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rjcalifornia

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 4, 2012
668
7
El Salvador
So, I forgot to ask this haha Ok, my iMac has a dead soldered RAM, the one that comes built in. Is there something I can do about it or should I get a 1GB RAM?

Currently it has 512 MB and running Tiger. It runs fast though, even Office 2008 runs fast.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
G4 iMacs don't hav soldered ram. They have two ram slots. One desktop stick inside and one laptop stock underneigth. You can change out the internal desktop stick by opening the dome. But you must reapply the thermal paste to the one or two contact points or it will overheat.
 

rjcalifornia

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 4, 2012
668
7
El Salvador
Thanks! I didn't know it was not soldered :D I think I have one from an old computer I have in a corner :D

I did it on mine so yes. And yes reapply the thermal paste. It's not difficult and costs less than $5.

Ok, for my iMac, do I have to apply thermal paste? Where do I have to apply it?
 

MultiFinder17

macrumors 68030
Jan 8, 2008
2,719
2,037
Tampa, Florida
Thanks! I didn't know it was not soldered :D I think I have one from an old computer I have in a corner :D



Ok, for my iMac, do I have to apply thermal paste? Where do I have to apply it?

If you have the older 15" iMac that is used in that iFixit post, you don't need to reapply any thermal paste. If you have a 17" or larger iMac, you'll need to check the appropriate iFixit manual.
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
If you have the older 15" iMac that is used in that iFixit post, you don't need to reapply any thermal paste. If you have a 17" or larger iMac, you'll need to check the appropriate iFixit manual.

The thermal paste must be reapplied for every G4 iMac. Failure to do so will cause overheating. 1Ghz and 1.25Ghz machines have contact points that need it. 700Mhz and 800Mhz machines have one. The OEM stuff is a black rubber like substance. It doesn't work once it has been undone. It must be scraped off and have new stuff applied. Make sure you scrape off both sides of the contact point and apply new paste to only one side.
 

rjcalifornia

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 4, 2012
668
7
El Salvador
The thermal paste must be reapplied for every G4 iMac. Failure to do so will cause overheating. 1Ghz and 1.25Ghz machines have contact points that need it. 700Mhz and 800Mhz machines have one. The OEM stuff is a black rubber like substance. It doesn't work once it has been undone. It must be scraped off and have new stuff applied. Make sure you scrape off both sides of the contact point and apply new paste to only one side.

Do you have any pictures of that? I am... blind? :(
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
Do you have any pictures of that? I am... blind? :(

Blind isn't the word I'd choose. Locate the CPU. It's heatsink is the one held on with a bracket going diagonally across the top of it. It is not the big heatsink in the centre of the board. There is one heatpipe going away from the CPU towards the outside of rim of the dome. It will come to a stop at a block of metal about the size of your thumb. If you look at the top half, you'll see another block of metal the same shape. There may be a hole in this block of metal. That block of metal is the thermal contact point. Your iMac has one.
 

rjcalifornia

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 4, 2012
668
7
El Salvador
Blind isn't the word I'd choose. Locate the CPU. It's heatsink is the one held on with a bracket going diagonally across the top of it. It is not the big heatsink in the centre of the board. There is one heatpipe going away from the CPU towards the outside of rim of the dome. It will come to a stop at a block of metal about the size of your thumb. If you look at the top half, you'll see another block of metal the same shape. There may be a hole in this block of metal. That block of metal is the thermal contact point. Your iMac has one.

I am so confused right now that I don't know where to begin :( Honestly I can't see it and now my dad needs it :(
 
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