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iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement

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  1. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Display: stap 1, afbeelding 1 van 1
    Gereedschap gebruikt in deze stap:
    iMac Intel 21.5" Cardboard Service Wedge
    $4.99
    Koop
    • With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs can be completed as shown, but are faster and easier with an iMac service wedge.

    • If you are using the iFixit cardboard service wedge, follow these assembly directions to put it together.

    • Before beginning any work on your iMac: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply's capacitors.

    • Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.

    I have (21.5 inch, mid 2017, 2.3 ghz) base model same as this but not 4k. How much max ram can I install in my iMac??

    Narendra Verma - Antwoord

    This guide contains many extra steps for what should be a straight forward, simple parts replacement without disturbing more than the display, left hand speaker and removal of 4 logic board screws for play. Nothing else except for the left hand speaker wire & iSight cable from logic board, the lower support bracket and loosening the speaker so as to move it around a bit.

    For the ram, I bent a pair of cheap tweezers long ago supplied with these replacement kits to the perfect angle for holding, locating and inserting the ram into the slots under the logic bd after moving each retainer w/spudger and popping out the old. Pay attention to the orientation of the ram when removing/inserting the ram! An automotive mirror is handy along with a small flashlight for closeups. Once the ram is aligned properly substitute your fingers for the tweezers, ease it into the slot, push up & engage! Reinstall screws and all else. I have done this job successfully this way countless times. For a tweezers pic contact me!

    Ross Elkins - Antwoord

    Additionally, if a blade is present, I install the OSx system on the blade and everything else, apps and home folders on the new SSD. You get the very fast boot off of the blade and the full ssd for all else!

    Ross Elkins - Antwoord

  2. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 2, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 2, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear enclosure.

    • The hub on the iMac Opening Tool will keep you from pushing the wheel in too far. If using a different tool, insert no more than 3/8" into the display. Otherwise, you risk severing antenna cables and causing serious damage.

    • Be gentle! The glass may crack if pried too much. Use a hairdryer to heat the edges and loosen the tape if the room temperatures are low.

    Always use a hairdryer!! I cracked my glass

    8bit !!! - Antwoord

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    • Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.

    • Be sure to always push with the handle behind the cutting wheel. If you pull, the wheel might get pulled out of the handle.

    • Run the tool up along the left side of the display.

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    • Continue running the tool up around the top left corner.

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    • Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

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    • Continue along the top of the display.

    • You may want to run the tool back and forth through what you've already cut a few times, to ensure you get as much of the adhesive separated as possible.

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    • Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

  8. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 8, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 8, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.

  9. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 9, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 9, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.

    • At this point, you'll want to run the tool back around the entire display, to ensure you cut as much adhesive as possible.

  10. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 10, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 10, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 10, afbeelding 3 van 3
    Gereedschap gebruikt in deze stap:
    Plastic Cards
    $2.99
    Koop
    • While the opening tool cut most of the adhesive, the display will still be slightly adhered to the case. A plastic card will be necessary to free up the last of this adhesive.

    • Set the iMac face-up on a table.

    • Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, wedge a plastic card between the display and frame.

    • Be careful not to insert the plastic card more than 3/8", or you may damage internal components.

    Don't forget to place the mac face up on the table. Unlike older models, there is no more flap at the bottom holding the display in place. If you do these steps with the Mac upright, the screen will pop out, hit your table, and shatter :( Don't ask me how I know.

    John M - Antwoord

    So sorry. Thanks for that caution.

    Ted Horodynsky - Antwoord

    Using suction cups (the ones that were made for removing the magnetic front glass on the 2011 and earlier iMacs) work well too. Place one in each top corner, while the Mac is lying face up on a table, and gently pull and it will separate the display from the main body. You might need to do a little more slicing around the edges if you did not get all the way through the first time with the roller. Then you can lift the display up at an angle to disconnect the cables.

    Peter Hillman - Antwoord

    This was a great idea, worked well for me. Thanks!

    Florin -

  11. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 11, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 11, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Gently twist the plastic card sideways to create a gap between the display and frame.

