Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

16

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

4

  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Memory Cover
  • 2 steps
  • Upper Case
  • 8 steps
  • Left I/O Frame
  • 4 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Core 2 Duo

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Use a coin or spudger to rotate the battery-locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

Use a coin or spudger to rotate the battery-locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

1024

Step 2

  • Lift the battery out of the computer.

Lift the battery out of the computer.

Step 3

              Memory Cover
  • Unscrew the three evenly-spaced Phillips screws from along the rear wall of the battery compartment.
  • The screws are captive to the metal memory cover so you cannot lose them.
  • Using The Flexible Extension sold by iFixit will help with this step.

Unscrew the three evenly-spaced Phillips screws from along the rear wall of the battery compartment.

The screws are captive to the metal memory cover so you cannot lose them.

Using The Flexible Extension sold by iFixit will help with this step.

Step 4

  • Grasp the right end of the L-shaped memory cover, then pull it towards you so it clears the battery compartment opening.
  • Lift the memory cover up and out of the computer.

Grasp the right end of the L-shaped memory cover, then pull it towards you so it clears the battery compartment opening.

Lift the memory cover up and out of the computer.

Step 5

              Upper Case
  • Remove the following 3 screws:
  • One 11 mm Phillips#00 in the middle of the lower case. (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)
  • Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00 (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)
  • If the screws stick in the case, you can use a magnetized screwdriver to draw them out.
  • The shorter of the three screws goes in the middle of the lower case.

Remove the following 3 screws:

One 11 mm Phillips#00 in the middle of the lower case. (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)

Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00 (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)

If the screws stick in the case, you can use a magnetized screwdriver to draw them out.

The shorter of the three screws goes in the middle of the lower case.

Step 6

  • Take extra caution with these screws as they can strip easily!
  • You could use a flexible extension to minimize stripping.
  • Remove the following 3 screws from the rear wall of the battery compartment:
  • One 3 mm Phillips #0. (Head: 2.75 mm. dia.)
  • Two 4 mm Phillips #0 on the either side. (Head: 2.75mm dia.)

Take extra caution with these screws as they can strip easily!

You could use a flexible extension to minimize stripping.

Remove the following 3 screws from the rear wall of the battery compartment:

One 3 mm Phillips #0. (Head: 2.75 mm. dia.)

Two 4 mm Phillips #0 on the either side. (Head: 2.75mm dia.)

Step 7

  • Remove the two Phillips screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).
  • Two 6.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

Remove the two Phillips screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).

Two 6.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

Step 8

  • Remove the four indicated Phillips screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screws.
  • Four 3.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x 4mm thick)

Remove the four indicated Phillips screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screws.

Four 3.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x 4mm thick)

Step 9

  • Remove the following 4 screws from the back of the computer:
  • Two 11 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2.2mm dia. x 2 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)
  • Two 7.25 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2mm dia. x 3.75 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)
  • During reassembly, the two longer screws go on the inside, and the two shorter screws go on the outside.

Remove the following 4 screws from the back of the computer:

Two 11 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2.2mm dia. x 2 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

Two 7.25 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2mm dia. x 3.75 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

During reassembly, the two longer screws go on the inside, and the two shorter screws go on the outside.

Step 10

  • Remove the two Phillips screws from the optical drive (right) side of the computer:
  • Two 5.2 mm Phillips #00, with shank (2.3mm dia. x 3.25 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)
  • It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the ports (left) side of the computer.

Remove the two Phillips screws from the optical drive (right) side of the computer:

Two 5.2 mm Phillips #00, with shank (2.3mm dia. x 3.25 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the ports (left) side of the computer.

Step 11

  • There’s a trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable connecting the upper case to the logic board, so don’t pull the upper case off entirely just yet.
  • Use a plastic opening tool, an expired plastic credit, or a similarly-thick card to pry up on the upper case, starting in the upper-left corner and working around to the front of the computer.
  • The upper case is likely to stick at its connection above the front edge of the optical drive. If this happens, first free all other sides, then proceed to pull upward on the upper case from either side of the optical drive opening. Here again, inserting a plastic card, guitar pick, etc. can be useful.
  • If you stand the base of the MacBook on one end to get a better look, you may displace the four grey plastic clips that hold the right side of the upper case in place. Don’t panic. They slide into slots at the top rightmost edge of the lower frame, above the front edge of the optical drive.
  • During reassembly, make sure the clips on the right side, above the optical drive, click firmly into place. They’re different from the clips on the left side, and so normally they require a little firmer pressure to click into place.

