Opening up the iMac for cleaning:  educate me!

So I've tried to unscrew the bottom screws but for some reason--I can't get the back off for cleaning--pls help.
Thanks!

To remove the back panel you need to get a credit card to the top vent of the iMac (the thin opening at the top-rear that runs the width of the computer). There are two latches on each corner that when pressed upwards are released.
I have pried mine off by bending the panel (due to poor instructions and haste); luckily it didn't ruin them to the point where it didn't close properly or snap my panel, but with some patience the credit card will release them properly so that you don't bend them; it's worth the patience. (Be careful at this point, the iSight is still connected to the main machine, I don't recommend trying to remove the iSight because there is some tape securing the cables IIRC and although there is a Torx there it won't be the only thing securing it, so you'll have to keep the panel close to the main machine)
I noticed the internals of my 17" iMac were not very dusty at all. I expected to see a lot of dust, but maybe since the vents are on the underside of the machine, not much dust gets sucked up. Also, to get to the internals you'll have to remove the black-aluminum sheeting (think heavy duty foil, maybe 2x as thick) from the "Chin" portion, and remove the LCD screen entirely (Torx driver required). The black sheeting seals the face and LCD so that air flows properly and is secured with some sort of glue that you may ruin by pulling it off, and you risk tearing the black-aluminum sheeting (nothing some electric tape can't fix); just FYIs.
Unless you're really bored and your warranty is expired, bottom line I'd say you won't gain much by doing this as far as performance of the machine goes. It is a great learning experience though if you like to tinker with computers.

Similar Messages

  • Yosemite, messages, preferences are grayed out. It opens but the window for messages is blank.

    Yosemite, messages, preferences are grayed out. It opens but the window for messages is blank. Can't click on anything.

    Hi,
    You appear to have the wrong end of the stick as they say.
    Just starting your computer needs certain Fonts to be present to display the text you are likely to see.
    Most of those needed to do this are in the Hard Drive icon/System/Library/Fonts.
    Some apps require different Fonts  and in the case of Messages this is AppleGothic (all one word) and is found in Hard Drive/Library/Fonts.
    You would normally use the Apple App called Font Book to check these Fonts are working properly.
    Prior to the Yosemite version of Messages (still called Messages 8 like th Mavericks version) you could change the Font use in the actual Messages in the app.
    On a Character or word or Sentence basis there was the Format Menu.
    There was also a Pane in th Preferences called Messages that let you choice the Font, the colour of the text and the  colour of the balloons for Out going Messages and also Overriding the incoming ones.
    You can no longer do this as the Preferences Pane and the Format Menu have gone.
    7:20 pm      Thursday; December 11, 2014
    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad

  • Cannot open project: the folder for this project cannot be found cs4

    I am using Encore CS4  and I get the error "cannot open project: the folder for this project cannot be found"
    Having searched the forums I can not find a solution for when the project folder has been deleted.
    Can someone tell me the solution to this issue.

    If you deleted the Encore directory, you cannot fix this.  You'll have to start over.
    Encore creates this folder structure:
    Root or some other Folder
    MyProject.ncor (the Encore project FILE)
    MyProject (the Encore project directory)
    Other Folders for the Encore project (e.g. Cache, Sources)
    You can get the "the folder for this project cannot be found"  in various ways.
    There have been two recent threads in which the user, by accident or on purpose, changed the folder location or name.  You can fix this by renaming the folder correctly or moving it back (or moving the Encore project file to the correct relative position).
    Folder was renamed.  If you name the folder "MyProjectX" Instead of "MyProject," the project file "MyProject.ncor" can't find it.
    Encore project file was moved - or Encore directories were moved.  If you move "MyProject.ncor" to some other directory or drive (including inside the folder "MyProject"), it can't find the directory - it is looking one directory level below where the project file is located.
    If you delete the Encore project directories, the stuff that Encore uses that projects menus, motion, etc, are gone.  While many of its instructions are inside the project file itself, many are not.  Some of the deleted material might be recreated (e.g. trying to fake Encore into accepting a copy of a menu), but most cannot.

  • Just transferred data to iMac from working Mac Pro that is using Parallels and Windows 7 and the Biblesoft 5  and it will not open on the iMac the only change is the my new iPhone number is  OS.  Any ideas?

    Just transferred data to iMac from working Mac Pro that is using Parallels and Windows 7 and the Biblesoft 5  and it will not open on the iMac the only change is the new Maverick OS from the macpro Lion OS.  Any ideas?
    <Personal Information Edited by Host>

    Setup Assistant and Migration Assistant do not restore MS Windows, it only does the OS X partition. All of your Windows stuff must be backed up and restore using a MS Windows application. If no one on this forum is able to answer your question then I'd repost it on a Parallels forum to see how other Windows users approach this.

  • What is the recommendation for cleaning ones sensor? I have a 5D.

