replacing hard drive in 20" intel imac

I don't know of a guide, but if you've done it on a pc before I'm sure you won't have a problem. I've had to install Airport cards into iMacs before and it just looks like a really nice pc inside. The hard drive looks fairly accessible but I wasn't looking at it that closely. Just open it up and have a look.

Take the computer and place is screen down on a towel or something soft on a table. Then unscrew 3 (pretty sure it's 3) screws on the bottom. Then you can lift the cover off by the stand. Bottom comes up first then off the "clips" at the top. Then you will be able to see how easy it is. Put it back together in the opposite way. Clips, bottom, screws.

Good Luck

tvguru said:

I don't know of a guide, but if you've done it on a pc before I'm sure you won't have a problem. I've had to install Airport cards into iMacs before and it just looks like a really nice pc inside. The hard drive looks fairly accessible but I wasn't looking at it that closely. Just open it up and have a look.

Take the computer and place is screen down on a towel or something soft on a table. Then unscrew 3 (pretty sure it's 3) screws on the bottom. Then you can lift the cover off by the stand. Bottom comes up first then off the "clips" at the top. Then you will be able to see how easy it is. Put it back together in the opposite way. Clips, bottom, screws.

Good Luck

Click to expand...

That only applies to the revision a and b iMac G5s. Rev 3 (radeon x600 graphics) and intel imacs are much much much more difficult to get apart. that and chances are that the casing won't go back together as snugly as before. We're talking lots of tape, sharp thin metal, and winding cables.

Some pictures here. Click on the pics for more.

http://www.kodawarisan.com/kodawarisan/archives/2005/10/ea_imac_g5_aaaa.html

A very helpful posting from mhunter was made on this subject over on the Apple discussion board today. In short he advises that to upgrade it yourself would be difficult (though feasible) and would invalidate your warranty. He links to a web site containing instructions on dissasembling, and mentions that the machine could be taken to an authorised service provider for upgrading as an alternative to DIY.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=630315

One more option would be to shove your new drive in an external chassis and use it that way. I went for that option when I upgraded my PPC G5 and placed the original internal drive in an USB2 chassis, to be used as my backup drive.

There's guide here. Look's scary.

http://home.comcast.net/~woojo/DFFA53A0-F23D-4541-9015-481FD3B6532E/iMac_Disassembly.html

Crap, this thing (which I'm sitting behind) looks like an old fashioned TV dinner inside----all wrapped in aluminum foil!

O.K.---everyone sing along to ZZ Top's TV Dinners:

"Twenty year old turkey in a thirty year old tin.
I can't wait until tomorrow and thaw one out again, oh yeah........."

It's presumably so if you put a warranty claim in they can check your iMac to see if you've been fiddling with anything.

is it worth the risk vs. adding the drive as external?

I wonder if you can walk into an Apple store (not that we have one in Scotland) with an iMac that's got a faulty HDD (I'm thinking long term here) and have the HDD replaced by the store, or if you have to return to Apple.

if i wanted to replace my hard drive,in my upcoming imac, in a few years, can apple do it? how much would they charge?

thechris69 said:

if i wanted to replace my hard drive,in my upcoming imac, in a few years, can apple do it? how much would they charge?

Click to expand...

Didnt want to start a new thread, but wondering the same thing.

I'm talking Aluminum 24" here.

I replaced my HD with a 750GB Seagate in my 24" iMac before 3 weeks ...
It's a little bit tricky but if you do it carefully there will be no problem...

good luck

imac 24" upgrade hard drive

here is a link that i found someone did there 24" Imac upgrade hard drive to 1tb. (http://www.amfiteatar.org/content/view/155/78/lang,en/)

this is the link i used to change mine ....very nice and detailed instructions

This one worked for me

http://www.sduk.baconeggs.com/manuals/index.htm

I used the iMac - Service Manual and it was very close to my early 2006 Intel iMac. much closer than any other instructions I have found.

I am also interested in the note on this page about not voiding the warranty, anyone know what the facts are? has anyone gotten Applecare support after doing this?

After from talking to applecare reps on the subject, my understanding is that unless you get an apple authorized service provider to put in a hard drive that is offically supported by apple for your machine, you're voiding applecare.

Yes, you could quote various state and federal laws, and try to make it apple prove that the hd swap caused your problem.

That being said, I want a warranty, not a potential lawsuit. If you need a bigger hd, just get an external one and hook it up using firewire.

And by the time mine's out of warranty in 2011, they'll probably have SSD's (STD's?) for the same price of today's hd's.

Video Guide: Install hard drive in 20" 24" intel imac

Video Guide: Install hard drive in 20" 24" flat screen intel imac
My hard drive took a dump a month after my warranty expired. I made this video for anyone that go screwed by apple and doesn't want to pay someone to fix your brand new mac.
Remove your hard drive in less that 6 minutes!

Warranty Talk:
Unless the manual that comes with the mac says 'no user serviceable parts' they can't void the warranty for servicing a 'user serviceable part', such as the hard drive. Notice the literature with a western digital hard drive says 'no user serviceable parts' because there is nothing inside the hard drive you can fix!
There are stickers on the motherboard that say 'warrant void if removed'. THOSE ARE NOT serviceable parts.
If you do it carefully, they won't know you even opened it. Just don't bend anything, and clean the screen thoroughly before replacing the cover (don't leave finger prints and stuff!). If you have to take it in for warranty, just put the original parts back, take it in, and deny you ever opened it (they can't prove it!!!). The only thing noticeable would be removed tape, and the hard drive thermometer, but you don't have to take the tape off, and you can use special glue to get the thermometer back on.

Changing iMac hardware

Has any one taken apart the 2006 model of an iMac(Whit Plastic Body), and has actually changed the Video Card, or the Intel chip Processor? I wanted to know if it's easily customizable.

Swapping out hard drive imac intel (aluminum)

I swapped out the dead 'stock' WD 250 GB with a Seagate 1.5 TB hard drive last night in about 25 minutes from start to finish. I followed the instructions from camodesto and it was painless. The iMac flies now.

I recommend to all Mac (or any computer owner) to invest in a data backup package similar to 'Time Machine'. This made the transition seamless and I was up back an running in no time!

Use this link and watch it a few times and have it handy when you are performing this yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YsCTNVEYt8

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

replacing imac hard drive

Hi there, if you need to look at intructions on how to replace your imacs hard drive check ifixit.com. I will give you the link.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Browse/iMac#Section_iMac_Num_20

then select your imac (either G5, or white intel, or aluminium intel) then select hard drive replacement, and there are the instructions. hope that helps.