    • Move slowly and be careful not to stress the display glass too much—you only need to make a gap of about 1/4".

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    • Slide the card toward the center of the display to cut any of the remaining adhesive along the top right corner of the iMac.

    • Be sure to stop before the iSight camera, or you may damage it.

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    • Wedge the plastic card into the top right corner once again and let it stay there to keep the adhesive from resettling.

  14. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 14, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 14, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 14, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Insert a second plastic card into the gap between the display and frame located at the top left corner of the iMac.

  15. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 15, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 15, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Gently twist the card upward, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.

    • As with the other side, twist slowly to allow the adhesive time to separate, and be careful not to over-stress the display glass.

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    • Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

  17. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 17, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 17, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Wedge the plastic card back into the top left corner.

  18. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 18, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 18, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 18, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • With both plastic cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards sideways to increase the gap between display and case.

    • If there are any sections that seem to stick and won't separate, stop twisting and use one of the cards to cut the remaining adhesive.

    • Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.

    • Only lift the display a few inches—the display data and power cables are still connected to the logic board.

    Ne forcez surtout pas et soulevez l’écran par les deux extrémités ! Il faut que tous les adhésifs soient bien découpés pour que l’écran se dégage du boitier sans effort. Toute torsion de l’écran peut entraîner une superbe fissure sur le verre :-/

    mf - Antwoord

  19. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 19, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 19, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • While holding the display up with one hand, use the other hand to unplug the display power cable. Make sure that you pull the cable out from the plastic tab, and not by pulling on the color wires.

    • Lift the display up enough to have easy access to the connector, but not so much that you stretch the cables and stress their connections (about 8").

    As seen in photo:

    bottom cable pulls up

    top cable cable pulls right, after safety clip opened

    airshack - Antwoord

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    • 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 logic board.

    • Be sure to pull the display data cable connector straight out of its socket.

  21. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 21, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 21, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.

    • At this point there is still a strip of adhesive along the bottom of the display, that will hold the display to the frame like a hinge. You can loosen this adhesive by working the display up and down a few times.

    There are pull tabs at each side off the bottom edge to allow easy release of the tape

    DarrenG - Antwoord

    DarrenG’s observation about the pull tabs saved me a ton of time trying to pry the display as per the original instructions. Thanks!

    lesfam5 - Antwoord

  22. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 22, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 22, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 22, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply (boxed in red).

    • Grasp the small tab at the end of one of the bottom edge display adhesive strips and pull the adhesive toward the top of the iMac to remove it.

    • Repeat this step with the other adhesive strip and remove it.

    • If either adhesive strip breaks before it's removed, use a plastic card to slice through the remaining adhesive.

    The roller tool for slicing open the display works great for this step. Get in there like using the card and roll across the bottom to slice through the remaining adhesive.

    Peter Hillman - Antwoord

  23. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 23, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 23, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 23, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac.

    • It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side, to peel against the remaining adhesive.

    • Be very careful handling the display—it's big, heavy, and made of glass.

    • During reassembly, head over to our display adhesive guide to install the new adhesive.

    After removing the display, I also removed the 3 screws for the processor fan, disconnected the power connector for it and set the fan shroud aside. Disconnecting the remaining cable (similar style to 1 of the cables for the display) that is in the way of the RAM chips is all that's left to do. I was then able to access and quickly remove the two Apple-provided RAM chips, and replace them with 3rd party RAM. Turning the iMac on its side, so that it's in a position where you're physically putting the RAM chips DOWNWARD into their respective slots is the best way to go about uninstalling and reinstalling the chips. Using a narrow but long'ish plastic spudger tool is the best way to defeat the spring-tabs which hold the RAM chips in place. After removing the LCD display, changing the RAM is about a 10 minute process!! And I'd SURE prefer not to remove all the parts and risk damage to the iMac via the standard procedure listed. As per usual, take your time and work gently :-)

