Introduction
Use this guide to upgrade or replace your optical drive.
What you need
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Loosen the two captive Phillips screws securing the access door to the iMac.
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Remove the access door from the iMac.
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Flip your iMac over and lay it stand-side down on a flat surface.
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To lift the front bezel off the iMac, simultaneously:
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Use your thumbs to press in the RAM arms and hold the iMac down.
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Use your index fingers to pull the small bridge of material on the front bezel toward yourself.
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Pull the Front bezel up with your index fingers.
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Once the small bridge of material has cleared the RAM arms, lift the front bezel by its lower edge just enough to clear the bottom edge of the rear case.
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Tool used on this step:Plastic Cards$2.99
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Insert a plastic card up into the corner of the air vent slot near the top of the rear case.
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Push the card toward the top of the iMac to release the front bezel latch.
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Pull the front bezel away from the rear case.
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Repeat this process for the other side of the front bezel.
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If the bezel refuses to release, try pressing the lower edge back onto the rear case and repeat this opening process.
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Lay your iMac stand-side down on a table.
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Lift the front bezel from its lower edge and rotate it away from the rest of your iMac, minding the RAM arms that may get caught.
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Lay the front bezel above the rest of the iMac.
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If necessary, remove the piece of kapton tape(it is ok to toss this) wrapped around the microphone and camera cables.
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Remove the two 4.8 mm T6 Torx screws securing the display data cable to the logic board.
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Grab the display data cable connector by its black tab and pull it straight up off the logic board.
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Inverter cable on 24inch iMac pulls off to the left.
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Pull the inverter cable connector straight up off its socket on the logic board.
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Lift the display from its lower edge and pull it toward yourself to peel off the EMI shield attached to its top edge.
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Remove the two 7 mm T10 Torx screws securing the optical drive clip to the logic board.
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Pull the optical drive thermal sensor cable connector away from its socket on the logic board.
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Squeeze the two optical drive bracket ears together while pulling the drive toward yourself.
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Pull the optical drive away from the side of the rear panel and remove it from the iMac.
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Remove the two T6 Torx screws securing the connector board to the optical drive.
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Pull the connector board away from the optical drive.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to remove the EMI gasket from the underside of the optical drive.
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Use the sharp end of a spudger to push the optical drive bracket tabs out of their slots on the bottom of the optical drive.
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Using the sharp end of a spudger, press the optical drive bracket tab out of its slot on the side of the optical drive.
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Pull the optical drive away from its bracket, minding any tabs that may still be caught in their slots.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive thermal sensor off the adhesive holding it to the top of the optical drive.
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Don't forget to transfer this to your new drive.
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