Can't remove display power cable 2014 iMac 21.5"

[AMACL]

Hello all,

In the continuing adventure of my husband's 2014 iMac, I am stuck in the middle of an HD-to-SSD upgrade.
Thanks to @chscag I ordered an iFixit kit for this model, bought an SSD, and merrily set out to open my computer.
I did fine until it came time to unplug the two cables connecting the display to the logic board. Using the iFixit guide, I easy removed what I believe is the display data cable (the one on the left looking at the board from the top). I mistakenly removed the second one, as I was also consulting an OWC video that apparently referred to a different model. I was able to plug it back in.
But I am unable to easily remove the third one (the one closest to the fan, shown below), which I believe to be the display power cable. It doesn't come out willingly, and I am afraid of damaging it.

Is there a tip to doing this? am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance. I hate to be stopped here!

 

[chscag]

But I am unable to easily remove the third one (the one closest to the fan, shown below), which I believe to be the display power cable. It doesn't come out willingly, and I am afraid of damaging it.

Hi Ann:

Sometimes those connectors become tightly wedged together after long usage of constant heating and cooling within the computer.

In my past career as a computer repair tech with the US Govt, I have broken a few of them trying to get the connector loose. So it's not something you can strong arm to get it apart.

The best advice I can give you is to gently try to wiggle the connector from side to side to loosen it. If that process allows the connector to begin to separate, you can then try to insert a flat thin tool (maybe a small screwdriver or spudger) to finally get it apart.

Whatever you do, do not pull on the ribbon cable as that will likely damage it. They are very fragile.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[AMACL]

Hi Ann:

Sometimes those connectors become tightly wedged together after long usage of constant heating and cooling within the computer.

In my past career as a computer repair tech with the US Govt, I have broken a few of them trying to get the connector loose. So it's not something you can strong arm to get it apart.

The best advice I can give you is to gently try to wiggle the connector from side to side to loosen it. If that process allows the connector to begin to separate, you can then try to insert a flat thin tool (maybe a small screwdriver or spudger) to finally get it apart.

Whatever you do, do not pull on the ribbon cable as that will likely damage it. They are very fragile.

Let us know how you get on.

Hi Charles,
This is the most helpful advice anyone has given me - the real world versus the world of the fixit videos .
I did pull a little on the ribbon cable in my efforts, but it doesn't seem damaged. I see they are sold separately...
What bothers me is that on the ifixit forum, people advise me to watch the videos/photos "very carefully", as if I had not. As I mentioned somewhere, the connector in the iFixit pictures appears different from mine, as does the one on OWC's video, which I also watched. A guy on the Apple forum sent me to pictures of a connector with a flap - on my computer, that one doesn't have a flap.

Maybe I should put some lube oil on mine ??? ;-)

I'll let you know.

 

[pigoo3]

Generally these cables come out ok by tugging on the cable...of course sometimes they don't. If tugged/pulled too hard...the ribbon cable will pull out of the connector.

Try what Charlie recommended (wiggle the cable from side to side)...and I also recommend getting a "Spudger". Spudgers can be a great help getting into tight places too small for your fingers:



Spudgers can be purchased from many places...here's a link to OWC:

Apple Nylon Probe Tool aka. Apple Black Stick 922-5065

Often referred to as the "black stick," this is the same tool used by Apple technicians to aid in the safe disassembly of Mac laptops, iPads, and iPhones.

eshop.macsales.com

Using the spudger you could try placing the flat side of the spudger into each of the circled areas (in the photo below)...and very very carefully try to pry each side out VERY carefully. Do a little bit at a time (maybe no more than 1mm at a time)...alternating from side to side of the video cable connector.

In fact you could try a combination of using the spudger on one side of the cable connector...and tugging on the cable at the same time. Make sure you're tugging/pulling on the cable in the direction of the arrows:



HTH,

Nick

 

[AMACL]

Generally these cables come out ok by tugging on the cable...of course sometimes they don't. If tugged/pulled too hard...the ribbon cable will pull out of the connector.

Try what Charlie recommended (wiggle the cable from side to side)...and I also recommend getting a "Spudger". Spudgers can be a great help getting into tight places too small for your fingers:

View attachment 35291

Spudgers can be purchased from many places...here's a link to OWC:

Apple Nylon Probe Tool aka. Apple Black Stick 922-5065

Often referred to as the "black stick," this is the same tool used by Apple technicians to aid in the safe disassembly of Mac laptops, iPads, and iPhones.

eshop.macsales.com

Using the spudger you could try placing the flat side of the spudger into each of the circled areas (in the photo below)...and very very carefully try to pry each side out VERY carefully. Do a little bit at a time (maybe no more than 1mm at a time)...alternating from side to side of the video cable connector.