    Mitch K - Antwoord

    Teardown the whole machine just to change RAM? While preparing to comment on this procedure I just noticed the comment made by Mitch K above. I ran pretty much the same procedure that he describes this afternoon (steps 1-23, 43-45, and step 55). Then I swapped out the original 2x4GB RAM chips for 2x8GB chips by reaching behind the logic board, releasing the spring retaining clips one chip at a time (starting with the chip further away from the logic board), pivoting the RAM towards the back of the machine, and then carefully sliding it out of the slot. I easily slid in the new chips and then pivoted them to lock them down. No hassle, no time lost. As Mitch K states above, not only is this “shortcut” method much quicker and easier, but it provides less risk of damaging cables, sockets and other delicate components during a total teardown. Why mess with the power supply board just to change RAM? I do not advise to follow the current iFixit.com procedure written by Sam Lionheart, regardless of user skill-level.

    nycsandor - Antwoord

    THAT sounds one !&&* of a lot easier than the full tear down. I wonder if there’s a video of the process described by Mitch K? Adding that to these verbal instructions would really help relieve the apprehension and anxiety around the process! I do sometimes find the additional warnings, though appreciated from a “safety first” perspective, are somewhat overstated. It’s been a very long time since I shorted out RAM, or fried a PCB, or broke a connector, regardless of how finicky, fragile or awkwardly designed and positioned. I may have WANTED to break something, and the air might be blue for a few seconds, but inevitably, things go back together, the start button gets pressed, the startup chime sounds, and we’re in business. Practice DOES make as close to perfect we are likely to get.

    bruce - Antwoord

    Mitch has the exact method that works a treat. You don’t need to follow steps 24-37 and also 40-63. Step 51 is the step to remove the camera cable and is needed. Steps 38 and 39 are for the Fan. That is all that is needed. Done quite a few like this.

    Be careful not to drop the RAM down the back of the logic board!

    By NOT removing all the other stuff you can avoid either damaging it or forgetting to plug in a cable.

    Charlie Nancarrow - Antwoord

    I just trued this shortcut and it was not successful. I was not able to seat both RAM chips with this shortcut, and managed to slightly damage one of the retainer clips. I simply could not manipulate the chips into and out of the slots effectively without taking everything apart as described in the full set of steps.. I ended up retracing my steps and following the entire procedure, carefully, and that worked without incident. So, bottomline, it is definitely more work to follow all the steps but from my experience, it is decidedly safer. Your mileage may, of course, vary. It was successful in the end, and I swapped out the hard drive with an ssd during the same procedure and my machine is very, very much faster.

    jan - Antwoord

    I have completed by following the Mitch K post and it is much easier than stripping down the whole thing, just be aware that to remove and replace the ram chips means working in a tight space, you need slim fingers and don’t be tempted to use force, take your time.

    Barrie Price - Antwoord

    Well, I have slim fingers, but they are 60 years old, and they don’t work like they used to! LOL.

    Jan Hogle -

    Agree with Mitch K’s procedure. The only added tip I would throw in is to use two 45 degree tweezers with their plastic covers still installed to easily pop loose the RAM. I couldn’t get the plastic spudger tool to work myself, but the tweezers easily reach the RAM clips. Just make sure the plastic covers are installed and you won’t be in danger of scratching or shorting anything out.

    charlesnick - Antwoord

    So thankful I discovered these comments. Saved me a TON of time! Thank you!!

    Adam Roberts - Antwoord

    These comments were very useful. Thank you. I just needed to modify a pair of tweezers to allow me to seat the new RAM more easily. The ifixit screwdriver wasn't able to turn some of the screws as they were installed too tightly, and I didn't want to wait to order and reveive a pair of right angled Torx screwdrivers that would give me more leverage to get those boards off.

    Upgrader - Antwoord

  24. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Lower Support Bracket: stap 24, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Lower Support Bracket: stap 24, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Remove the following five Phillips screws holding the lower support bracket in place:

    • Four 3.2 mm screws

    • One 1.7 mm screw

    • On at least some EMC 2544 machines, all five screws are the same size.

    • You may need to peel up the display adhesive lining the bottom edge of the iMac enclosure to access the screws.

    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 - Antwoord

  25. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 25, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the lower support bracket from the iMac enclosure.

