Può essere fatto da privati o da un tecnico dell'assistenza, anche oggi, anche se ormai gli incentivi finanziari nel fare una cosa del genere sono strongmente dalla parte del fai-da-te.
Anche trovare le parti di ricambio appropriate potrebbe non essere molto conveniente.
Se qualcuno vuole tentare questa procedura ostile all'utente e difficile, ecco le guide per farlo:
iMac Intel 17" Hard Drive Fan Replacement Written By: Walter Galan
(and 4 other contributors) Difficulty: Difficult
Steps 37 / Time Required ??
Introduction
Replacing a defective fan is pretty easy and will keep your iMac
running cool.
Tools Buy these tools Phillips #1 Screwdriver Plastic Cards Spudger
T10 Torx Screwdriver T6 Torx Screwdriver T8 Torx Screwdriver
iMac G5 17" 1.9 GHz/iMac Intel 17" (EMC No. 2104/2114) Hard Drive Fan
$19.95
Step 1 Access Door Loosen the two captive Phillips screws
securing the access door to the iMac.
Loosen the two captive Phillips screws securing the access door to the
iMac. Remove the access door from the iMac. Before beginning the
repair, unplug the computer and press and hold the power switch for
20-30 seconds, to discharge internal capacitors. 4 comments
Step 2 Front Bezel Remove the following four screws: Remove the
following four screws: Three 6 mm T8 Torx. One 8 mm T8 Torx. 2
comments
Step 3 Flip your iMac over and lay it stand-side down on a flat
surface.
Flip your iMac over and lay it stand-side down on a flat surface. To
lift the front bezel off the iMac, simultaneously: Use your thumbs to
press in the RAM arms and hold the iMac down. Use your index fingers
to pull the small bridge of material on the front bezel toward
yourself. Pull the Front bezel up with your index fingers. Once the
small bridge of material has cleared the RAM arms, lift the front
bezel by its lower edge just enough to clear the bottom edge of the
rear case. Add a comment
Step 4 Re-orient your iMac so it sits upright on the stand.
Re-orient your iMac so it sits upright on the stand. Insert a plastic
card up into the corner of the air vent slot near the top of the rear
case. Push the card toward the top of the iMac to release the front
bezel latch. Pull the front bezel away from the rear case. Repeat this
process for the other side of the front bezel. It may be necessary to
apply several layers of duct tape to the top of the access card to aid
in releasing the latches. If the bezel refuses to release, try
pressing the lower edge back onto the rear case and repeat this
opening process. 6 comments
Step 5 Lay your iMac stand-side down on a table. Lay your iMac
stand-side down on a table. Lift the front bezel from its lower edge
and rotate it away from the rest of your iMac, minding the RAM arms
that may get caught. Lay the front bezel above the rest of the iMac.
One comment
Step 6 If necessary, remove the piece of kapton tape(it is ok to toss
this) wrapped around the microphone and camera cables. If necessary,
remove the piece of kapton tape(it is ok to toss this) wrapped around
the microphone and camera cables. 2 comments
Step 7 Disconnect both the camera and microphone cables.
Disconnect both the camera and microphone cables. 2 comments
Step 8 Display Peel up the lower EMI shield from the rear case. Peel
up the lower EMI shield from the rear case. It is only necessary to
peel the shield up from three sides. Leave it attached to the display.
We have found it helpful to tape the EMI shield against the display to
keep it out of the way. Add a comment
Step 9 Remove the two 4.8 mm T6 Torx screws securing the display data
cable to the logic board.
Remove the two 4.8 mm T6 Torx screws securing the display data cable
to the logic board. Grab the display data cable connector by its black
tab and pull it straight up off the logic board. Add a comment
Step 10 Inverter cable on 24inch iMac pulls off to the left. Inverter
cable on 24inch iMac pulls off to the left. Pull the inverter cable
connector straight up off its socket on the logic board. 3 comments
Step 11 Peel back the aluminum EMI tape from the two vertical edges of
the display. Peel back the aluminum EMI tape from the two vertical
edges of the display. During reassembly, it is helpful to use several
small strips of tape to hold the EMI shielding along the left and
right edges of the display footprint out of the way before lowering
the display into the rear case of your iMac. 3 comments
Step 12 Allow the EMI shield to hang down from the display.
TOOLS USED ON THIS STEP: TR10 Torx Security Screwdriver $5.95
Allow the EMI shield to hang down from the display. Remove the four 8
mm with 2 mm thick head coarse-thread T10 Torx screws securing the
display to the rear case. These screws are recessed, so a thin
screwdriver such as this is essential for removal. Bit drivers tend to
be too short for this application. It is strongly recommended to use a
magnetized screwdriver so the screws won't fall into the iMac. 6
comments
Step 13 Lift the display from its lower edge and pull it toward
yourself to peel off the EMI shield attached to its top edge. Lift the
display from its lower edge and pull it toward yourself to peel off
the EMI shield attached to its top edge. Be mindful of any cables that
may get caught during removal. One comment
Step 14 Speakers Remove the 30 mm T10 Torx screw securing the left
speaker to the rear case. Remove the 30 mm T10 Torx screw securing the
left speaker to the rear case. Add a comment
Step 15 Remove the 17 mm T10 Torx screw from the right speaker. Remove
the 17 mm T10 Torx screw from the right speaker. Add a comment
Step 16 Pull the SATA data cable connector away from its socket on the
logic board.
