iMac Intel 17" Optical Drive Replacement

Loosen the two captive Phillips screws securing the access door to the iMac.

Remove the access door from the iMac.

Remove the following four screws:

Three 6 mm T8 Torx.

One 8 mm T8 Torx.

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.

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.

If the bezel refuses to release, try pressing the lower edge back onto the rear case and repeat this opening process.

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.

If necessary, remove the piece of kapton tape(it is ok to toss this) wrapped around the microphone and camera cables.

Disconnect both the camera and microphone cables.

Peel up the lower EMI shield from the rear case.

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.

Inverter cable on 24inch iMac pulls off to the left.

Pull the inverter cable connector straight up off its socket on the logic board.

Peel back the aluminum EMI tape from the two vertical edges of the display.

Remove the four 8 mm with 2 mm thick head coarse-thread T10 Torx screws securing the display to the rear case.

Lift the display from its lower edge and pull it toward yourself to peel off the EMI shield attached to its top edge.

Remove the two 7 mm T10 Torx screws securing the optical drive clip to the logic board.

Remove the optical drive clip.

Pull the optical drive thermal sensor cable connector away from its socket on the logic board.

Squeeze the two optical drive bracket ears together while pulling the drive toward yourself.

Pull the optical drive away from the side of the rear panel and remove it from the iMac.

Remove the two T6 Torx screws securing the connector board to the optical drive.

Pull the connector board away from the optical drive.

Remove the two T10 Torx screws from each side of the optical drive (four screws total).

Use the flat end of a spudger to remove the EMI gasket from the underside of the optical drive.

Use the sharp end of a spudger to push the optical drive bracket tabs out of their slots on the bottom of the optical drive.

Using the sharp end of a spudger, press the optical drive bracket tab out of its slot on the side of the optical drive.

Push the optical drive bracket tabs out of their slots in the top of the optical drive.

Pull the optical drive away from its bracket, minding any tabs that may still be caught in their slots.

Use a flat end of a spudger to remove the EMI gasket from the top of the optical drive.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive thermal sensor off the adhesive holding it to the top of the optical drive.

Don't forget to transfer this to your new drive.