    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 - Antwoord

    I left mine out. LOL

    jerrid_foiles -

    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 -

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    Voces mudaram de modelo iMac, desta foto para proxima, esse modelo desta foto nao tem slot nvme. O da proxima foto sim. Voces me fizeram comprar un nvme por engano...

    tgb4rr0s tege - Antwoord

  26. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Right Speaker: stap 26, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Right Speaker: stap 26, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Use a spudger to loosen the right speaker cable's connector from its socket on the logic board.

    • It is useful to push downward on both short sides of the connector to "walk" it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

    • Pull the connector downwards to remove it from its socket.

    I highly recommend doing steps 27 and 28 first and then pull out the cable. It will give you more room on the right side of the cable to work with making this step that much easier.

    Eddie de la Rosa - Antwoord

    The two corners of the connector are latches that need to be pushed toward the center of the connector to release. This is easily done with the pointed end of the spudger. Once the two corner latches are released, the connector comes apart easily.

    Fred Heineman - Antwoord

  27. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 27, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the two 10.0 mm T10 screws securing the right speaker to the rear enclosure.

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    • Pull the top of the right speaker away from the rear enclosure, about half an inch, to expose the antenna cable running down its right side.

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    • Insert the tip of a spudger between the right speaker and the antenna cable that is routed into the speaker's right side.

    • Run the spudger down along the right side of the speaker to pry the antenna cable from its channel in the right speaker.

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    • Pull the right speaker straight up about an inch, toward the top of the iMac.

    • Lift the right speaker straight up and remove it from the iMac. This may take some force, both hands and rocking the speaker right and left to get it out.

    Th HP is VERY HARD to take off in this thin place

    bruno - Antwoord

  31. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Brackets: stap 31, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the following screws securing the hard drive bracket to the rear enclosure:

    • Two 21 mm T10 Torx screws from the left-hand hard drive bracket.

    • One 9 mm T10 Torx screw.

    • One 27 mm T10 Torx screw.

    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 - Antwoord

  32. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 32, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 32, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Remove the left and right hard drive brackets from the iMac.

  33. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: stap 33, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: stap 33, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: stap 33, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • The next few steps bring your hands close to the exposed face of the power supply. Do not touch the face of the power supply to avoid a high voltage shock from the many large capacitors attached to the board.

    • Use the tip of a spudger to push each side of the power button cable connector and gently "walk" it out of its socket.

    Accomplished with spudger on top and thumbnail on bottom. Otherwise couldn’t rock it loose.

    airshack - Antwoord

  34. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 34, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 34, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Gently push upward on each side of the power supply control cable connector with the tip of a spudger to gently "walk" it out of its socket.

    Doing this with spudger on right and thumbnail on left seemed easier and safer.

    airshack - Antwoord

  35. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 35, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the two 7.2 mm T10 screws securing the power supply to the rear enclosure.

    What if these are too tight to remove?

    Rafael Garcia - Antwoord

    Hi Rafael,

    Be very careful not to strip these screws. Use a new, accurate T10 bit and a driver with good leverage to loosen these screws.

    Arthur Shi -

    They are T9 in my iMac

    Glenn Koslowsky - Antwoord

    They were T8 screws on my machine.

    Ed Beachwood - Antwoord

  36. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 36, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 36, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • When working on the power supply, be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.

    • Tilt the power supply forward.

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    • Pull the power supply slightly up and out from the rear enclosure.

    • Rotate the power supply counterclockwise, lifting the right side up about an inch higher than the left.

  38. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 38, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 38, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Slide the power supply to the right to clear the screw posts on the rear enclosure.

  39. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 39, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 39, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 39, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Rock the power supply forward and remove it from its recess in the rear enclosure.

    • Do not try to completely remove the power supply from the iMac yet—it is still connected to the logic board.

  40. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 40, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 40, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.

    • Flip the top of the power supply towards you to access the DC power cable connection behind the logic board.

    • Squeeze the DC power cable connector tab and pull it straight out of its socket on the back of the logic board.

    what happens if you damage the power socket on the logic board?

    Racheal Major - Antwoord

    The tab is on the bottom of the connector. You can’t see it. Squeeze the bottom of the connector close to the cables to properly release tab. Pulling straight out is important.