TOOLS USED ON THIS STEP: Metal Spudger $2.95 Pull the SATA data cable
connector away from its socket on the logic board. The SATA connector
on most iMacs tends to stick in its socket on the logic board. If you
are having trouble disconnecting the SATA cable, insert a metal
spudger or any other thin tool into the gap between the SATA connector
and its socket and twist the spudger's shaft to safely separate the
two pieces. Add a comment
Step 17 Disconnect the CPU fan by pulling its connector up off the
logic board. Disconnect the CPU fan by pulling its connector up off
the logic board. Add a comment
Step 18 Disconnect the hard drive power cable by pulling its connector
up off the logic board. Disconnect the hard drive power cable by
pulling its connector up off the logic board. Add a comment
Step 19 Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort Extreme
antenna connector up off the AirPort Extreme card. Use the flat end of
a spudger to pry the AirPort Extreme antenna connector up off the
AirPort Extreme card. Add a comment
Step 20 If necessary, remove any tape covering the left speaker cable.
If necessary, remove any tape covering the left speaker cable. Add a
comment
Step 21 Lift the left and right speakers out of the rear case.
Lift the left and right speakers out of the rear case. The speaker
cables are still attached to the logic board. The right speaker cable
may be routed under the power button cable or the CPU fan cable (or
both). If so, disconnect both cables by pulling their connectors away
from the face of the logic board. Add a comment
Step 22 Disconnect the speaker cable connector by pulling its
connector away from the socket on the logic board. Disconnect the
speaker cable connector by pulling its connector away from the socket
on the logic board. Pull the connector parallel to the face of the
logic board. Add a comment
Step 23 Logic Board Pull the power button cable connector up off its
socket on the logic board. Pull the power button cable connector up
off its socket on the logic board. Add a comment
Step 24 Disconnect the ambient light sensor by pulling its connector
up off the socket on the logic board. Disconnect the ambient light
sensor by pulling its connector up off the socket on the logic board.
Add a comment
Step 25 Disconnect the following four connectors by pulling them
straight away from their sockets: Disconnect the following four
connectors by pulling them straight away from their sockets: Camera
cable. Microphone cable. Optical drive fan cable. Hard drive fan
cable. One comment
Step 26 Disconnect the optical drive thermal sensor cable from its
socket on the logic board. Disconnect the optical drive thermal sensor
cable from its socket on the logic board. Add a comment
Step 27 Remove the two 7 mm fine thread T10 Torx screws securing the
optical drive clip to the logic board. Remove the two 7 mm fine thread
T10 Torx screws securing the optical drive clip to the logic board.
Remove the optical drive clip. Add a comment
Step 28 Squeeze the two optical drive bracket ears together while
pulling the drive up toward yourself.
Squeeze the two optical drive bracket ears together while pulling the
drive up toward yourself. It may be helpful to hold the logic board
down near the optical drive connector when pulling the drive toward
yourself to avoid both components lifting together. Pull the optical
drive away from the side of the rear case and remove it from the iMac.
If your optical drive is particularly stubborn to remove, try the
method used in the optical drive guide from the A1144 G5 iMac. 2
comments
Step 29 De-route the bundle of power supply cables from behind the
hard drive bracket. De-route the bundle of power supply cables from
behind the hard drive bracket. Some logic boards can be removed
without taking out the hard drive. Add a comment
Step 30 Press the hard drive bracket down to free it from the rear
case, then rotate the top of the drive toward yourself. Press the hard
drive bracket down to free it from the rear case, then rotate the top
of the drive toward yourself. Pressing the top of the hard drive
bracket down to release it from the rear case requires a substantial
amount of force, so we recommend laying your iMac stand-side down on a
table to avoid knocking it over. Add a comment
Step 31 Lift the hard drive (with cables attached) straight up off its
lower pins and remove it from the rear case. Lift the hard drive (with
cables attached) straight up off its lower pins and remove it from the
rear case. Be mindful of the hard drive cables, as they may catch on
the logic board during removal. Add a comment
Step 32 Unplug the power supply cable bundle from the logic board by
simultaneously depressing the locking mechanism (toward yourself) with
a spudger and pulling the connector away from its socket. Unplug the
power supply cable bundle from the logic board by simultaneously
depressing the locking mechanism (toward yourself) with a spudger and
pulling the connector away from its socket. The locking mechanism
faces the rear case. Add a comment
Step 33 Remove the following six screws securing the logic board to
the rear case: Remove the following six screws securing the logic
board to the rear case: Three fine-thread 7 mm T10 Torx. Three
coarse-thread 7 mm T10 Torx. Add a comment
Step 34 Be sure to touch the chassis before proceeding to discharge
any static. Be sure to touch the chassis before proceeding to
discharge any static. Grab the logic board from its left edge and
rotate it out from the rear case, using your other hand to press the
RAM arms in enough to clear the rear case. Be mindful of the ports
attached to the rear of the logic board as they may stick to the rear
case. Add a comment
Step 35 Pull the logic board straight out of the rear case, minding
any cables that may get caught. Pull the logic board straight out of
the rear case, minding any cables that may get caught. Add a comment
Step 36 Optical Drive Fan Pull the optical drive fan off the posts
protruding from the rear case and lift it out of rear case, de-routing
cables as necessary. Pull the optical drive fan off the posts
protruding from the rear case and lift it out of rear case, de-routing
cables as necessary. Add a comment
Step 37 Hard Drive Fan Pull the hard drive fan away from the rear
case. If necessary, de-route the cables from under the chassis.