Recover your data from an unbootable iMac by removing the hard drive

This video shows you how to remove the hard drive from an older iMac to allow you to hook it up to another machine to recover your data off of it. The process was made easy by an iFixit kit and a hard drive dock.
Wavlink Dual Bay Docking Station:
amzn.to/3lWYwox
iFixit Pro Toolkit (better than mine):
amzn.to/347ng7o
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DakotaBusy is a channel created by makers and doers. We decided to document some of our passions and hobbies in hopes of inspiring others to be doers.
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[@cipher893]

The engineering to get everything to fit on iMac’s in general is wild.

[@jelundberg]

Thank you so much for this video! I’ve been wanting to get the hard drive out since my iMac died, and this was extremely helpful!

[@reindeer-o-stoole]

Thanks so much for this. Your guide worked perfectly for me.

[@stevetuit6127]

Instead of paying a "data recovery" company hundreds of dollars, I watched this video and bought a $12 cable. Thanks1

[@Reachowt]

This video should help me remove a drive from an early 2007 iMac, thanks. Just a side note- you are lucky that the glass removed with one suction cup. I have seen other videos advising using 2 and pulling straight up. I hope others watching this don't have their glass break because they used only one suction cup and perhaps didn't place it in the corner as you, and did not lift up slowly. I read that in this operation, it's easy to break the glass. Thanks again.

[@DakotaBusy]

Good luck!

[@DarthVeach]

Just did this tonight, thank you! Very clear step by step, now I just need to find an adapter!

[@tholl1973]

EXCELLENT VIDEO !!!! 👍🏻 Thanks!!!

[@JAY92MEZ]

Thank you mate!!!

[@dalefriis3550]

Thank you so much. This video helped me remove my old imac 2009 hard drive and save precious photos and music using a hard drive reader. Again, thank you.

[@brians5833]

I’m trying to do this w a 2011 IMAC but the smaller side of the hard drive is 4” this docking station says to 3.5” is that right? Ty

[@stevenwee4963]

Hi Thank you for your video. May I know where to get the screw driver as I understand the iMac uses different screws. Thank you.

[@Stevensloan09]

thank you so much, it works just fine.

[@BlackopolypsePodcastsandMedia]

Thank you man just what I needed after my imac die on me.

[@trialsrob214]

Thanks for the video. Do know if or how to repair/ replace the graphics card on a2011 iMac 27”

[@kariwalter1151]

Thanks for the directions and info. Not a techie person but was able to get at and remove my hard drive on 2008 iMac after graphic interface died. There likely are some files I need to retrieve.

[@MarkBurgingerQubitsToy]

I am going in, thanks! Not as carefully because one has a shattered glass and the others will head to the dump afterward.

[@markliu9662]

Never mind I subscribed

[@donovanquek]

Hey there! Thank you so much for the video. The screen of my old iMac recently died without warning, and I had to remove the hard drive from it. However, it refuses to mount on my M2 Mac mini. Do you have any advice? Thank you!

[@NomadByFate]

im goin crazy....i have the same problem...doing the same things with same accessories....but nothing shows up on my desktop...no new HD icon....

[@jim7953]

I have the same imac that doesn't turn on it shut off everytime when I turn on, so I am sure is the hard drive and want to replace it with a 1TB drive. Do you have a video on that.

[@merseybeat1963]

Was it the hard drive at fault or was it a short that kept shutting computer off.

[@farnanjewelers7147]

Can I take out old hd and buy a new or used one ? I can't erase or repair one that's in. Can I buy a pre made one with the Mac software on it

[@DakotaBusy]

This isn't a tutorial on the complete reinstall. I'm sure there are great videos to help with this but I think using the recovery tools to format and do a fresh install once you have the drive in would get you on the right path.
- Press Opt + Cmd + R to open Recovery Tools.
- Select Disk Utility and erase your drive (even if there's no data on it).
- Quit Disk Utility and select Reinstall MacOS.

[@sugargliderdude]

time machine is your friend

[@NicVandEmZ]

I can tell you by looks it 2009 IMac or earlier

[@kevinelliott8972]

😎

[@stevejohnson1321]

Too bad you can't save the imac, although core 2 has its limits.

[@calvin7740]

Best Buy you can not do that. How does this work on a 11 year old I Mac

[@markliu9662]

I’m sorry I can’t figure out how to subscribe

[@johnsradios484]

Hit the subscribe button

[@waynelynch3862]

Well that was annoying and useless