    Eddie de la Rosa - Antwoord

    This step might be easier if you do the next step first (step 41) and then come back to this step.

    Eddie de la Rosa - Antwoord

    I loosened the logic board attached to the power supply board. I then could easily remove the 2 power cables.

    Gerard Stoffels - Antwoord

    A photo of the disconnected power connector would be helpful in seeing how the tab release works here.

    airshack - Antwoord

    In the photo above, the index finger is shown squeezing the connector locking tab. Do this while using the flat end of a spudger to release the latch. Once the connector is moved about an eigth of an inch the latch is released and the connector should come out freely.

    Fred Heineman - Antwoord

    The photo you added is of the wrong side of the power cable connector? Please add a photo of the rear facing side so the clip mechanism so disconnection can be clearly understood.

    airshack - Antwoord

    The key is to squeeze the tab in the part near the cables. You won’t feel like the tab is moving, but squeezing it there is necessary to get it out.

    Adrià - Antwoord

  41. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 41, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 41, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 41, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • You may find it helpful to set the iMac down on its back on the table for the next couple of steps.

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to push the clip on the side of the AC inlet cable connector inward.

    • While holding on the release clip with the spudger, grasp the AC inlet cable, and pull the connector straight out of its socket.

  42. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 42, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the power supply from the iMac.

  43. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Fan: stap 43, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Fan: stap 43, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Gently pull the fan cable connector straight away from its socket on the logic board.

    I don’t like to pull on wires as shown in the photos above. I used my index fingernail on the top corner of the connector and the pointed end of a spudger on the bottom corner to pull the connector straight out of its socket.

    Fred Heineman - Antwoord

  44. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 44, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the three 12.3 mm T10 shoulder screws securing the fan to the rear enclosure.

  45. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 45, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 45, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Remove the fan from the iMac.

  46. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive: stap 46, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive: stap 46, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive: stap 46, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Lift the hard drive from the edge nearest the logic board and pull it slightly out of its recess.

    • The hard drive is attached by two cables, do not attempt to fully remove it from the iMac.

  47. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 47, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 47, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Disconnect the SATA power cable.

  48. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 48, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 48, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Unplug the SATA data cable from the hard drive.

  49. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 49, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the hard drive from the iMac.

  50. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Tray: stap 50, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the single 7.2 mm T10 screw securing the hard drive tray to the rear enclosure.

    2017 imac EMC 3069 this is a T9

    Glenn Koslowsky - Antwoord

  51. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 51, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the hard drive tray from the rear enclosure.

    Cables are routed through the backside of the tray. Take a picture for reassembly.

    Mitchell Scheffler - Antwoord

  52. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Logic Board Assembly: stap 52, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, Logic Board Assembly: stap 52, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Push on each side of the left speaker cable connector with the tip of a spudger and gently "walk" it out of its socket.

    As noted in the right speaker cable section, the two corners of the connector are latches that need to be pushed toward the center of the connector to release. This is easily done with the pointed end of the spudger. Once the two corner latches are released, the connector comes apart easily.

    Fred Heineman - Antwoord

  53. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 53, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 53, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • De-route the left speaker cable by pulling it straight up out of the retaining clip in the back of the rear enclosure.

  54. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 54, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 54, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 54, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • In a similar fashion as the previous step, de-route the SATA data and power cables up out of the retaining clip.

  55. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 55, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 55, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 55, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Use the flat edge of a spudger to flip up the metal retaining bracket on the iSight camera cable connector.

    • Pull the iSight camera cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

    • This is a delicate connector that can be easily damaged.

    As seen in the photo this clip clearly has a pull tab. Forget the spudger and just open the clip with the pull tab.

    airshack - Antwoord

  56. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 56, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 56, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 56, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Use the flat edge of a spudger to disconnect each of the four antenna connectors from the AirPort/Bluetooth card.

    • Note the original positions for each connector when reconnecting the cables.

    I broke off one of the antenna connectors when I took off the antenna wires, but the new 802.11ac card is working:) I seems the way to take off the wires is lifting it up from the wire side. In hindsight I just wasn´t careful enough.