    What is the recommendation for cleaning the sensor on the 5D III
    Thank you,
    M

    The manual recommends using a blower when the automatic cleaning fails - or better yet, sending it to Canon for service.  Sometimes - rarely - a blower will work and is the simplest and reasonably safe thing to use.
    Otherwise many like the Sensor Swab solution.  It is tedious and expensive, but I have used it effectively several times - especially on the 5D that seemed more prone to spots than the newer models.  The problem I always have is going from bad to worse to finally better - a lot of patience is required and wasting or going through several of the swabs is not uncommon.  Maybe my technique sucks, but I find it takes a lot of time and swabs to be eventually be satisfied.  That said, I have never caused any damage and I have always managed to finally get the sensor clean.   Along with the swabs, good lighting and magnification (reading glasses or similar) is also necessary as the spots that look huge on a photo will be nearly invisible.
    http://www.sensorswab.com/
    Steve
    EOS 5D MKIII

  • Applications do not open on the iMac

    I am rather disappointed with the new iMac with the much vaunted Intel processor. Among other things it is slow and more to the point, buggy.
    After it has been up and running for some time and especially if it has been left idle for a while, many non-Apple programmes will not open. Today, I left the machine on, went away for about an hour. when I came back, I was unable to open a backgammon application. Many times, Entourage or other Microsoft programmes won't open. The solution is to re-boot and then all is well. However, the computer is very slow to re-boot. Apple 'iprogrammes' such as iWeb are pretty slow to open up.
    This new machine is not fast. My Powerbook on 10.4.8 runs faster in just about every respect. By the way I have already done an archive and re-install; I run regular Unix clean up programmes and have also run it through Onyx.
    The most I can award this computer is a meagre five out of ten. Not awfully impressed.
    Any thoughts out there.
    David Amies
    iMac Intel/ Power Book G4   Mac OS X (10.4.8)   iPod Nano, External firewire hard drive

    Hello David,
    You have posted in the G4 Flat Panel iMac forums. You will, I am sure, get more help if you post the question in here...
    Intel Macs
    Having little knowledge of these machines and their habits - I suggest you post there.
    Maybe some one here knows more?....
    Regards
    Ian

  • I want to open Twitter, but after I type the password, it doesn't open, but the message for saving PW does appear... can you help me?

    I'm using FF on another computer, and pages that I have used in the original have opened, except for Twitter. I give the PW and the message for saving the password appears, but Twitter's HP page doesn't open, instead the registration page is the one that does... I have tried with another system and the page opens, so I know the problem isn't Twitter's, but FF's... can you help me? I want to open Twitter here...

    This issue can be caused by corrupted cookies or cookies that are blocked.
    *check the permissions on the about:permissions page and in "Tools > Page Info > Permissions"
    *https://support.mozilla.org/kb/fix-login-issues-on-websites-require-passwords
    Clear the cache and remove cookies only from websites that cause problems.
    "Clear the Cache":
    *Firefox/Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Cached Web Content: "Clear Now"
    "Remove Cookies" from sites causing problems:
    *Firefox/Tools > Options > Privacy > "Use custom settings for history" > Cookies: "Show Cookies"

  • Using the iMac for display only?

    I bought an iMac in 2008. I use it for the majority of my computing needs, and for the most part is serves my purposes for everything. One thing I would like though is more gaming power.
    I have a PC tower that is not connected to anything at the moment and needs a little hardware work which I will do myself.
    Since the iMac is not user upgradable, and the video/graphics card is not upgradable at all, I was curious if I was able to connect the PC tower to the iMac's screen and use it as a display for a gaming computer and disconnect the tower for regular computing.
    While I'm asking, is there any external way to improve the graphics card for gaming that anyone is aware of?

    ...Its too bad the graphics card is not upgradeable. I'm also going to try and find out if there is some sort of external way to increase performance....
    This is the inherent issue with all "all-in-ones", both laptops and desktops, both PCs and Macs. For the most part, they are not upgradable. You can replace HD and RAM, but pretty much everything else "is what it is" and upgrades are "external only." Don't hold your breath that you'll find any way to increase performance (video or CPU.)
    In the long run, you may want to consider just selling the iMac and get a new Mac. A Mini or Mac Pro, both of which do not have built-in monitors so would require you to get a monitor anyway, then you could KVM it with the PC. (I have my Mini KVMed with a Dell Poweredge server, which is sitting under my desk.) Alternatively, the new 27" iMac does allow for video input so it could be used as a monitor for the PC.

  • When I right-click, the same context menu opens up (the menu for hyperlinks, with "Open Link in New Tab" and the like) regardless of what/where I right-click.

