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iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement

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  1. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Display Assembly: stap 1, afbeelding 1 van 1
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    iMac Intel 21.5" Cardboard Service Wedge
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    • With the hinge free to move, the iMac will be unbalanced and hard to work on. Repairs are fast and easy with an iMac service wedge, but can be completed without one.

    • 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.

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Dan - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    “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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  2. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 2, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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.

    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 - Antwoord

    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 Vervanging van de kleefstrips

    Alan Digby - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    Merci pour ce conseil

    bry nicolas -

  3. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 3, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 3, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 3, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • 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.

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

    Moreau - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  4. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 4, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 4, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 4, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Continue running the tool up around the top left corner.

    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 - Antwoord

  5. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 5, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 5, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.

  6. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 6, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 6, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • 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.

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

    arisnordico - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    Check both connectors, probably one of them not seated well

    pzhivulin -

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

    kaserlik - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

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

    now fan runs like crazy...

    Andrei Balotescu -

    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 - Antwoord

  7. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 7, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 7, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 7, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.

  8. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 8, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 9, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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.

    Yes, do it many times to loosen the adhesive.

    Noah Ralston - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  10. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 10, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 10, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 10, afbeelding 3 van 3
    Gereedschap gebruikt in deze stap:
    Plastic Cards
    $2.99
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    • 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.

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Max Romano - Antwoord

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

    Morgana Devina - Antwoord

    @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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

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

    derekrobinson - Antwoord

  11. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 11, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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".

    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 - Antwoord

  12. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 12, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 12, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 12, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • 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.

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Ernst - Antwoord

  13. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 13, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 13, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Wedge the plastic card into the top right corner once again, and leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resticking.

  14. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 14, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 14, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 14, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Insert a second plastic card into the gap between the display and frame near the top left corner of the iMac.

  15. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 15, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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.

  16. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 16, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 16, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 16, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.

  17. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 17, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 17, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Wedge the plastic card back into the top left corner.

  18. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 18, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 18, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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.

  19. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Display: stap 19, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Display: stap 19, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • While holding the display up with one hand, use the other hand to unplug the display power cable.

    • 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").

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

    bstaud - Antwoord

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

    Noah Ralston - Antwoord

    Head lamp gives you the best hands free view!

    Macrepair SF - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    Can someone post a link to actually purchase these cables?

    Jay Hernandez - Antwoord

    E-bay had one for me

    Roger - Antwoord

  20. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 20, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 20, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 20, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • 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.

    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 - Antwoord

    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 -

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

    David Thompson - Antwoord

  21. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 21, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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.

    Where can I find a replacement display for my iMac?

    Braydon Boyce - Antwoord

    iFixit has listings for replacements. Go to the Parts section

    jerrid_foiles -

  22. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 22, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 22, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 22, afbeelding 3 van 3
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    Plastic Cards
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    • 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.

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Lucio Alves -

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 -

    Would Nitrile Gloves help here to avoid getting shocked?

    Thomas Z. - Antwoord

  23. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 23, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 23, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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.

  24. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Lower Support Bracket: stap 24, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 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 2638 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 2638 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Brackets: stap 26, 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

  27. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 27, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 27, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Remove the left and right hard drive brackets from the iMac.

  28. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: stap 28, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: stap 28, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Power Supply: stap 28, 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 or any of the exposed solder. Touching it risks 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.

    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] - Antwoord

    Added to the guide. Thanks for the tip!

    Jeff Suovanen -

    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 - Antwoord

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

    ej P -

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    This step is impossible!

    Cecily Walker - Antwoord

    @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 - Antwoord

    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 -

  29. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 29, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 29, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Use the tip of a spudger to push each side of the power supply control cable connector and gently walk it out of its socket.

  30. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 30, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the two 7.2 mm T10 Torx screws securing the power supply to the rear enclosure.

    • In newer model iMacs these are 7.2 mm T8 Torx screws.

    • During reassembly, be careful not to trap the power button wire behind the board.

    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 - Antwoord

    Those screws were definitely not T10 but T9 on my unit

    Vincent Monteil - Antwoord

    Those screws were T8 on my unit.

    jag32mobile - Antwoord

    c'est du torx 08

    pascal cacou - Antwoord

  31. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 31, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 31, 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.

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

    Dave Hallett - Antwoord

  32. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 32, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 32, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 32, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • 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.

    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 - Antwoord

  33. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 33, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 33, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Slide the power supply to the right to clear the screw posts on the rear enclosure.

