iMac Expansion?

[aznatari]

I have an iMac now and i want to know what i can add to it internally?

1)hard disk
2)ram
3)graphics card


atari

[mnkeybsness]

RAM....that's about it...unless you want to really get technical with ripping apart your machine and putting parts that are not recommended to be in there...and i do believe that the graphics cards are completely unable to be changed....correct me if i'm wrong

[iH8Quark]

no can do, brother.

[scem0]

This is not a rumor, you know there is a technical assistance section dont you?

Well, my advice is:
If you want to expand, then get a powermac.
If your happy with the comp u buy, and dont want to buy extras, get an iMac.

iMacs have never been known for their expandability :( sorry.

[Sun Baked]

aznatari, did you look at the towers, these are the only Macs that are upgradeable.

In answer to you questions on the iMac, basically.

1. Not user upgradeable.
2. 1 stick only and the Airport card
3. Not at all.

The iMac does not have a graphics card, it has a chip integrated into the motherboard, and the HD and internal memory is not user upgradeable.

In reality if you ever want to upgrade your iMac, sell it and buy another one. Elsewise all your upgrades are going to be outside the box.

[AlphaTech]

Only the 'Power' line from Apple has upgradable hard drives (PowerMac and PowerBook). In the iMac (current/LCD model) you can only install one memory chip (as stated above), with the older iMac (slot loading) you can change both memory chips (same with the eMac I believe). In the PowerBook you can change the hard drive and both memory chips (it only holds two) as well as install/remove/change the airport card and install a lone PC card (PCMCIA).

The PowerMac is the most upgradable of all Mac's. With that one, you CAN change the video card, hard drives, add hard drives, add memory (three slots for now), add PCI cards as well as install a zip/3-1/2" drive that is externally accessable. You can even [eventually] change/upgrade the processor in the PowerMac line.

If you don't like the limited upgrade options of your iMac, guess what, TFB (figure it out :p). If future upgradability/expansion was important to you, you should have gone with something OTHER then the consumer level system. :eek: :p :D :cool:

[aznatari]

Thanks for all your help Sun Baked.

Its now external time.


atari

[MacMaster]

This is a cool external thing: iRise (http://xtrememac.com/formac/irise_for_imac.html), but wow! What a price tag!!!
More cool things for the new iMac coming........

[Shrek]

As far I know, you can expand the internal Apple Memory DIMM Slot on the new iMacs (it's a bit complicated doing it, but it is possible), but I'm not sure if this would void the warranty or not. Anyone know? :confused:

[strider42]

Originally posted by Sun Baked
aznatari, did you look at the towers, these are the only Macs that are upgradeable.

In answer to you questions on the iMac, basically.

1. Not user upgradeable.
2. 1 stick only and the Airport card
3. Not at all.

The iMac does not have a graphics card, it has a chip integrated into the motherboard, and the HD and internal memory is not user upgradeable.

In reality if you ever want to upgrade your iMac, sell it and buy another one. Elsewise all your upgrades are going to be outside the box.

The hard disk shouldn't be that hard to upgrade on a new iMac. It certainly wasn't that hard on the old ones. same with the none user upgradeable ram chip in the original iMacs. Unless its soldered to the board, it can be upgraded (its not soldered to the board on the new ones is it?). Doing so might void the warranty however. graphics are always a no-go on iMac, as there is no card, just a shipset soldered to the board.

[benjaminpg]

A while ago I saw an article in Macworld on how to upgrade older CRT iMacs, mainly the hard drive. I assume you can still find it on their site www.macworld.com. It had step by step instructions. It looked pretty easy, and said it would take about an hour. You might want to look at it.

[Sun Baked]

The memory, the hard drive and the CD/DVD drives are not user upgradeable items.

Yes they can be replaced, but if you fail to follow Apple's correct procedure you run the risk of overheating and thermal shutdown of the LCD iMac. And will most likely kill any warranty in the process, especially if the parts aren't Apple's usual parts.

