Looking for advice on G5 iMac board replacement

[asiga]

I'll try to bring an old G5 iMac 20'' (1076 model) back to life by replacing its faulty motherboard with a working one (the faulty part is the graphics according to the LED diagnostics).

Before starting, I'm reading the following guide:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+G5+20-Inch+Model+A1076+Logic+Board+Replacement/879

And I've a couple of questions:

Is this the best procedure for replacing the logic board on my model? Is it really needed to dissasemble so many parts?

Why do I need to apply thermal paste at the end of the procedure? I don't see any heat dissipator disassembled through the process...

 

[Xandros]

Unfortunately given the nature of the beast, yes it probably is necessary to disassemble that much to get at the logic board. It's all crammed in there like a tin of sardines and the logic board's usually the first thing they shove into the case (and you know what they say, first in last out). If you're not keen on following the iFixit guide though, you could also go directly to the source. Literally. The Apple Service Source manuals - can't get more official than that, but those pictures on iFixit look like they were pulled out of the manual anyway so it's probably fairly true to the actual Apple service procedure. Still, can't go wrong with the actual manuals Apple uses for servicing. Which of the 20" A1076 iMacs you have, the 1.8GHz or the 2GHz "ALS"?

 

[asiga]

Thanks for pointing me towards the official service guides. Btw, is there any official web for them? I found several websites with them, but if there's any official site please tell!!

 

[RedCroissant]

I'll try to bring an old G5 iMac 20'' (1076 model) back to life by replacing its faulty motherboard with a working one (the faulty part is the graphics according to the LED diagnostics).

Before starting, I'm reading the following guide:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+G5+20-Inch+Model+A1076+Logic+Board+Replacement/879

And I've a couple of questions:

Is this the best procedure for replacing the logic board on my model? Is it really needed to dissasemble so many parts?

Why do I need to apply thermal paste at the end of the procedure? I don't see any heat dissipator disassembled through the process...

That is a really good guide and it's fairly straightforward although tedious..

Yes, it is the procedure but if you want the actual Apple service manual, send me a message and I can send it to you.

 

[Xandros]

Thanks for pointing me towards the official service guides. Btw, is there any official web for them? I found several websites with them, but if there's any official site please tell!!

Don't think so, or if there is it's buried somewhere on Apple's servers and available only to their service technicians - they don't like us mere plebs having access to the manuals in case we (God forbid) don't pay them an exorbitant amount of money to repair it. I don't know if you found the same site I've used before now but if not; http://tim.id.au/laptops/apple/imac/

You'll probably want either the third from the bottom or the last one. That's why I wondered which of the iMacs you had since I'm not sure which of those manuals is for your particular Mac. Presumably the bottom one is for the 1.8GHz and the ALS manual is for the 2GHz ALS.