  34. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 34, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 34, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 34, 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.

  35. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 35, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 35, 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 power supply over to access the DC power cable connection behind the logic board.

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

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

    Racheal Major - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

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

    lkollar - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  36. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 36, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 36, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 36, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • You may find it helpful to set the iMac down on its back for the next couple of steps.

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

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

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Gonzalo - Antwoord

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

    VauWeh - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    +1 for needle nose pliers!

    Sam - Antwoord

  37. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 37, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the power supply from the iMac.

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

    Moreau - Antwoord

  38. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Fan: stap 38, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Fan: stap 38, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Gently pull the fan cable connector straight away from its socket on the logic board.

  39. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 39, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the three 12.3 mm T10 shoulder screws securing the fan to the rear enclosure.

  40. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 40, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 40, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Remove the fan from the iMac.

  41. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Assembly: stap 41, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Assembly: stap 41, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Assembly: stap 41, 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 a single SATA power/data cable—do not attempt to fully remove it from the iMac yet.

    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 - Antwoord

  42. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 42, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 42, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • Use a spudger to disconnect the single SATA power and data combo cable by gently prying its large plastic connector away from the hard drive.

    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 - Antwoord

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

    jerrid_foiles -

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 -

    Also agree with this method!

    jmorphett5 -

  43. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 43, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the hard drive assembly from the 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 - Antwoord

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

    boboswell -

    I found this helpful too!

    Anwar -

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  44. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Hard Drive Tray: stap 44, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the single 7.2 mm T10 screw securing the hard drive tray to the rear enclosure.

    HD Screw is a T9 on mine

    TheStudioDrummer - Antwoord

  45. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 45, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the hard drive tray from the rear enclosure.

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

    biscuit - Antwoord

  46. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Logic Board Assembly: stap 46, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, Logic Board Assembly: stap 46, 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.

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Alan Digby -

  47. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 47, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 47, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • If necessary, use a pair of tweezers to gently peel the tape securing the left speaker cable to the SATA data/power cable.

    • This tape only needs to be removed if you are removing the left speaker.

    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 - Antwoord

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

    [deleted] -

    Agreed. I completed the repair without removing the tape.

    phil -

  48. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 48, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 48, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 48, afbeelding 3 van 3
    • De-route the left speaker cable by pulling it straight up out of the retaining clip in the back of the rear enclosure.

    • In a similar fashion, lift the combo SATA data/power cable up out of the retaining clip.

  49. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 49, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 49, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 49, 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.

    • Do not use excessive force. This is a delicate connector that can be easily damaged.

  50. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 50, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 50, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 50, 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.

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

    Andreas - Antwoord

    Agreed, super easy to bend these and break them.

    jctracey - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  51. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 51, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 51, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 51, 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 to clear it for the removal of the logic board.

    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 Vervanging van de rechterspeaker

    Tim Telcik - Antwoord

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

    Dan -

  52. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 52, 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

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Nick - Antwoord

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

    johann beda - Antwoord

  53. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 53, afbeelding 1 van 1
    • Remove the four 7.2 mm T10 screws securing the logic board to the rear enclosure.

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 -

  54. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 54, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 54, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 54, 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.

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

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

    Tim Telcik - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

    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 - Antwoord

  55. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 55, afbeelding 1 van 2 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement: stap 55, afbeelding 2 van 2
    • When installing the logic board, take care to align the exterior I/O ports correctly. The logic board can sit crooked even when secured with all its screws.

    • Use a USB flash drive and/or ethernet cable to ensure the logic board is seated correctly while you screw it in.

  56. iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, RAM: stap 56, afbeelding 1 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, RAM: stap 56, afbeelding 2 van 3 iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 RAM Replacement, RAM: stap 56, 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 order.

160 andere personen hebben deze handleiding voltooid.

41 opmerkingen

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 - Antwoord

James, in the parts section at the top you can purchase the adhesive strips that are a custom fit ([gekoppeld product ontbreekt of is uitgeschakeld: IF173-005]). 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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 -

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

error01 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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

megaspeed -

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

Ryan McDaniel -

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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

Melissa Morrissey - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 -

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 -

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

Peter DeGregorio -

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 - Antwoord

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 -

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 - Antwoord

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 -

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 -

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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

macisgr8 - Antwoord

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

pleasedontfront - Antwoord

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 Vervanging van de kleefstrips

Tim Telcik - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 -

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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 - Antwoord

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

Richard Dixson - Antwoord

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