The LCD iMac has heat transfer pads that must be cleaned off and new thermal paste applied every time you get inside the iMac. If you don't do it you may be back here asking why your iMac shuts off by itself all the time.

It's usually easier to buy a tower if you intend to do a lot these type of changes. Especially if you want to upgrade the CPU, video card or add Firewire/USB 2 in the future.

But remember, Apple stopped advertising any CPU as upgradeable - just in case the upgrade makers decide to orphan a motherboard design and not make the upgrade.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by strider42
The hard disk shouldn't be that hard to upgrade on a new iMac. It certainly wasn't that hard on the old ones. same with the none user upgradeable ram chip in the original iMacs. Unless its soldered to the board, it can be upgraded (its not soldered to the board on the new ones is it?). Doing so might void the warranty however. graphics are always a no-go on iMac, as there is no card, just a shipset soldered to the board.

It's harder then you think... You have to remove the bottom plate, and then void your warranty by going even deeper into the computer. You have to pull the logic board out of the computer in order to access the non-user upgradable memory and hard drive. THAT is where/when you will void your warranty.

The hard drive sits perpendicular to the optical drive, which are above the logic board.

BTW, it's chipset, not shipset... :p

[strider42]

Originally posted by AlphaTech


It's harder then you think... You have to remove the bottom plate, and then void your warranty by going even deeper into the computer. You have to pull the logic board out of the computer in order to access the non-user upgradable memory and hard drive. THAT is where/when you will void your warranty.

The hard drive sits perpendicular to the optical drive, which are above the logic board.

BTW, it's chipset, not shipset... :p

Sorry about the spelling error.

That really doesn't sound that much harder than replacing it on the CRT iMacs, My only concern would be the thermal pads/paste previosuly mentioned. That complicates things. Tearing the computer itself apart usually requires little more than good instructions and patience.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by strider42
That really doesn't sound that much harder than replacing it on the CRT iMacs, My only concern would be the thermal pads/paste previosuly mentioned. That complicates things. Tearing the computer itself apart usually requires little more than good instructions and patience.

Good luck in getting the instructions... Only AASP's have access to that. :p :D The new iMac also has something called a thermal pipe, which is a chunk of aluminum that goes between the bottom and the rest of the base (to conduct heat to the fan). There are also more then a few connections that need to be made when you put it back together (wires and such).

All the screws in the new iMac are now Torx head, so you will need to get a set of drivers for that.

[gopher]

Actually you can upgrade the hard disk. Externally speaking. Firewire allows for up to 65 devices per port. Now think about it for a moment, that's 130 120 GB hard drives (for a total of 15.6 Terabytes) on a Flat Panel iMac. If that isn't enough for you, you need a mainframe or XServe. Ah but you asked internally... Still with 400 Mbps carrying each drive at 100 ATA speed, you really don't need more.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by gopher
Actually you can upgrade the hard disk. Externally speaking. Firewire allows for up to 65 devices per port. Now think about it for a moment, that's 130 120 GB hard drives (for a total of 15.6 Terabytes) on a Flat Panel iMac. If that isn't enough for you, you need a mainframe or XServe.

I wouldn't want your electric bill with all those drives going. Besides the fact that you will need to call in an electrician to add more power drops, and most likely a few more breakers. You would save some money in the winter (heat bill) but pay more then that in the summer (to cool that room down to operating temperatures). :eek: :p :D :cool:

[gopher]

I guess that's why they call those shops renderfarms...they pay for their own equipment like farms do.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by gopher
I guess that's why they call those shops renderfarms...they pay for their own equipment like farms do.

I thought that it was because you could render fat just by placing it in that room (when the AC goes down). :eek: :p :D :cool:

[strider42]

Originally posted by AlphaTech


Good luck in getting the instructions... Only AASP's have access to that. :p :D The new iMac also has something called a thermal pipe, which is a chunk of aluminum that goes between the bottom and the rest of the base (to conduct heat to the fan). There are also more then a few connections that need to be made when you put it back together (wires and such).