There’s a trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable connecting the upper case to the logic board, so don’t pull the upper case off entirely just yet.

Use a plastic opening tool, an expired plastic credit, or a similarly-thick card to pry up on the upper case, starting in the upper-left corner and working around to the front of the computer.

The upper case is likely to stick at its connection above the front edge of the optical drive. If this happens, first free all other sides, then proceed to pull upward on the upper case from either side of the optical drive opening. Here again, inserting a plastic card, guitar pick, etc. can be useful.

If you stand the base of the MacBook on one end to get a better look, you may displace the four grey plastic clips that hold the right side of the upper case in place. Don’t panic. They slide into slots at the top rightmost edge of the lower frame, above the front edge of the optical drive.

During reassembly, make sure the clips on the right side, above the optical drive, click firmly into place. They’re different from the clips on the left side, and so normally they require a little firmer pressure to click into place.

Step 12

  • While holding up the upper case, pull up the black tab on the connector end of the silver ribbon cable away from the connector’s socket on the logic board.
  • If there is no black tab, you can also use a spudger to gently pry the connector out of its socket on the logic board. This connector is tall, so be sure to pry straight up.
  • If you happen to break your upper case cable when removing the upper case, we stock the cable individually and we have a guide that makes replacing it easy.
  • While you have the upper case removed, it’s a good time to remove dust, hair, etc. It’s best to use a can of compressed air, though if you use a brush, make sure that its bristles are made of a material (usually animal hair) that doesn’t generate static electricity, which can destroy electronics.
  • Upon reassembly, there are 4 grey plastic clips installed in slots running along the top of the frame in front of the optical drive (refer to second and third pictures). These clips must be installed in their slots for their mating tabs on the underside of the right side of the upper case to snap into them.

While holding up the upper case, pull up the black tab on the connector end of the silver ribbon cable away from the connector’s socket on the logic board.

If there is no black tab, you can also use a spudger to gently pry the connector out of its socket on the logic board. This connector is tall, so be sure to pry straight up.

If you happen to break your upper case cable when removing the upper case, we stock the cable individually and we have a guide that makes replacing it easy.

While you have the upper case removed, it’s a good time to remove dust, hair, etc. It’s best to use a can of compressed air, though if you use a brush, make sure that its bristles are made of a material (usually animal hair) that doesn’t generate static electricity, which can destroy electronics.

Upon reassembly, there are 4 grey plastic clips installed in slots running along the top of the frame in front of the optical drive (refer to second and third pictures). These clips must be installed in their slots for their mating tabs on the underside of the right side of the upper case to snap into them.

Step 13

              Left I/O Frame
  • Disconnect the MagSafe board cable from the logic board by pulling the snap-in connector out (to the right).

Disconnect the MagSafe board cable from the logic board by pulling the snap-in connector out (to the right).

Step 14

  • Remove the single 9 mm Phillips screw securing the left speaker to the lower case.
  • Lift the left speaker out of its housing and set it to the side.

Remove the single 9 mm Phillips screw securing the left speaker to the lower case.

Lift the left speaker out of its housing and set it to the side.

Step 15

  • Remove the following 3 screws:
  • Two 7.5 mm Phillips from either end of the left I/O frame.
  • One 9 mm Phillips from the middle of the left I/O frame.
  • In some models, all three of these screws may be 7.5 mm.
  • Remove the small black plastic spacer at the bottom of the left I/O frame.
  • Some models such as the Early 2008 may not have a removable spacer at this location.

Two 7.5 mm Phillips from either end of the left I/O frame.

One 9 mm Phillips from the middle of the left I/O frame.

In some models, all three of these screws may be 7.5 mm.

Remove the small black plastic spacer at the bottom of the left I/O frame.

Some models such as the Early 2008 may not have a removable spacer at this location.

Step 16

  • Lift the left I/O frame up and out of the computer. