Disposing of an old (circa 2009) iMac
May 1, 2017 12:11 PM Subscribe
The power supply has failed, so I can't turn it on. However - the hard drive has some personal data (e.g., all of my tax returns), so I'd like to dispose of it safely. Is there an easy way to remove/destroy the hard drive, or a better way to do this properly?
Removing the hard drive is sort of a significant pain, though I've done it from these iMacs a few times. It's doable if you're reasonably good with taking stuff apart and have the right tools. And you have the advantage that you don't need to care about putting it all back together properly. Here's a guide to the process (pick your exact model from here to make sure your get the right instructions).
The main tricks are that you need a suction cup or two to get the screen cover off and the right sized Torx screwdrivers (if you find the right guide above for your model, it will tell you what sizes you need). Then you get the LCD itself off, which exposes the area with the hard drive. On some models, the hard drive itself is in a snap in bracket behind the LCD, and it can take quite a bit of force to get that carrier out.
If you're going to physically destroy the drive platters yourself once you get the thing out, you might need another appropriately-sized Torx driver to help disassemble the drive, along with a hammer.
posted by zachlipton at 12:29 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
The main tricks are that you need a suction cup or two to get the screen cover off and the right sized Torx screwdrivers (if you find the right guide above for your model, it will tell you what sizes you need). Then you get the LCD itself off, which exposes the area with the hard drive. On some models, the hard drive itself is in a snap in bracket behind the LCD, and it can take quite a bit of force to get that carrier out.
If you're going to physically destroy the drive platters yourself once you get the thing out, you might need another appropriately-sized Torx driver to help disassemble the drive, along with a hammer.
posted by zachlipton at 12:29 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Sorry - I should have been clearer.
The computer and drive have $0 value. I've already ensured that I have a full back-up of the drive.
So - my only goal is to make sure that it's safely disposed of.
Honestly - I'd throw the entire computer off a 5-story building if that wasn't completely dangerous and irresponsible!
So - I'm hoping that I don't need to buy a paid of 4" suction cups and set a Torx drivers.
On my old windows PCs - I could just take off the back, use a screwdriver to remove the hard drive, and hit it with a hammer a few times. But getting the hard drive out of the iMac seems MUCH harder!
posted by stuehler at 12:34 PM on May 1, 2017
The computer and drive have $0 value. I've already ensured that I have a full back-up of the drive.
So - my only goal is to make sure that it's safely disposed of.
Honestly - I'd throw the entire computer off a 5-story building if that wasn't completely dangerous and irresponsible!
So - I'm hoping that I don't need to buy a paid of 4" suction cups and set a Torx drivers.
On my old windows PCs - I could just take off the back, use a screwdriver to remove the hard drive, and hit it with a hammer a few times. But getting the hard drive out of the iMac seems MUCH harder!
posted by stuehler at 12:34 PM on May 1, 2017
Have a look on iFixit for you model. Then look at the how-to's to identify where the HDD is. Then drill straight into it from the back side, without worrying about opening it up.
posted by humboldt32 at 12:40 PM on May 1, 2017
posted by humboldt32 at 12:40 PM on May 1, 2017
The apple store I believe disposes of used apple computers (they call it recycling I think). Don't know their security policies though.
posted by bluesky78987 at 12:47 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bluesky78987 at 12:47 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
The screens aren't held on that tight by the magnets-- I bet you could use a small strip of duct-tape on the top corner(s) of the screen and give it a yank to remove it instead of a suction cup.
posted by Static Vagabond at 1:16 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Static Vagabond at 1:16 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
In a similar situation I've removed an iMac screen with tape (not suction cups). There was a weird trick to it and I thought we weren't going to be able to do it and then it just came together. I think it was about the angle of the tape. Maybe I had to tape the tape down with another strip of tape at an angle? It's tricky but I'm not sure it's any trickier than using the suction cups.
We did use torx screwdrivers, though.
posted by mskyle at 2:08 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
We did use torx screwdrivers, though.
posted by mskyle at 2:08 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Those vertical pizza box iMacs are not easy to take apart to get to the hard drive. You have to get the non-tempered glass off, then remove the LCD panel and, depending on the model, some of the aluminum casing. It's nothing like taking a screwdriver to a PC tower. A couple of good whacks with a sledgehammer on the back near where you hard drive is (right above where the foot mounts in most models IIRC) might be sufficient.
But use something to take the glass off first, shatters into incredibly dangerous shards and splinters. (ask me how I know!)
posted by sleeping bear at 2:47 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
But use something to take the glass off first, shatters into incredibly dangerous shards and splinters. (ask me how I know!)
posted by sleeping bear at 2:47 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
For what it's worth, the power supply in those used to be a ~$100 part, and a good non-apple store repair shop could throw it in pretty quickly.
posted by sleeping bear at 2:48 PM on May 1, 2017
posted by sleeping bear at 2:48 PM on May 1, 2017
Best answer: I've removed a 2009 iMac screen multiple times using just bathroom suction cups (like the sort of thing you can find on the back of a plastic shampoo bottle holder or whatever for the shower). You can get Torx drivers for a pittance at most dollar and hardware stores (usually from some kind of all-in-one screwdriver kit with swappable heads), then you just follow something like this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w6E2_XqaBw
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:14 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:14 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'd recommend against just smashing to thing to bits, even though it would be mad fun. Plenty of stuff can be recycled from an iMac, which will keep it out of landfill.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:14 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:14 PM on May 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
You might find a local repair shop that would be willing to barter handing you the hard drive in return for keeping the rest of it for parts.
But I suspect the best two options you'll have are taking it apart yourself or drilling enough holes in the back of it that you're guaranteed to take out the hard drive and then recycling what's left of it. A nearly decade old machine isn't really worth spending much effort trying to save at this point.
As an aside, while it's not been mentioned, I'd discourage you from trying to use magnets to wipe the drive while it's in the system. I experimented with some pretty high power magnets on hard drives and was able to still read them without a problem. There were some electromagnets that did work, though they were intense enough that they destroyed the heads too, so it wasn't clear whether the data was actually wiped by magnetism or not.
posted by Candleman at 9:51 PM on May 1, 2017
But I suspect the best two options you'll have are taking it apart yourself or drilling enough holes in the back of it that you're guaranteed to take out the hard drive and then recycling what's left of it. A nearly decade old machine isn't really worth spending much effort trying to save at this point.
As an aside, while it's not been mentioned, I'd discourage you from trying to use magnets to wipe the drive while it's in the system. I experimented with some pretty high power magnets on hard drives and was able to still read them without a problem. There were some electromagnets that did work, though they were intense enough that they destroyed the heads too, so it wasn't clear whether the data was actually wiped by magnetism or not.
posted by Candleman at 9:51 PM on May 1, 2017
Don't bring a Torx driver to a sledgehammer fight.
posted by flabdablet at 8:24 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 8:24 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by scolbath at 12:17 PM on May 1, 2017