Taking Apart the iMac G5

At each stage of the Take Apart procedure, if there are special notes and information, we'll let you know; otherwise, we proceed component to component, from the outside in.

Back Cover

The back cover is the large piece of plastic (with attached metal foot) that you must remove to gain access to the insides of the iMac G5.

1.	Turn off the computer by choosing Shut Down from the Apple menu.
2.	Disconnect all cables and unplug the power cord from the computer. NOTE You must unplug the AC power cord to prevent the iMac from turning on during the Take Apart procedure.
3.	Place a soft, clean towel or cloth on the desk or surface. Hold the sides of the computer and slowly lay the computer face down on the towel.
4.	Using a Phillips #1 screwdriver, loosen the three captive screws by turning counterclockwise until they stop turning. NOTE These screws are captive; they are part of the display/bezel assembly and cannot be removed.
5.	Holding the back cover by the metal foot, tilt the cover up and lift it off the computer. Set the back cover aside.
6.	Put on your ESD wrist strap.
7.	Ground yourself. Touch the metal surface of the power supply on the inside of the computer to discharge any static electricity.

Serial ATA Hard Drive

Though capacities may vary, all iMac G5 models come standard with a single internal 3.5-inch serial ATA hard drive. To remove the inverter, you must first disconnect a cable from the side of the hard drive, but the drive itself remains in place.

8.	Locate the hard drive.
9.	Disconnect the black connector from the side of the hard drive.

Memory (DIMMs)

All iMac G5 models have two 184-pin dual inline memory module (DIMM) slots, though the number and size of installed memory modules will vary. To remove the inverter, you must first remove the memory.

10.	Locate the memory module(s).
11.	Rotate the computer counterclockwise so the memory is in the position shown in the following figure.
12.	Remove existing DIMMs. To release the memory from its slot, push down on the two side latches. Then pull the memory module out of the slot. Set the memory module aside. Repeat this step if you have a second memory module.

Inverter

The LCD used in the iMac G5 uses a cold cathode fluorescent tube (CCFT) for the display backlight. This is essentially a miniature version of the tube used for overhead lighting. The inverter transforms the low DC voltages used inside the iMac into the higher AC voltages that these tubes need to illuminate. You must disconnect the hard drive and remove the memory modules to gain access to the inverter.

13.	Locate the inverter.
14.	Remove the three inverter screws circled in the following figure. Set them aside in the screw tray.
15.	Rotate the computer clockwise so you see the inverter cables as shown in the following figure. Tilt the inverter to access the two white cable connectors with the pink and blue cables.
16.	Disconnect the cables. Pull on the connectors, not on the cables. Disconnect the smaller connector first.
17.	Lift the inverter out of the computer. Disconnect the black connector (circled in the following figure) located under the gray fan duct. Gently pull the black cable to disconnect the connector.
18.	Locate the small, gray inverter cable cover.
19.	To unhook the cover, pull it in the direction of the arrow shown in the following figure.
20.	Disconnect the two white connectors underneath the cover. Pull on the connectors, not on the cables. Free the cables from the clips inside the cover. Set the inverter and cable cover aside.
21.	Turn over the inverter. Using a flathead screwdriver, remove the gray plastic inverter cover from the inverter. Pry the tabs (circled in the following figure) away from the board. Remove the board from the plastic cover.
22.	Set the plastic cover aside. This cover will be placed on the replacement inverter board.

When You Are Finished

1.	Return the faulty inverter to Apple in the packaging provided.
2.	Install the replacement inverter following the instructions in the Service Source manual.
3.	Verify that the system works correctly by starting up the system, running AHT, and doing a few user tasks (such as printing a file).