    Runar Vaernes - Antwoord

    how do I check a working logic board

    Navneet Garg - Antwoord

    I labeled mine with label printer labels prior to disconnection.

    airshack - Antwoord

    I labeled mine with label printer labels prior to disconnection. The label/tabs made reinstalling easier as I held onto the label/tabs while pressing down on the connectors. Much easier than holding onto the physical wires.

    airshack - Antwoord

    If you have a pair of angled tweezers, they work well for grabbing under the connector so that you aren’t pulling on the wire. The head of the T10 screwdriver works well for pressing them back on.

    Mitchell Scheffler - Antwoord

    iMac 2017 EMC 3069 this has the antenna brackets with two T5

    Glenn Koslowsky - Antwoord

  57. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 57, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • If brackets secure the four antenna cables, remove the two T5 Torx screws from the brackets.

  58. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 58, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 58, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 58, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Use the flat edge of a spudger to pry the headphone jack cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

    • Push the cable slightly to the right.

    Unlike the rest of the connectors on the logic board, this one lifts up away from the board rather than to the side. That “Push the cable slightly to the right.” notation is after the connector is free.

    Fred Heineman - Antwoord

  59. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 59, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the following screws securing the exhaust duct to the rear enclosure:

    • Two 6.3 mm T8 screws

    • Two 4.7 mm T8 screws

    Weirdly, these screws didn’t work with my T8 driver. Not with T6 or T10.

    Every other screw (to this point) has been fine. Hmm.

    Jake Lodwick - Antwoord

    ??? The T8 worked fine for me. Not sure what the difference would be.

    Fred Heineman - Antwoord

    Fare molta attenzione alla vite in fondo a destra, è facile (soprattutto se la punta del proprio cacciavite non è magnetizzata) che la vite si perda sotto alla Logic board. Se la punta del cacciavite non è magnetizzata consiglio o di utilizzare un magnete esterno o di utilizzare delle pinze mentre si svita la vite in modo da non incorrere in questo problema.

    Carlo Molta - Antwoord

  60. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 60, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the four 7.2 mm T10 screws securing the logic board to the rear enclosure.

    • Depending on the age and model of your iMac, a T9 driver may work best.

    When reinstalling the logic board, install four screws loose. Insert thumb drives into the back in all slots to ensure alignment. Once aligned, then tighten screws.

    Gary Kelch - Antwoord

    On some models there is a tiny microphone cable connector, just above the lower left logic board screw. Remove by carefully pulling straight down. There is also a piece of insulating plastic w/adhesive on top of the screw which can be pulled off prior to removal. Save and reuse with the same screw on installation.

    Ed Beachwood - Antwoord

  61. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 61, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 61, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement: stap 61, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Tilt the top of the logic board away from the rear enclosure.

    • Lift the logic board straight up and out of the iMac.

    • Be careful not to snag the board on any of the rear case's screw posts.

    • The I/O boards at the bottom of the logic board will be the greatest challenge. It is recommended to pull gently to avoid any damage.

    • During reassembly of the logic board, pay attention to the position of the I/O connectors. When the board is back in the case, insert a USB or Thunderbolt cable into one of the connectors to align it perfectly.

    When inserting the logic board back, pay attention of the position of the I/O connectors. When it is back in place, put a USB / Thunderbolt cable into the connectors to ensure the perfect alignment.

    Peter - Antwoord

    This is fantastic advice. I used a combination of USB and display port plugs to ensure proper alignment and help keep the logic board steady while i screwed it back in. Thank you!!

    kazoodac -

    Great technique. I plugged a cable into every port before tightening logic board screws.

    airshack - Antwoord

    ive gotten this far and i still have one question, i’m replacing my HDD With A SSD should i also remove the original Blade drive ? and run exclusively off the ssd, ? i wasn’t 100 on whether or not i was getting the fusion set up so i’m not in possession of a upgraded blade, so i though this was a good question id hadn’t seen asked.

    Eliasar - Antwoord

  62. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, RAM: stap 62, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, RAM: stap 62, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2544 RAM Replacement, RAM: stap 62, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Release the tabs on each side of the RAM module by simultaneously pushing each tab away.

