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HDDs stuck in PowerMac G5

WalnutSpice

WalnutSpice

Suspended
Original poster
Jun 21, 2015
456
92
Canton, Oh
Lucky me, eh? I currently have two hard drives in my G5, two 500GB. As I no longer need my G5 for video editing I need to remove the second 500GB drive (lower bay) so I can put it in my new PC build. But when I put those hard drives in I figured I wanted to do it right that time and properly screw them in. Welp, now the lower one is stuck and removing the lower is required to remove the top drive as well. What can I do? Simply pulling on them they don't budge. I don't want to be ruff with them because I do need to continue using them. Top drive is staying in the G5 though.
 
Just in case you missed it have you made sure that the locking arm is swung out of the way of the lower drive? (on my G5 dual 2.7Ghz my arm has a B moulded into it) if this is swung down you cant remove your drives
 
LightBulbFun said:
Just in case you missed it have you made sure that the locking arm is swung out of the way of the lower drive? (on my G5 dual 2.7Ghz my arm has a B moulded into it) if this is swung down you cant remove your drives
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Yeah, it's swung out and the drives won't budge
 
The drives can be quite snug.

Just so you know, the lower drive should be removed first. It pulls straight out. The upper drive can then be removed. Pull it forward until the front screws are clear of the cage, then tilt the drive down and continue pulling out. The guides for the back screws drop "down" so the drive will feel a bit strange when coming out-just let it guide itself.
 
bunnspecial said:
The drives can be quite snug.

Just so you know, the lower drive should be removed first. It pulls straight out. The upper drive can then be removed. Pull it forward until the front screws are clear of the cage, then tilt the drive down and continue pulling out. The guides for the back screws drop "down" so the drive will feel a bit strange when coming out-just let it guide itself.
Click to expand...
I know that the second drives comes out that way. But the first one is seriously in there. Anyway I try to remove it, it's just not having it.
 
I remember a couple of times with G5s, taking a pair of straight tip screwdrivers, the largest I could find. Using one on each side, then carefully "levering" the drive, applying pressure, until the drive would begin to move.
I also would try a tool that I have. Bought at Sears, I don't know if they still sell it. They called it a "cotter pin extractor". Looks like an ice pick, with a sharp bend in the middle so the point is at a right angle to the shaft. I have used it to "persuade" various kinds of stuck devices.
These hints are last-resort, I suppose, so you would have to not care about possible minor scratches on the edges of the drive.
Might also help out to take some kind of spray lubricant - the kind with a thin extension nozzle to get in the back, if possible. Small amounts on all four screws, then try to force out.
You can even try a rubber/plastic tip mallet. Couple of sharp hits to each corner might move it enough to allow it to be pulled out succesfully.
 
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I've had drives stuck in my G5 before - the best thing that I can suggest is something with a solid short right angle to pull on the drive. I have a little tool that's basically a metal rod that's bent at 90 degrees. Hook it under the small lip on the drive, give it a yank, and it comes right out.
 
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you need a specialised G5 HDD removal kit.
 
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Tool needed. This used to happen to me all the time on PMG5s. I used pliers once, too.
 
I feel for you... Removing HDDs from a G5 is an extremely painful task, especially when there are two drives. Remove the bottom one first. Usually I grab from the bottom of the drive and latch my fingers into the lip of the Drive (hopefully you have that and not the shorter HDDs), and apply negative force to the G5 while pulling on the drive. It should pop out, just make sure you or the HDD don't go flying backwards. As for the top, uh... I don't really recall what to do in order to get it back down the sled that you used to get it up. I usually stick to using one drive in the bottom tray for this reason. Good luck!
 
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Gamer9430 said:
IAs for the top, uh... I don't really recall what to do in order to get it back down the sled that you used to get it up.
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There isn't anything special you need to do in order to remove the top drive (get it down the sled). The factory screws have rubber around the head, if the unit (drive) was subjected to high heat it's possible the rubber has melted and is 'stuck'. Keep in mind there is a finger on each side of the top drive (at the rear screws) that helps to keep the it secure and these can take some force to overcome. I replaced the top drive in my G5 today and the force required was more than I expected.

If there is a trick to the sled it's on the insert. The front screws go in the middle track (vs top) when inserting the drive. As its inserted the drive will slide up aligning the rear screws with the top track.
 
One thing I noticed when I rebuilt my G5 towers from all the junk ones, is that some have rubber head hard disk screws that can make the disk really hard to get out. Others, have all metal hard disk screws, that are easy to get out, but dont protect against vibration. On the stuck drives, grab the lower drive, and rock it towards the front, then back of the mac as you pull, that always gets it loose for me. You might have to put some elbow grease into it, the rubber head screws are hard to get past the plastic snap that holds the drive in, just rock it back and forth, and pull HARD. Once it comes out a little bit and is past the plastic snap, it will slide right out.
 
SOLVED WITH A RIBBON — I have finally managed to get the Hard Drive out of the top bay by using a Xmas ribbon: the ribbon curled naturally, so after inserting it on the space on top of the drive, it emerged at the bottom of the bay where I could pick it up and tie it to the upper end, using it as a handle to pull out the drive. Took me some time to think about it, but it worked perfectly.

PS: The screws had become undone and even after tightening, the friction was undoing them again: I put some lip balm on the screws and left the Xmas ribbon tied to the HDD, just in case.
 
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Good thinking MacGyver! A silicon lubricant or grease would be ideal, but the lip balm should keep it smelling sweet like strawberries :)
 
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