My Crucial M4 drive arrived yesterday. While I'm not entirely prepared for the install I thought I'd just peel back the glass on the iMac.

Its much easier than expected. I just used my fingernails, searching for a small gap across the top, gaining some leverage and then pulling at the corners. It might look intimidating but its actually very easy. Also, my fingernails are very short so i don't have any sort of advantage there.

For quite a while now I've had these grayish splotches on my screen. Its subtle and I don't notice them very often but its quite obvious if i make the display white and can drive me crazy if i'm doing photoshop. I thought I'd be able to gently remove it with a microfiber cloth. Nope

It turns out that the dust is INSIDE the lcd panel. Now I need to take it to Apple.

Will Apple fix the problem or is this going to reoccur?

(Late 2009 27" i7 iMac)

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2012 07:02AM by mattkime.

I use canned air to clear dust.

Rather than fingernails, simple suction cups work well to remove the front glass.

See www.Ifixit.com

Do you have Applecare?

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MR/F Guestmap: [www.mapservices.org]

Quote
Black
Do you have Applecare?

yes

There's a bunch of stuff out there on this--may at Macrumor forum?

You can do this yourself!

Here's the thread:

[forums.macrumors.com]

I misread. The dust is inside the panel itself?

Here's what I would do ;-)

I will add some pictures later in the day but here is a step by step guide!

1. Remove the glass, unscrew the 10 torx screws, disconnect the cables and put the panel on a clean flat surface facing up. Follow this guide [www.ifixit.com]

2. Unscrew 8 screws holding the frame to the panel. Some of them are beneath the cushions. They are different sizes so keep track of that. This guy came to this part [www.youtube.com]. Watch the video!

Now the hard part!

3. Put it in vertical position sitting on the bottom cushions and facing away from you. Peal of the metal tape on the top. You will see the 3 places for "pry opening" the frame. There are two more that you don't see on the top side. They are beneath the frame on the sides. You have to remove the metal tape in the corners in order to see those places. Look closely from the side. They look like small dents in which you put a flat head screwdriver. Don't pry it yet.

4. Now, you have to put the display face down so you see the tape that connects the frame to the panel on the sides and the bottom corners. On the bottom there is a black tape which you have to remove and you will see a prying place. Beneath the cushions are two more of them. In the bottom corners also, but you want see them - same as on the top side.

5.You see that metal gluey tape on the sides? Ok. It kinda glues the frame to the panel so you cant open it yet. You have to gently cut it loose from the panel! Yes this is the "do you have-the-guts-to-do-it" part. Take a knife or a razor blade and cut it so you can see the black plastic from the panel and the metal from the frame. When you're done with that you will see some more prying places for releasing the frame. 5 on each side.

6. Keep the display in vertical position. Pry open the frame on all sides. You need to pry between the black plastic and the metal frame. Don't pry under plastic. Try to find the prying dents it will be easier to release the frame. Rotate it if you need. Gently and slowly. On the top side be very careful! There are connections from the display glass to the logic board which are not to be harmed. I didn't even touch them so I don't know how careful you actually need to be, but try not to brake them. You can open the tin plate over the logic board. There are 4 screws and it comes off easily, but you don't have to do that. You can just unscrew 2 top screws so this plate releases the frame.

7. Remove the frame and put the panel face up.

8. You can open it now from the bottom side. The top side is connected to the logic board. Be gentle. Don't remove it all the way. Just crack it open.

9. Remove the dust from inside with a soft cloth. I used apple's cloth. There will be dust on the backlight and on the display from the inside.

10. Close it and put the frame back. Don't worry, it snaps back easily just be careful with the top where the connections are.


11. Screw all the screws back and assemble your imac.


That's it! Enjoy your, once again clear, imac 27" display.

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MR/F Guestmap: [www.mapservices.org]

I haven't paid close attention to this as it hasn't affected me yet, but I believe there has been no shortage of reports of iMacs coming back from Apple with dust in the LCD that didn't seem to be there before. You might fare better DIYing if you've got the skillz.

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MR/F Guestmap: [www.mapservices.org]

believe it or not, i can use the google.

i did not ask how to fix the problem, i asked if it is likely to reoccur. the google is full of people saying "OMG! dust! iMac!" but i was hoping someone had in depth experience with the problem.

(and yes, the dust is in the panel itself)

....DUST in the wind.....??

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Yes
Apple replaced the display on mine
I only noticed dark spots at the top of the screen when displaying a white or blue screen.
Didn't notice it other wise.

Weird I just noticed it ours yesterday when I restarted it for first time in I don't know when.
No AppleCare here, it ran out last Summer right after our family crisis and it never crossed
my mind at the time. I had intended to get before it ran it.

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Grateful11

i have replaced LCDs that had gray blotches in a couple of iMacs.

they were hard to photograph; here's an adjusted photo that's been sized down & contrast increased to show them:

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[www.giyf.com]

Kinda hard to see but here's the same issue on my late 2009 27in iMac i5.

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__________________________________________
My Mac:
iMac 27in/2.66GHz Intel Quad-Core i5/16GB RAM/ATI Radeon HD 4850/512MB/10.8.2/ Bahhhhh
My iPad:
16GB WIFI (3rd gen)
My Phone:
iPhone 5 (Verizon)