    • The RAM module should pop up slightly from its socket.

    • Grab the top left and right corners of the RAM module and carefully pull it straight out of its socket.

    • Repeat the process to remove additional RAM modules as necessary.

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

    Joshua Moyer - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

Conclusie

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse and use our Adhesive Strips Guide to reattach the display glass.

134 andere personen hebben deze handleiding voltooid.

Sam Goldheart

Lid sinds: 10/18/12

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18 opmerkingen

I used the iMac Opening Tool just as shown starting in step 2 to separate the tape. DISASTER! The screen cracked! I used the tool slowly and carefully and despite this, the screen cracked. I should have simply used a guitar pick. That said, I decided to see if I could upgrade the 8GB RAM to 16GB RAM WITHOUT removing the logic board all performing all of these steps. I found I could simply remove the FAN assembly as shown in step 43. This makes enough room to reach behind the logic board and unclip the 2 memory modules. I installed 2 8GB modules (1600MHz DDR3L SO-DIMM PC12800 204 Pin) without much trouble. I used a plastic stick to reach behind the logic board and unclip the existing memory modules, then carefully inserted the new ones and clipped them into place. This is much easier than performing all of these steps.

gcortesi - Antwoord

Hi There, I am interested in going in and upgrading my RAM to 16. Did you do all the steps ups to 43? Remove the power supply? Did you remove the hard Drive? I take it you had to do step 53 as well and remove the iSight camera cable first? I may try it your way, I hate to have to unplug 98% of everything to do this. Thanks for the tip.

joeysorge -

I added extra RAM by following step 1-23, then skipping to do just 41-43 and then reach the RAM from the back of the logic board. It was difficult to reach but possible.

Mikael -

Wow, thanks. That was much easier. I unscrewed the corner Torx screw holding the mobo down for just a touch of flex.

Used a couple of screw drivers to pull the tabs out

It helps if you have done a bunch of memory upgrades so you have a feel for how to get the chips in.

cyadmark -

Thanks for the tips here.I used a guitar pick and some credit cards as suggested, and to worked fine. I also followed Mikael’s suggestion :

“I added extra RAM by following step 1-23, then skipping to do just 41-43 and then reach the RAM from the back of the logic board. It was difficult to reach but possible.”

which worked fine for me too. Thanks for the suggestion. Have ordered tools & adhesive from ifixit anyway cos the site & its community showed me how to do it all anyway

Bill Ambrose -

The step by step instruction worked pretty good! Thank you very much for this help!

One interesting issue I had was that the battery on the logic board was empty.. the result of this was that the iMac hadn´t booted any more. An alarm signal with 1 beep every 5 seconds came. At the beginning I thought that the RAM wasn´t installed correctly, but the cause was a low PR2032 battery.. all in all I am really happy that it works now with a new battery. I wish you also much success!

Tom88457 - Antwoord

Straightforward! Thanks a lot! I have upgraded 2 iMacs without any problem, following this guide.

oliver - Antwoord

Upgraded to 16Gb using this guide - perfect result. Wasn't able to get the iMac opening tool so made do with guitar picks and plastic cards to separate the screen from the chassis, totally adequate. Patience and attention to detail is essential to complete the job. Many thanks for the comprehensive guide and tool recommendations. Recommended.

Terry Clarke - Antwoord

Upgraded my iMac 21.5 inches Late 2012 to 16 GB using the iFixit Pizza-Roller. It worked fine. Absolutely important not to pinch the tool.

The only time I had to modify the procedure was at step 42. I could not reach the power connectors so I left them in place. After removing the logic board I could disconnect the power supply without a problem. Reinstalling the power supply is a little tricky as well.

I had left the iMac overnight with the power cable disconnected and the display loosened, just slightly opened. This asserted me that there was no charge left and that the glued stripes had time to dry up. The residue stripes were easy to remove.

Finally it saved me a lot of money as I got the RAM-modules for just 143€ - compared to an online offer of 380 US$ from Apple for the whole procedure, including the RAM modules.

