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Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

9

Time Required

                          10 - 20 minutes

Sections

4

  • Rear Panel
  • 2 steps
  • Fan Cover
  • 1 step
  • Hard Drive
  • 4 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 2 steps

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  • BackiMac G5 17" Model A1058

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Rear Panel
  • Lay the iMac display-side down on a flat surface.
  • Loosen the three Phillips screws securing the rear panel to the iMac.
  • These screws are captive in the iMac. The center screw will stop turning after about 3.5 turns and the outer screws will stop turning after about 5.5 turns. Do not try to remove these screws from your iMac.

Lay the iMac display-side down on a flat surface.

Loosen the three Phillips screws securing the rear panel to the iMac.

These screws are captive in the iMac. The center screw will stop turning after about 3.5 turns and the outer screws will stop turning after about 5.5 turns. Do not try to remove these screws from your iMac.

1024

Step 2

  • Lift the rear panel slightly from the bottom edge of the iMac.
  • Pull the rear panel toward yourself and remove it from the iMac.

Lift the rear panel slightly from the bottom edge of the iMac.

Pull the rear panel toward yourself and remove it from the iMac.

Step 3

              Fan Cover
  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the fan cover to the midplane.
  • The shouldered screw belongs in the lower left corner of the fan cover.
  • Lift the fan cover up off midplane.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the fan cover to the midplane.

The shouldered screw belongs in the lower left corner of the fan cover.

Lift the fan cover up off midplane.

Step 4

              Hard Drive
  • Disconnect the hard drive thermal sensor cable from the hard drive thermal sensor.
  • During reassembly, plug in the hard drive thermal sensor before lowering your new hard drive into the midplane.

Disconnect the hard drive thermal sensor cable from the hard drive thermal sensor.

During reassembly, plug in the hard drive thermal sensor before lowering your new hard drive into the midplane.

Step 5

  • Remove the three Phillips screws securing the hard drive to the midplane.
  • Lift the hard drive from its right edge and maneuver it out of the midplane.
  • The hard drive is still connected to the motherboard.

Remove the three Phillips screws securing the hard drive to the midplane.

Lift the hard drive from its right edge and maneuver it out of the midplane.

The hard drive is still connected to the motherboard.

Step 6

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger between the SATA power cable connector and the body of the hard drive.
  • Twist the spudger counter-clockwise to slightly separate the SATA power cable connector from its socket on the hard drive.
  • Pull the SATA power cable connector away from the hard drive.

Insert the flat end of a spudger between the SATA power cable connector and the body of the hard drive.

Twist the spudger counter-clockwise to slightly separate the SATA power cable connector from its socket on the hard drive.

Pull the SATA power cable connector away from the hard drive.

Step 7

  • Pull the SATA data cable connector away from the hard drive.

Pull the SATA data cable connector away from the hard drive.

Step 8

              Hard Drive
  • Remove the two T10 Torx screws from both sides of the hard drive (four screws total).

Remove the two T10 Torx screws from both sides of the hard drive (four screws total).

Step 9

  • Lift the hard drive bracket off the hard drive.
  • Hard drive remains.
  • If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

Lift the hard drive bracket off the hard drive.

Hard drive remains.

If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Walter Galan

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Boris - Dec 14, 2014

Reply

I can’t imagine why this disassembly is called “moderate.” This has to be one of the easiest Macs to open up and gain access. Interestingly, the very next model, the 1144, is one of the most difficult and painful macs (that I know) to open up for access to the most rudimentary parts (drive and memory). The designers of the 1144+ iMacs should all be taken outside and shot!

Maybe the Quadra 700 is easier - no tools required! Or the G4 and G5 towers. Dunno about the later ones…

michaelmontanez - Jan 4, 2016

Reply

Awesome, thanks for helping me breathe life back into my G5, it’s going to become the band computer for storing videos/recordings, as well as some mastering and whatnot.

MadameX - Mar 25, 2016

Reply

Very easy, thank you!

Sergio Dore - Jan 20, 2017

Reply

Thank you. This was fast and without pains. Now I will be able now to recover the information from a computer that did not worked at all.

a_karalis - Dec 23, 2017

Reply

This was great in helping me resuscitate my old iMac G5 and upgrade it in the process! Part of my searching for assistance revolved around what to do with the thermal sensor (mine was attached to the dead hard drive itself rather than the hard drive bracket). Luckily for me, your clear photos helped me determine I could simply pry up the thermal sensor and reattach it elsewhere (like to the hard drive bracket as depicted). Thanks!