A few days ago, we installed two RAM cards to increase the RAM size of our iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo (Early 2008 or MB325) to 4 GB. That’s a 10-minute job, and anyone can do it. Meanwhile, inspecting the whole surface of the machine has made us wonder how we can open up this computer to replace hard disk drives? There are no screws to loosen up at the bottom of the machine or anywhere except for the RAM access door.
 Screenshot 01 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 02 – Source: MacHouse |
We liked our iMac G5 2 GHz (Ambient Light with no iSight), which is now dead possibly because of its faulty power supply box or defective/damaged motherboard. You can easily open up this model to reach such parts as CD/DVD drive, hard disk drive, RAM cards and PRAM battery. All you have to do is to loosen up three screws at the bottom. (See Screenshot 01-2.)
 Screenshot 03 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 04 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 05 – Source: MacHouse |
Anyway, it took us a while to figure out where to look to find hidden screws so that we can see the internal hard disk drive or anything inside iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo. It must be under the glass. In order to open up the latest line of iMacs (Early 2008), you need a few tools. One is a Phillips screw driver. If you have two different sizes, that will be nice. (See Screenshot 03.) Another must-have tool is a torque driver. The size is 8. (See Screenshot 04.) If you have ever installed a RAM card in your PowerBook for yourself, you should have the size of a torque driver that you need. Apple has been using the same size of torque screws for portable Macs for more than a decade. And you also need a tiny Flat Slot screw driver or something to life up the glass. I’ll just use a sucker or whatever the name of this object is. (See Screenshot 05.)
As shown in Screenshot 06, lifting up the front glass panel is not difficult at all. That’s because it’s very light. You need a very small force to lift it up, really.
 Screenshot 06 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 07 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 08 – Source: MacHouse |
Next, let’s use a torque driver to remove screws around the front dark frame. There are three different sizes. You need to remember the location where each screw comes from. 1 type is about 1.4 cm. There are 6 of them. Another size is about 1.9 cm. And the last type is 3.1 cm. There are two of them. These long torque screws are used near the center of the machine. (See Screenshot 08.) 2.54 cm make one inch.
 Screenshot 09 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 10 – Source: MacHouse |
What’s the next step? Umm… I need to remove the RAM access door with a Phillips screw driver. (Screenshot 09.) Doing so enables me to lift up the whole white cover. Watch out. The iSight cable is not very long. So lift the white cover gently. (See Screenshot 10.)
 Screenshot 11 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 12 – Source: MacHouse |
Screenshot 11 shows that lifting up the front white panel uncovers only the bottom part. You can see a fan to the left and a PMU battery to the right. Interestingly, this model is designed so that you aren’t allowed to remove the battery. Or you will crack the black cover permanently, I suppose.
It appears that you need to remove more torque screws to get to the hard disk drive and the CD/DVD drive. I have to stop at this point, or I can damage the machine.
I should have said at the beginning that you don’t want to open up the white cover unless you have to replace the internal hard disk driver or something. Going this far is not difficult at all. But putting the white cover back is very difficult. The RAM socket will stop the white cover from going any further. Why does Apple design computers in such a way that it takes Mac users more than 30 minutes to replace the hard disk drive? I miss our iMac G5 2 GHz.
Related articles:
Will A New Battery Save iMac G5 2GHz?
iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo: The Dark Side of iMac Early 2008 – Not Very Green At All
This article is very useful, I used the instructions to open a iMac 20″ Intel Mid 2007.
My remarks, related to my experiance with the above mentioned iMac:
Picture 9: to remove the white cover, lift it on the UPPER side first (VERY carefully! Push with the finger against the upper left and right corner on the display frame!). Than slide downwards the white cover (only a few millimeters) to unlock it from the RAM socket.
Picture 10: to avoid damage on the “iSight”-cable disconnect the connector, than you can remove the white cover completely.
The reassembling of the white cover is also easy:
1) don’t forget to connect the “iSight”-cable again.
2) hang in the white cover on the lower side first (around the RAM socket!), than push it on the upper side together. I had really no problem.
“…Interestingly, this model is designed so that you aren’t allowed to remove the battery. Or you will crack the black cover permanently, I suppose.”: thats not right. To change the battery you have to shift the cell to the right side and shift it out on the left side. Very simple.
I removed also the LCD-display, but I recommend this step only for experienced! After removing the screws on the left and right side of the display: There are two cables which has to unplug from the electronic board and behind the display are four “flying” connectors (mark them for exact reconnecting before deconnecting!!).
Good luck.
Thanks, Peter. It sounds like you are doing a better job. I didn’t know you could remove the battery so easily. But I believe you.
Hmmmm… as I can see on your picture 11 it seems to be the same holder as in the mid 2007 model: there is a slot on the left side of the battery in the black plastic. Put in here a small srewdriver or a small stick and slide the battery against the spring to the right. The battery will unlock on the left side, shift it out.
Does it work so?
Br Peter
I see what you mean. I don’t remember where I put a tiny screw driver to lift the battery. When I did, a small part for stopping the battery from coming out cracked. I guess I should have slid the battery to the right to left or vice versa. I guess I wasn’t careful enough.
Do you know how much longer it takes to go from Picture 10-11 to seeing a hard disk drive? If you have a website showing how to get to the HD with photos, let me know. I’ll make a direct link.
Battery: You does not only lift the battery! You MUST slid it to the right and then lift!!!
OK, I’ll prepare a instruction with your Screenshot 11. Takes a little time :-))
To access the HD and also the optical drive, you need only to remove the LCD display (which I will describe in the following), this needs approx. 10 minutes. But you have to work really carefully “with two right hands” 🙂
Remark: the motherboard etc. are secured with a warranty seal behind the LCD display. Only the HD and the DVD drive can be removed without broken seal!
Can I send you the picture via mail? The instruction I will post here later on.
Br
Peter
OK, here the instructions (pictures I’ll send you with mail!?):
Screenshot 11-1:
1) disconnect the plug on the downside
2) open the two screws on the flat cable connector
3) tie on the plastic strip around the connector and unplug it
4) open the 8 screws
Screenshot 11-1 – Source: Peter W.
Screenshot 11-2 – Source: Peter W.
Screenshot 11-2:
x) lift carefully the LCD display for some centimeters
x) mark the four connectors behind the display eg. with a cd-marker with e.g. “p” for the connectors with t6he pink cable and e.g. “B” for the connectors with the blue cable
x) unplug the four connectors
x) remove the LCD display
Behind you’ll find all you need 😉
Reassembling: be carefully with the four connectors, they must be pushed in the holes that there is no conflict with the display!
The pictures I’ll send you to the junk913 email address.
Thanks, Peter. That sounds like it takes some trouble just to replace hard disk drives.