    Regardless of where I right-click on a displayed webpage (NOT the menu bar at the top of the screen), be it highlighted text, a blank spot in a webpage, or anything, the context menu for a hyperlink pops up (with the options for opening it in a new tab, window or private window, bookmarking), and none of the options actually do anything even if it is a hyperlink I'm clicking on. Using keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl + clicking work fine. I haven't installed any plugins recently, and it only started a few hours ago. Wat do?

    Try disabling Firebug and see how it is.

  • Using the iMac for Sound...?

    Fellow Mac enthusiasts,
    I am currently playing Xbox 360 on an old CRT moniter next to iMac, using a vga adapter. The Problem is I dont have any sound. So in theory couldnt i plug in the the digital audio cable that comes from the 360's Sound ( same size as the audio in port on the iMac/iPod headphone size) into the iMac's audio in slot, usually used for microphones, but just plug it in and use a program to just play the sound? Get what im saying?

    Hi Gamedude6
    Yes just be sure that you are using a 3.5mm stereo jack in the Mac like the one in the link below.
    http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/Full/ck27_2003cat.jpg
    Then have a look at this handy little app. call LineIn from MacUpdate for passing the audio from input thur to output.
    http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11333
    Dennis

  • Can anyone justify buying the iMac for Logic Pro8 despite display prob's?

    I've been weighing the option of getting an iMac for using Logic 8 but it's hard for me to ignore that large quantity of posts that deal with a) iMac display issue and b) Apple not doing much about it.
    I've heard some say there is no worry because these negative posts represent a small minority. My question is this:
    1) Are you sure this is a "trivial" minority? Have you seen the numerous pages of posts about iMac display issues?
    2) Where are you getting your proportion data from? What source tells you that "most" iMac user do not have display issues?

    I have a relatively new iMac ( 24",2.8, 4 gigs ram, 10.5.6). I'm not privy to these display discussions but I will tell you that my machine has never had the smallest problem displaying Logic Pro 8. For that matter neither did my previous iMac (17", 2 gigs ram, 10.4.11). There may be issues with regard to more graphic-intense applications but not with Logic. Are you a high-end gamer? Do you plan to use your iMac to edit pro-quality images? If not then an iMac will do fine.

  • Open sourcing the skype for linux UI AGAIN

    i remember from some time ago i read something about the skype for linxu UI being open sourced to make supporting linux distro easier. but then microsoft bought skype. and now there is a closed source UI. please open source the UI so the comunity can fix the broken UI in skype for linux to a proper qt interface. the current qt web interface is annoying

    It should look the same as all the other apps.  Which is what most Linux users expect.  Qt does offer on-the-fly theming, so if someone feels adventurous they can change it; and indeed the lack of 64 bit often results in some missing themes and Skype running in not exactly the same theme as the rest of the desktop.  But otherwise, we shouldn't make Skype4Linux stick out like a sore thumb.

  • Can the "Guitar Smith" cable be used on the iMac for Garageband?

    I want a cable for my iMac so I can record and play music through the iMac, but I looked for a cable on Amazon but all the reviews seem preety poor. But the reviews for the Rock Smith cable seem preety good. So I was wondering if it can be used for the iMac?

    No, the iPhone 4 only accepts the 30-pin dock connecter, and the camera connection kit which can accept a USB connecter but not for cabling purposes.
    Why are you trying to use an HDMI cable with an iPhone?  You cannot output or input with it.

  • HT4796 Pc cant find the Imac for tranfers.. any suggestions ??

    Apple people .. please help me..

    What is your problem? Be specific.
    First off the PC doesn't Find the iMac. The iMac finds the PC.
    Second you REALLY Do Not want to use Migration Assistant. Just copy over your personal files from the PC to the Mac. Do that either over your LAN or to an external drive formatted FAT32 or exFAT.
    Migration assistant, If it Works, has unintended consequences.
    There is nothing on any PC, other then personal data files (Images, Music and office files), that work on a Mac. No programs or settings will be carried over.

  • Cassette tapes into the G5 for clean up

    I would like to clean up some cassette tapes and have them in my itunes library. So I am wondering how to get the tracks into the computer. Then I would use Amadeus ($30) or what you guys recommend to clean them up for better fidelity. So the cassette player has a 2 plug output. How do you input to the G5 dual, get recognition, etc., and then go from there?
    Thanks folks for any tips.
    There is no garage band on this OS.

    Here's one way to do it:
    Run a mini-jack (1/8th) cable from the headphone output on your hi-fi or cassette player to the line-in on your iMac.
    Go to System Preferences -> Sound and under Input select the Line In
    Now you need software to record the Cassette: there many options - including Amadeus but I suggest the Open Source (as in Free) Audacity. You can download it from here:
    http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
    Then record each album a side at a time. The wave-form editor makes it a cinch to edit the file into tracks. You can also ue it to clean them up. I suggest that you save as Aiff files, which are large, and if you wish you can convert them to mp3 or AAC with iTunes.
    Regards
    TD

Maybe you are looking for