In fact you could try a combination of using the spudger on one side of the cable connector...and tugging on the cable at the same time. Make sure you're tugging/pulling on the cable in the direction of the arrows:

View attachment 35292

HTH,

Nick

That's super helpful, Nick, thank you so much!
I actually have a spudger that came with the iFixit kit, but had not tried to use it because I didn't know where to push and where to pull. I tried wiggling the part a little, but so carefully that nothing happened .
Meanwhile on another forum I received an admonishing reply that said I should not have tried to do this job by myself. Maybe - Charlie did say I could resort to a third-party service provider. That entity is not so easy to find near my home and it would be more expensive. I didn't expect to spend so much time just trying to get a cable out... but I'm learning a lot. And lastly, this computer doesn't mean much to me, I originally just wanted to extract the hard drive which still has data on it. If I can successfully install the new SSD, I will be proud of myself and will have a functioning computer to give (or sell) to someone who needs it. If I damage the ribbon I can still open the computer and extract the hard drive, I suppose.

Best
Ann

 

[pigoo3]

I tried wiggling the part a little, but so carefully that nothing happened .

Try using a combination of prying with the spudger on one side of the connector AND pulling on the cable (at the same time).

Also try prying with the spudger...and pulling on the cable...and wiggling the cable from side to side (all at the same time).

Remember to pry & pull in the direction of the arrows.

It's possible you may be being too gentle (always good to be too gentle at first). Maybe try being a bit more aggressive.

When that connector finally does release...be prepared to stop pulling immediately. You don't want to over pull.

Good Luck

 

[AMACL]

Try using a combination of prying with the spudger on one side of the connector AND pulling on the cable (at the same time).

Also try prying with the spudger...and pulling on the cable...and wiggling the cable from side to side (all at the same time).

Remember to pry & pull in the direction of the arrows.

It's possible you may be being too gentle (always good to be too gentle at first). Maybe try being a bit more aggressive.

When that connector finally does release...be prepared to stop pulling immediately. You don't want to over pull.

Good Luck

Hi Nick,
It finally worked !! A little persuasion . now to the hard part...
Many thanks !

 

[pigoo3]

Hi Nick,
It finally worked !! A little persuasion . now to the hard part...
Many thanks !

Congrats. I think many times the "fiddliness" of the cables inside computers (thin & delicate) keeps us from tugging & pulling as hard as necessary to detach them sometimes.

Computer manufacturers are always changing/experimenting with new types of cables & connectors...and some of these are just downright not customer friendly (which is another way of saying they don't want us fixing our own computers!

I think the safest cable detachment method (due to the delicate nature of cables & connectors)...is to pull on cables as little as necessary...and rely more on using a tool like a spudger (or anything else non-metal that works)...to gently separate a cable from the connector). While at the same time gently tugging on the cable just enough to help guide it out of the connector.

Please let us know how things progress.

Nick

 

[AMACL]

OK, it took me far too long to install the new adhesive strips, in part because (as far as I could tell) iFixit screwed up - the fist adhesive wasn't on the right side, will spare you the details but it's on there. Also, I could see no microphone hole on the bottom edge of the computer innards, so if there is one, it will be covered...

However, now I am encountering the next issue : I can't get the display power cable BACK INTO its socket. Why am I not surprised ?? Have decided to come back to it later.

The hard disk replacement was the easiest part of all of it. I installed the old HD into the enclosure that iFixit kindly included in its kit and attached it to my new computer. Guess what : all the data is there. So I do not know what was wrong with the old computer (the one I'm trying to save) if it wasn't the disk. If it's a connector, I assume it will also not connect well to the new SSD.
But I limited my (financial) losses on this one (the SSD was cheap, and the IFixit kit not expensive), so if it doesn't work, it doesn't, and I can give it to someone who might be able to make it work. Not sure if I should take the second adhesive off the strips right yet...

 

[AMACL]

Hi @pigoo3
Alas, I am unable to get the display power cable back into its socket. It just may be slightly damaged, or not, I can't tell, and I don't know why it will not go back in. I tried to respudge it, pushing slightly, it seemed to go in but not completely.

The new element in the equation is that indeed, the HD from my husband's old computer turned out to be perfectly fine. I was able to transfer data from it to an EHD and thus have two backups for his old data. I will keep the old Mac HD as a backup disk rather than wiping/destroying it as was Plan A.

