Having a hard time removing the old RAM on iMac

To be honest I've also posted the same question on the Apple site.

I've finally got my 16GB of RAM today. So I was trying to install it. Following the users manual. It says untuck the tabs and pull out the memory module. then replace it with the new one. ... I did not get past the first step.

Well I tried that. But it seems that the tabs won't pull out.

I'm afraid to pull it any harder as I might just damage the unit.

I don't wanna wait for the weekend to have one of the geniuses at the Apple store to give me a hand. I'm sure there's a simple explanation to this.

If the Memory slots are anything like Mac Laptop memory slots, The memory will be held in by two metal tabs on each side of the memory dimm. If you push each one away from eachother simultaneously the memory module will "Pop up" then at that point you can remove the memory module.

Only one side of the tab pulls out. Take it easy.

Depends on what kind of computer you have, they're all different. With a PC you push the little tabs to the side of the ram, not pull, but I know nothing about macs.

Video tutorials on youtube or here

http://eshop.macsales.​com/installvideos/

You have an iMac 2011? Just untuck the tabs and pull. The ram tends to be quite stuck in an iMac so you need to pull quite a bit to get it out of the slot.

Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=RDwlIKRKqoA

My apologies for the late reply.

As I am writing this. I am now running 16GB. As what Levina have mentioned it was just snug. I just needed to be patient and kept on tugging and it finally let go.

Thanks for your replies.

Easy, wasn't it?

I'm so old, I still have 808x chip pullers around.

S.Horton wrote in post #13405239
Easy, wasn't it?

I'm so old, I still have 808x chip pullers around.

the concept was easy but I have sore fingers to prove it's not a walk in the park.

Speaking of old. I'm so old I'm embarrassed to admit I had a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color computer

Now, I'm old enough to remember the "Trash 80" and the Apple II. I wrote a game which was very popular in HS -- should have kept writing games!

On my iMac, the chips came out pretty easily -- I did have to pull, but not that hard.

S.Horton wrote in post #13405351
Now, I'm old enough to remember the "Trash 80" and the Apple II. I wrote a game which was very popular in HS -- should have kept writing games!

On my iMac, the chips came out pretty easily -- I did have to pull, but not that hard.

I think the key is patience and a bit of confidence that I won't break the console that easy. I also think that it's because it's new, was the reason why it's snug. Not that I need a reason to upgrade the RAM in the near future. But I suspect it will be easier from this point on.

Pulling the actual tab to get the ram out was a **** for me...I remember having to pull pretty hard. I had to secure the iMac on the table so i wouldn't pull it off.

Yeah, biggest concern was not scratching the iMac, or dropping it!

What an amazing piece of engineering, though.

S.Horton wrote in post #13408497
Yeah, biggest concern was not scratching the iMac, or dropping it!

What an amazing piece of engineering, though.

I laid it on a fleece blanket with one hand on the iMac base and the other tugging on the tab

I just love the form factor.I wish the Apple logo in the back would light up like the MBP

I did noticed that some dust & lint collecting at the vents already. Even though I just got this unit last Sept. Would be nice to have access to open the unit so I can clean it from time to time. I meant the entire unit, not just the memory compartment.

I wonder if a careful encounter with a shop vac would do it.

S.Horton wrote in post #13410390
I wonder if a careful encounter with a shop vac would do it.

You can use smcFanControl to rev the fans up and cause it to spit out excess dust apparently.