chassis up.

Eric - 04/08/20

Wuh! A few thoughts on this upgrade. First, don’t ever embark on this without having the right tools in place before you start. Splash out on the iFixit kit, because this one is not for the faint-hearted. I’ve upgraded every Apple desktop and laptop I’ve ever owned, and this is far and away the most tedious. Second, budget at least 3 hours unless you’ve done this a few times before (unlikely). There are plenty of points where you will want to take your time - so many fragile connectors to work on. Remember, you have to tear down the whole iMac to get to the RAM. It’s a shockingly poor design. I was so happy when my iMac fired up first time - I only gave myself a 50% chance!

David Thompson - 20/12/18

Großartige Anleitung, vielen Dank für diese tolle Hilfe. Es empfiehlt sich auf jeden Fall, das Klebestreifenset zu kaufen und vorab zu prüfen, ob alles Werkzeug vorhanden ist. Die Zeit von 1 h stimmte bei mir nicht ganz, ich habe 2,5h benötigt. Habe mir aber auch Zeit gelassen und alles abfotografiert. Dennoch, großartig, es geht alles und ich habe mindestens 350€ gespart. Danke, Danke, Thank you!!!

Stefan Fischbach - 09/04/19

Thanks for this guide!

The steps where the speakers were removed are missing ?

I did have to move the left speaker to properly take the motherboard out without damaging it :/

yasserbal - 13/05/19

I just made it. 16GB Ram and SSD

Thank you for that great support and the detailed pictures.

One important recommendation: once you dismantle everything, it is recommended to exchange the PRAM battery. My imac is now 5 years old and I thought that changing the battery is beneficial.

the Typ BR2023 is not as easy to get. I tried it with CR2032 ( apple used that until 2011 for iMac

@ifixit: please offer that battery in your shop as spare and add the recommendation to your description

Jörg Endermann - 01/06/19

Thank you iFixIt for top notch parts, instructions and tutorials. I’ve been an IT tech/specialist for many years, but still approach new repairs with caution, especially on Apple products, until I’ve done it at least once. You provide exceptional tutorials (instructions and photos…love the progressive photos when during disassembly). Even have disassembled Apple products before, I’m a little apprehensive trying new breakdowns because they seal stuff up so good. Once I got the display off, I found that using the correct tool (the iFixIt plastic wheel) made the job very safe. The two sticky points I had were removing the power supply…it was tight and catching when trying to tip it out…took a bit of finagling. The second was removing the logic board…while tipping it out I had a hard time gettin it free at the bottom. I don’t know where it was catching, eventually I got it out. When I reassembled I had the same issue putting it back in, and I feared I may have damaged something…turned out OK though.

Erica Rogers - 01/06/19

Don’t I remember some iMac that at one point had a nice little RAM-access door on the back? Was that before this model - and then they decided to (more) lock down the machine - or was it after this one in response to complaints?

jimwitte - 06/06/19

I made the same mistake with RAM, I got Corsair DDR3 16GB but it was not the L for lower power, PC3L

macisgr8 - 25/06/19

It helps to remove the screws and gently move the right speaker slightly for getting the logic board out on step 54

pleasedontfront - 28/07/19

I worked through the disassembly steps and successfully replaced the 5400 rpm spindle drive with an SSD drive and the 2 x 4 GB RAM modules with 2 x 8 Gb RAM modules.

An important step/note is missing at the start of the guide and the last step - you must purchase replacement adhesive strips to re-attach the screen to the chasis, as the existing strips are useless after being cut.

Hence, make sure you have a set of replacement adhesive strips ready *before* opening the iMac.

e.g.

iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 Klebestreifen ersetzen

Tim Telcik - 01/09/19

this was insane. Whoever wrote the tip about not removing the logic board and just trying to pop them in and out had the right idea.

Luis Carvajal - 06/10/19

I got it (also upgraded the HDD while I had it taken apart), but some steps are missing IMHO. Most crucial are the HDD cables that plug into the underside of the logic board. I had everything but the display put back together when I noticed the loose cables. They must have pulled out when I lifted the board out. There’s another cable on the right side that isn’t called out, either.

Apple doesn’t make this easy, to be sure, but I also took the opportunity to clean out 6 years worth of dust. That was probably one of the 5 hours I spent on this.

lkollar - 30/12/19

I came for the hard drive replacement guide, but I got curious and couldn’t stop myself from doing a complete teardown. Thanks for this guide that helped me get it all back together!

briancole100 - 14/01/20

Question- my mac says it has 8gb of ram and is not upgradable. So are you sure this computer can be upgraded to 16gb?

Catherine B - 21/09/20

How do you know your mac isn’t upgradable? The model above is the Late 2013 iMac 23.5”, it is upgradable to 16GB of RAM.

Nicholai Smitsky - 19/02/21

Is yours an Mid-2014 (https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/...) or Mid/Late-2015 21.5" iMac (https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup...)?

These had soldered-on CPUs and same goes to the RAM, however they refreshed the non-Retina 21.5" once more in 2017 (and was sold until autumn 2021 (six months after the introduction of the iMac M1) as the low-budget/educational model) still with a soldered-on ULV-CPU but again socketed RAM: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/...

Marcel Pape -

Upgraded a failing hard drive on my 2013 iMac so i decided later I would get the parts and do the RAM. Followed the steps. Unfortunately both the side wifi antenna connections broke. Now the display won’t come on. Do I need a new antenna? Shouldn’t the display work without the wifi antennae?

Corey Wilkinson - 12/05/21

I made an upgrade on Imac 21.5” late 2013. Upgrade of ram 2x8Gb instead of the original 2x4Gb. Upgrade of 1Tb HDD to 1Tb SSD.

The difference in speed is huge ! It’s not always necessary to buy a new Imac. An well considered upgrade can do miracles.

But I couldn’t have done it without this detailed and wel documented upgrade procedure. Thanks to you guys for putting this online.

Joel Vanderhoudelingen -

I would focus on fitting an SSD which is much easier and gives you the best return for your buck. Put the replacement adhesive strips on, then fit and test the machine. When you’re happy it’s working OK carefully lift the display a couple of inches, pull off the top of the double sided tape, make sure the screen is aligned and ease it back into place. Be really careful the first time you do it - gets easier with practice

Alastair Nisbet -

I have just tried this, and it's perfectly do-able if you just remove the fan and disconnect the iSight cable. Once removed, you can access the memory. It's behind the board but can put fingers in to unclip and slide out. Saves almost all the steps apart from the screen.

Paul Saunders - 17/11/22

Thanks for the guid it saved me a lot of time and errors. Well written and excellent illustrations.

Richard Dixson -