Chosen Solution
So after about 2 years of dealing with my crazy slow iMac. I decided to open it up and replace the HDD with an SSD drive to give more power and better performance. After swapping the drives and putting everything back together, on first power up turned on okay. But now I’ve noticed some vertical lines in the screen. (Links are the pictures. Now it is a screen issue because I, can screen shot the screen and the lines do not show upon moving the picture around. I did notice even at first opening the screen, which I was careful about. I noticed one of the two cords that you’re to disconnect before lifting the screen away completely (the one nearest to the camera/top side of computer) was a little……turned? ripped? not sure how to explain it. So I’m wondering if the ribbon that I am describing is the issue, and if it is replaceable at all. Everything works 100% fine on the computer performance wise, the only issue is these lines now. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Nathan Rojas
Sorry to say lines are always a damaged display assembly ;-{ It’s very easy to damage it in the process of taking it off. You need to use a special cutter so as not to dig to deep as well as nick the inside edge of the display panel as the fine wires are easily cut. Think how a cloth is woven the wharf & weave (X & Y) the intersection of the two lines come together to make the liquid crystals alter the light from the backlight to make the pixel appear. Here the vertical lines got damaged so the columns effected are not active hence black. Time for a new display which will also replace the damaged ribbon cable. [linked product missing or disabled: IF173-048-1][linked product missing or disabled: IF173-005-1] which has the cutter You’ll also want these for the next time: Plastic CardsiFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6) Here’s the IFIXIT guide which goes through the process: iMac Intel 21.5" Retina 4K Display Replacement. I use the picks as I go around to help remind me what sides I’ve done (I get interrupted a lot so this helps) The larger cards help in the lifting once I’ve fully released the adhesive bond - I don’t pry! I lift! Trust me I’ve killed a few displays before the guide was published and haven’t killed one since following it.
