iMac Intel 27" EMC 2309 and 2374 Hard Drive Replacement

iMac Intel 27" EMC 2309 and 2374 Hard Drive replacement.

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Upgrade your hard drive for more storage space!

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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Glass Panel  ¶ 

  • Stick a suction cup near each of the two top corners of the glass panel.

  • To attach the suction cups we sell, first position the suction cup with the movable handle parallel to the face of the glass panel (as highlighted in the first and second picture).

  • While lightly holding the suction cup against the glass, raise the movable handle until it is parallel with the other handle (as highlighted by the third picture).

  • If your suction cups refuse to stick, try cleaning both the glass panel and the suction cup with a mild solvent.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Gently lift the glass panel perpendicular to the face of the LCD enough to clear the steel mounting pins attached along the underside of the top edge of the glass panel.

  • Pull the glass panel away from the lower edge of the iMac and carefully set it aside.

  • During reinstallation, be sure to meticulously clean the inside of the glass panel and the face of the LCD as any dust or fingerprints trapped inside will be annoyingly visible when the machine is turned on.

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Add Note Edit Step 3 — Display  ¶ 

  • Remove the eight T10 Torx screws securing the LCD to the outer case.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Carefully lay the iMac stand-side down on a flat surface.

  • Due to tight tolerances, you will have to use a thin hooked tool to lift the display out of the outer case. As seen in the third picture, we made one out of a bent paperclip.

  • Use a thin hooked tool to lift one side of the top edge of the display by its steel outer frame.

  • After lifting the top edge of the display on one side, hold it out of the outer case while you use a hooked tool to lift the other side.

  • Do not lift the top edge of the display out of the outer case too far, as several short ribbon cables still connect the two components.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Use a pair of tweezers to pull the vertical sync ribbon cable out of its socket on the LED driver board near the top left corner of your iMac.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Rotate the display out of the outer case enough to disconnect the LED backlight power cable from the LED driver board.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Squeeze the two display data cable connector arms together to unlock it from its socket on the logic board.

  • Pull the display data cable connector away from its socket on the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Lift the display for enough clearance to disconnect the LCD thermal sensor cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Carefully pull the display toward the top edge of your iMac and lift it out of the outer case.

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Add Note Edit Step 10 — Hard Drive Replacement  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the thermal sensor, SATA power, and SATA data cables by pulling their connectors away from the sockets on the hard drive.

  • When plugging the thermal sensor connector back into the hard drive, be sure it is inserted onto the set of pins closest to the SATA connectors and that the black wire of that connector is closest to the LCD.

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Add Note Edit Step 11  ¶ 

  • Remove the two T10 Torx screws securing the upper hard drive bracket to the outer case.

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Add Note Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • Slightly rotate the hard drive away from the outer case.

  • Lift the hard drive off its two lower positioning pins and remove it from the outer case.

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Add Note Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Remove the two T8 Torx screws securing the upper bracket to the hard drive.

  • Remove the upper bracket from the hard drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 14  ¶ 

  • Remove the two T8 Torx pins from the other side of the hard drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Carefully peel off the piece of EMI foam attached to the front of the hard drive.

  • Don't forget to transfer this to your new hard drive.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

For more information, check out the iMac Intel 27" EMC 2309 and 2374 device page.

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