Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

7

Time Required

                          5 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 4 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 2 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 1 step

Flags

1

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Flip the Apple TV over so that the bottom of the unit is facing up.
  • You need to remove the rubber base to get access to the screws.
  • Starting at one side of the device, use a hairdryer or a heat gun to soften the adhesive holding the rubber base in place.
  • The rubber base will be hot after heating, take extreme caution while proceeding to avoid personal injury.
  • While the adhesive is still warm, peel the bottom of the rubber base upwards to detach it from the metal plate.
  • The rubber base can tear if the adhesive hasn’t been softened enough.
  • Repeat the procedure described above until the rubber base has been completely removed.

Flip the Apple TV over so that the bottom of the unit is facing up.

You need to remove the rubber base to get access to the screws.

Starting at one side of the device, use a hairdryer or a heat gun to soften the adhesive holding the rubber base in place.

The rubber base will be hot after heating, take extreme caution while proceeding to avoid personal injury.

While the adhesive is still warm, peel the bottom of the rubber base upwards to detach it from the metal plate.

The rubber base can tear if the adhesive hasn’t been softened enough.

Repeat the procedure described above until the rubber base has been completely removed.

1024

Step 2

  • Remove the four T10 Torx screws that secure the lower case to the upper case.

Remove the four T10 Torx screws that secure the lower case to the upper case.

Step 3

  • Carefully lift the lower case from the upper case enough to allow access to the internals of the Apple TV.
  • Be aware that the hard drive is physically attached to the lower case and that a ribbon cable runs from the drive to the logic board in the upper case.

Carefully lift the lower case from the upper case enough to allow access to the internals of the Apple TV.

Be aware that the hard drive is physically attached to the lower case and that a ribbon cable runs from the drive to the logic board in the upper case.

Step 4

  • Carefully pull the hard drive data cable straight up from its socket on the logic board.
  • During reassembly, make sure the hard drive data cable is firmly seated in its socket on the logic board; otherwise, during boot-up you will see a flashing question mark “?”.

Carefully pull the hard drive data cable straight up from its socket on the logic board.

During reassembly, make sure the hard drive data cable is firmly seated in its socket on the logic board; otherwise, during boot-up you will see a flashing question mark “?”.

Step 5

              Hard Drive
  • Remove the four T8 Torx screws securing the hard drive to the lower case.

Remove the four T8 Torx screws securing the hard drive to the lower case.

Step 6

  • Peel and remove the hard drive up off the lower case.
  • The hard drive is held on to the lower case with mild adhesive.
  • Disconnect the hard drive data cable from its socket on the hard drive.
  • If you are replacing your hard drive, ensure to transfer the hard drive data cable to your new hard drive.
  • Hard drive remains.

Peel and remove the hard drive up off the lower case.

The hard drive is held on to the lower case with mild adhesive.

Disconnect the hard drive data cable from its socket on the hard drive.

If you are replacing your hard drive, ensure to transfer the hard drive data cable to your new hard drive.

Hard drive remains.

Step 7

              Hard Drive
  • Align the new hard drive with the screw holes on the lower case.
  • While holding the hard drive in place, insert and tighten the screws back into the lower case.
  • Don’t forget to reconnect the hard drive data cable to its socket on the logic board.

Align the new hard drive with the screw holes on the lower case.

While holding the hard drive in place, insert and tighten the screws back into the lower case.

Don’t forget to reconnect the hard drive data cable to its socket on the logic board.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Walter Galan

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Matt O’Donohue - Dec 27, 2016

Reply

Can you replace the current harddrive with a larger capacity hardrive. I currently have a 160GB one but wouldnt mind putting a 1TB harddrive in there if its at all possible? Thank you.

Bernie Sapienza - Jan 15, 2017

Reply

can these harddrives still be bought? if so where?

Michael - Apr 29, 2017

Reply

I have the same two questions. Anyone know please? How can I live without my ATV1? No-one else, not even Apple, has made anything since that does the job of playing music and photos as well.

And if I replace the disk how doesthe Apple OS get transferred? (PC User)

Alexander Gomes - Jun 6, 2017

Reply

Yes, you can through a 1TB drive into it. Yes, drives can be bought for them still, you can go online and search for them or you can try the good ol ‘bay and find them there as well. You’d have to transfer the OS yourself using a USB drive to reinstall it or clone your current drive over and it will see it exactly the same as it was before.