Requirements:

⌘ iMac G4 17" 1GHz, or another same generation iMac G4 model
⌘ Torx #10 screwdriver
⌘ Torx #8 screwdriver
⌘ plain and cross screwdrivers
⌘ HD 3.5" ATA and/or DVD for replacement

Lay down the iMac

Lay down the iMac on a smooth and clean surface, then locate on its bottom the 4 screws holding it.

Remove screws

The screws once removed will remain attached to the metallic bottom.

Remove RAM

Unplug the So-Dimm RAM module, by acting on its sides.

Unplug AirPort antemna

By acting with a screwdriver remove the AirPort Extreme antemna connector

Unplug AirPort

Hold the AirPort module on its sides, and unplug it

Remove the screws

By using a Torx screwdriver remove the long 4 screws from the bottom (highlighted in yellow)

Move away the bottom

Open slightly and very carefully the bottom, keeping care of wires.
If needed rotate the iMac in order to leave it in a comfortable position.
Locate the two IDE connectors (in orange), and unplug them from the motherboard.

Internal RAM module

Here we can see -and touch, indeed- the internal RAM Dimm module.
We don’t need to remove it, but it is now a good time if we want to replace it with a bigger one.

Disconnect wires connectors

Two wires can be unplugged (in orange): power double wire, and a thin wire on the side of DVD, beside a disconnected wire.
The big metallic power connector on the motherboard sems to be removable, and probably it is; by the way it is quite hard to remove, and actually we don’t need to remove it in order to go ahead.

Remove ground

By using a #10 Torx scredriver remove the ground connection

Remove screws from DVD shield

Two Torx screws hod DVD shield to the iMac, remove them (in yellow)

Remove DVD screws

By using again a #10 Torx screwdriver remove the two screws (in yellow) in the free zone above the DVD.

Remove DVD screws

Remove the #10 Torx screw from lower back DVD corner

Remove DVD screws

The last #10 Torx screw is located in the front bottom corner. Remove it.

Keep care of screws

As you remove screws place them on a free surface, in a kind of map that will allow you later to remember their original location.

Remove DVD power connector

It could be hard to unplug the connector, possibly a grab is needed.

Exctract the HD/DVD bundle

The HD/DVD section is now free, even if it seems to be still locked.
Remove the two thin wires passing on the lower side of DVD, and very carefully pull and move the froup in order to extract and pull up it.

Unplug HD power connector

In order to free up the HD/DVD bundle we have to unplug HD power connector, and now it’s easy.

Tranfer the adhesive film

If you decide to replace the Hard Drive then move the adhesice film from the old drive to the new one, it’s usefull for cooling.
Similarly, if you decide to replace the Optical unit then its front needs to be removed, and slide plastic top replaced with the adhesive one located on the slide top of the previous player.

Reconnect HD power

Before restoring HD/DVD bundle remember to plug back HD power connector.

Fix the bundle

Restore original screws in their original location

Plug back connectors

Before fixing wire connectors and IDE connectors remember to restore the ground wire to its screw.
When closing the bottom pay attention to wires.

© and credits

All material used is orginal and specifically produced for faqintosh.com by Marco Balestra (operator, author).