All the screws in the new iMac are now Torx head, so you will need to get a set of drivers for that.

you're probably right, I'm sure its difficult, possibly too diffficult for the average or even power user. I'm just saying thats exactly what they said about the old iMacs and people came out with their own instructions pretty quickly. Maybe its not as feasible on the new FP iMacs, but I wouldn't be surprised if a procedure is made and posted at some point in the future.

[Ensign Paris]

Hey,

If its the CRT iMac you can upgrade the RAM and HD really easily and the LCD iMac is also as easy to upgrade the RAM and is quite easy but not as easy as the older iMac to upgrade the HD.

Try contacting Apple for the technical manuals.

Ensign

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by Ensign Paris
Hey,

If its the CRT iMac you can upgrade the RAM and HD really easily and the LCD iMac is also as easy to upgrade the RAM and is quite easy but not as easy as the older iMac to upgrade the HD.

Try contacting Apple for the technical manuals.

Ensign

Your chances of getting a technical manual from Apple for the FP iMac is slim to nil.

Is it really worth voiding your warranty to change the hard drive as well as the SDRAM chip?? ONCE the computer is out of warranty, you can do whatever you want to it. But while it is still under warranty, I wouldn't do something to void it.

BTW, Apple DOES keep track of the certified tech's, so they will know if you really are one or not. :eek: :p :D :cool:

[bunton]

Y did you buy a imac if you wanted to expand? What is wrng with you man??

[djwoolf]

well if you have an original Bondi iMac u you can upgrade Vram, RAM, and the HD. THere is also the mezzanine port that allows for unsupported upgrades like Video cards (voodoo 2) , floppy drives, fire wire, and ADB ports.

[bunton]

What in the Windows are you talking about?

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by djwoolf
well if you have an original Bondi iMac u you can upgrade Vram, RAM, and the HD. THere is also the mezzanine port that allows for unsupported upgrades like Video cards (voodoo 2) , floppy drives, fire wire, and ADB ports.

The iMac (all versions/generations) have the video card integrated into the logic board. The only part that was upgradable on the ORIGINAL iMac (233MHz) was the VRAM. No amount of porting can change something that is an integrated part of the logic board. As for floppy drives, you can add an USB one without any problem. There are USB to ADB adapters out there if you really MUST have an ADB port (why anyone would really need a port in this day and age is beyond me). As for FireWire, Sonnet has a processor upgrade for the tray loading iMacs that will give you FireWire. :p :D

BTW, I just did a little searching, Griffin Tech has something called an iPort, but doesn't give you any information (online) about where it connects (inside the iMac) or what you have to do to use it. It is ONLY compatible with the rev. a and b iMac's (233MHz) so the actual use of the item is very limited.

[railthinner]

I'm not greatly mechanically inclined but I changed the hard drive in my lime imac with little trouble. what else can you do if your hard drive dies? of course you can upgrade it. Also, the monitor started to go on us so I now have a 17" monitor hooked up to the imac and it sits with a black screen acting as any cpu. (stuck with little vram though) for cool info go to these places.

http://www.applefritter.com/hacks/
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com

you can figure out how to do just about anything (within reason) to your machine. and yes you'll void your warranty, but who care if you have an old imac? get a new one too.

cheers

[strider42]

Originally posted by AlphaTech


The iMac (all versions/generations) have the video card integrated into the logic board. The only part that was upgradable on the ORIGINAL iMac (233MHz) was the VRAM. No amount of porting can change something that is an integrated part of the logic board.

there was of course the voodoo II card that used the mezzanine slot in the rev A and B iMacs (there was a company for a while that would add the mezzanine slot to rev C and D iMacs as well, since they had everything but the actual connector on the logic board). getting ahold of one nowadays is hard, and support is nonexistent. it was called the game wizard, made by newer technologies (who recently resurfaced after going out of business). the voodoo chipset of course was made by 3DFX<who no longer exist either.

[Mighty Mac]

I have a PDF copy of the instuction manual to the iMAC (FP). conver all parts with full description and pictoral to accessing the HD and internal ram. If you would like it right me. Bcallaha@lynx.neu.edu