How to Upgrade an iMac G5 Processor

Like all Apple iMacs, the G5 iMac takes a lot of tedious work to fix nearly anything. In order to make iMacs elegant and user friendly, Apple compressed a lot of technology into a small space. To do anything other than change the random access memory chips, you need to essentially take the entire computer apart. Because the iMac G5 is based on PowerPC architecture, you cannot upgrade it to an Intel processor without literally gutting the computer and replacing everything. Still, you can upgrade the G5 iMac processor to a limited extent, but it takes replacing the entire logic board because the processor is integral to it. This procedure is for the first 17-inch G5 iMac.

• 1

  Disconnect the plug from the back of the iMac G5. Place a cloth on a work table and lay the iMac on its screen gently. Touch one of the screwdrivers to the metal mesh on the bottom to discharge electricity. Use the wristband to prevent your own static build-up that could seriously damage the iMac.

• 2

  Unscrew, but do not remove, three Phillips screws on the bottom metal mesh. Use the footrest of the iMac to raise the rear portion of the computer, then move it toward yourself. Lift it off the iMac and set it aside. To your right you will see the random access memory chips, which are held in place by a clip on either side. Pull these clips away from the chips to release them, the take out the RAM.

• 3

  Remove the optical drive from the upper-left corner of your iMac using the Phillips screwdriver. It still is held by plastic pins, so grasp it at the right side near the fan, raise it, then pull it to your right. Set it aside.

• 4

  Go back to the bottom of the computer and tighten the center screw enough that it touches the clamp. Use the plastic utensil on the black power supply connector. It has two holes on either side. Hold the lock down, stick the utensil into the left hole, then the right to disengage this lock. Pull out the connector, then loosen (don't remove) the Phillips screws on the power supply. Raise the far end of the power supply, then lift it out.

• 5

  Disengage the small sensor cable along the edge of the iMac. Use your T10 screwdriver to remove two screws on either side of the fan duct, then take the duct out. The fan assemble cover is gray and secured by two Phillips screws. Remove these. Remove two more screws on either side of the screen connector, which has a black pull tab. Raise the connector up. To the right of the fan, disengage the power connector, then disengage the data connector.

• 6

  Disengage the two fan power cable connectors. Move over to where the optical drive was and disengage the connector you find there. Along the row of ports, unscrew the gray inverter cover, raise it up and disengage the cable connecting it. Near the edge of the row of ports, use your plastic utensil to disengage the speaker cable. Raise the fan connector with the utensil, then disengage the speaker connector. In this same area, disengage the microphone cable. Pull on the AirPort card's plastic tab to pull it back from the socket. With the AirPort card out, disengage its antenna.

• 7

  Unscrew two T6 screws from the Bluetooth board, a small, rectangular, green circuit board. From the right edge, raise this board up, then disengage its connector. Remove a total of nine screws from the logic board, three Phillips and six T10s. Carefully raise the logic board by the left and avoid breaking the plastic pins. Replace it with a faster processor logic board.