That seems to indicate that whatever prevented his computer from working and, in the end, from accessing the hard disk, it was not the disk itself. So now I have a 2014 iMac into which I have installed a new internal SSD but which I can't test because I can't connect that !@#%$%^ display power cable. So I don't know if it would actually work even if I could.

I've spent a lot of time on this project, and am frustrated to be so close to the goal, but also can't afford to spend many more hours trying to nudge a recalcitrant cable into its place.

I don't need that computer - I was planning to give it away when it was operational. I can still do that but it would have to be to someone who knew how to repair a Mac (I don't know anyone offhand here but could advertise it on my town's Facebook page.). I assume one can also just buy a new display power cable, though this one seems to be an obscure model so one would have to be careful in choosing the article.

Do you have any further advice? I

Thanks and best
Ann

 

[MacInWin]

Ann, even a PC repair place may be able to seat the cable for you. Just a thought.

 

[AMACL]

Ann, even a PC repair place may be able to seat the cable for you. Just a thought.

Thanks ! I have no idea how much that would cost. I need to investigate options in my neighborhood...

 

[pigoo3]

Alas, I am unable to get the display power cable back into its socket. It just may be slightly damaged, or not, I can't tell, and I don't know why it will not go back in. I tried to respudge it, pushing slightly, it seemed to go in but not completely.

Sorry to hear that...hopefully nothing is damaged. Any chance you can take a photo of the cable end & the socket & post it here...so we can see if anything looks unusual?

Nick

 

[AMACL]

Sorry to hear that...hopefully nothing is damaged. Any chance you can take a photo of the cable end & the socket & post it here...so we can see if anything looks unusual?

Nick

I wasn't able to take a decent closeup, but here is my best effort. Not sure this helps at all. Pls let me know. Thanks a lot !

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks for the photos. Is photo #1 a reassembly photo...or an original photo before disassembly?

If a reassembly photo...it seems to look pretty good from what I can see...but you said you couldn't get it back in.

The cable end should slide into the socket...then the metal clip flips over & snaps into place to retain the cable in the socket. Looks like that's the way it is in photo #1 (unless photo #1 is a "before" photo).

Nick

 

[AMACL]

In photo #1, the socket in question is the one to the right, next to the fan, with nothing connected to it. Not a great pic, I admit.
The cable I am holding in pic 3 is the one I unplugged from that rightmost socket and cannot get to plug back in. I am thinking maybe the pins are very slightly bent on one end or something like that, but it’s probably not visible on pic 2.

 

[chscag]

I am thinking maybe the pins are very slightly bent on one end or something like that, but it’s probably not visible on pic 2.

Hi Ann:

I suspect that you are right in that one or more pins may be bent or out of alignment. Usually it takes a strong light and magnifying glass to see. The problem gets worse as you try to force the cable to the connector.

Maybe Nick has some ideas on how you can either try to straighten any bent pins or maybe replace the connector.

 

[pigoo3]

I've gotten into a situation where I had bent pins on a similar Apple video cable (they were bent left or right relative to the other pins vs. up/down). The pins were so thin & delicate...that just moving them 30-45 degrees to straighten them & they broke.

Not saying if there are bent pins in this case that they can't be straightened...I was just unlucky. On a positive note...the pins were the outer most (far right & far left). It seems they may not have been part of the circuit...since when I reinserted the video cable...booted up the computer...it worked fine.

Hard to say what to do here without a super close up photo of the video connector & pins.

Nick

 

[AMACL]

Hi Ann:

I suspect that you are right in that one or more pins may be bent or out of alignment. Usually it takes a strong light and magnifying glass to see. The problem gets worse as you try to force the cable to the connector.

Maybe Nick has some ideas on how you can either try to straighten any bent pins or maybe replace the connector.

Hi @chscag , @pigoo3,

Thanks for your moral and technical support. And especially for the advice about a magnifying glass and a spotlight. That didn't leave me with a hand to take a photo, but it did reveal how one bank of pins was deformed, no doubt to the point it wouldn't go back into the slots.
Meanwhile, I doctored one of the previous photos in hopes it will show you what I mean.
I decided to order a new cable, just in case that could work. It will be here next week, they say. I'm not holding my breath!
Best
Ann

 

[pigoo3]

...it did reveal how one bank of pins was deformed, no doubt to the point it wouldn't go back into the slots.

I decided to order a new cable, just in case that could work. It will be here next week, they say. I'm not holding my breath!

Wow...thanks for the close up photo Ann. Yes it definitely looks like a portion of it got bent.

"Practice makes perfect"...I'm sure the new cable will slip in fine. With this experience you're about ready to open a computer repair shop!

Nick