Thank you iFixit for that great video.

Gerard Stoffels - Antwoord

Thank you, iMacs are not obvious. Would have been a real pain having to find out by myself.

Lorenzo Segovia - Antwoord

Great guide, kudos! Upgraded an old iMac 21.5 late-2012: RAM (from original 2x4GB to 2x8GB by Crucial) and hard drive (from 1TB 5400rpm to 1TB SSD MX500 by Crucial).Catalina sings!

I strongly suggest getting the strip-kit with the iFixit pizza-roller as it was extremely effective on cutting trough the adhesive (I had started with another tool , like a newerTech from iSesamo, and it partially tore the film on the back of the display). The pizza-roller may seem flimsy but it is thin enough to get in between the screen and the chassis groove: just be gentle and follow the directions in the guide; it will last for other repairs.

I used the service wedge and found it very helpful to hold the iMac in position; although IMHO it’s a little pricey accessory (a piece of high-density foam) and wish ifixit could review their markup on that. You can do without: the purpose of the wedge is clear just looking at the guide, if you can find effective alternative ways to reach the same result you will save some bucks.

Mauro Bardelle - Antwoord

Model Name: iMac

  Model Identifier: iMac16,2

  Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Core i7

  Processor Speed: 3.3 GHz

  Number of Processors: 1

  Total Number of Cores: 4

  L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

  L3 Cache: 6 MB

  Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled

  Memory: 16 GB

  Boot ROM Version: 233.0.0.0.0

  SMC Version (system): 2.32f21

  Serial Number (system): D25TG0ZVGG7F

  Hardware UUID: 2704D41C-922D-50D7-A2D1-5409F7EADC5A

I can’t upgrade ram my version not

I would like change ram form 16 to 32 g

and hardware to SSD 1 tr

and video card to AMD OR RANDOM but

But I don't know what works for my device??!

Layali Fw - Antwoord

Bonjour à tous, j'ai suivi ce tutoriel pour une modification du hdd et ram. Tout c'est bien passé (merci au rédacteur) seulement il est plus pratique dans la partie basse de l'iMac de retirer la barre de grips fixée (5 petites vis cruciformes) pour dégager et repositionner l'alimentation et l'enceinte droite. En espérant que cela serve à d'autres.

Bertrand MARIE - Antwoord

After working on two computers with this guide may I add a few things:

- remove the old adhesive on both sides (screen and casing) just after opening. You can already put the new strips on the casing but keep the adhesive covers on the other side

- I would always remove the logic board instead of working with screwdrivers behind. The risk of damaging something would be too high for me and it doesn’t take ages and isn’t too hard

- if you have no magnetic screwdriver and a hard time getting the screws for the air duct in, use a tad of hand cream or similar on the screwdriver. That should make the screw stick if you have slow movements

- always try the computer before you glue the screen back on after finishing! The first time I did glue everything together just to learn that the RAM was faulty. And it is much harder to re-open new adhesive strips.

All in all a superb guide, making a complicated repair quite simple.

Florian - Antwoord

Not necessary to remove the Power Supply board (that is disconnect it completely.Being careful to not scratch the aluminum (tape it) you can go through to the logic board replacement. while I am doing the ram upgrade, also doing a SSD for the 3.5’… would like to know what size the blade SSD i s it seems that an upgrade to this would then give me 2 hard drives (not going to do the fusion again, an SSD is faster. Thanks! Don’t forget to use canned air and blow out the dirt in the fan, fins and the bottom air vents across the case.

Carl Schultz - Antwoord

Have to thank the poster who said the RAM can be added by removing fan. Much easier than the rest of the steps. Take your time , turn the iMac sideways so you can see what you are doing. Much easier than what I dreaded.

Don Maupin - Antwoord

Nice tutorial, well explained as always !

I wonder if anyone had tried 16GBx2 of DDR3 and not DDR3L (or if 8GBx2 in DDR3 and not DDR3L would work assuming you also change the CPU to a I7-3770 ?

Cheers

Guillaume C - Antwoord

Wow it is perfect and helpful for me. Thank you!!!

Nemobox - Antwoord

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