Charlie Nancarrow

You can RAID the drives if you really wanted to

This issue can also be the EMI filter. This is the actual AC inlet. There are also capacitors and other passive components inside here. If the earth lead from this is also not firmly connected you may get the same buzz shown in this video. Otherwise as others have noted, it is the power supply. You can solve many buzzing issues with reapplication or additonal application of neutral cure silicone or potting compound. You will find quite a bit on there already (those white globs). Just add some more around the transformers, between any larger capacitors that might likely be vibrating against each other. Dont use acidic cure silicone or you will corrode the insides of the machine!

I have done quite a few of these now. It is easier to apply the bottom strips to the Display, rather than the housing. With the Red tabs folded at 90 degrees to the adhesive. You can then remove these tabs with the display kind in place, secured by painters tape on the out side before closing it up.

If a USB-C port gets really damaged, damage to the main board can also occur. This may not be repairable.

Good method, just make sure you don’t pierce the battery cells.

If this model just shipped with the PCIe SSD, does it come with the cable for the 2.5” drive? Is this the same cable for previous models? Upper or lower cable?

Should the fan on this machine be on all the time, or only when needed?

Anyone know where I can get new brushes for the motor? Or a motor itself? Everything else works fine on my now 12 year old drill!

Repairing sockets that come off the logic board is possible, but very specialised work. Unless you have a magnifying lamp and the necessary desoldering and soldering skills, it will be difficult but not impossible.

Mitch has the exact method that works a treat. You don’t need to follow steps 24-37 and also 40-63. Step 51 is the step to remove the camera cable and is needed. Steps 38 and 39 are for the Fan. That is all that is needed. Done quite a few like this.

Be careful not to drop the RAM down the back of the logic board!

By NOT removing all the other stuff you can avoid either damaging it or forgetting to plug in a cable.

You don’t need to remove the power supply, harddrive or logic board to do a RAM upgrade on these machines.

Skip steps 24-37.

You just need to remove the fan. With the fan removed, you can access the RAM and its release tabs sufficiently to remove the RAM and install new RAM.

Also skip steps 41-61

The steps 62-64 are useful above to show you exactly whats going on on the logic board, but you really do NOT need to remove the whole board.

It is a little tricker with the limited space, but you are far less likely to damage other parts of the machine if they are not removed.

I suggest putting the iMac vertically on its side (ideally with someone else holding it), so that when inserting the RAM, it stays in the slot as you clip it back into the socket.

This goes from a 2.5hr repair to less than an hour.

Both, you can’t decide later on. But if you really are pushed for one, do the RAM, or better still the SSD size.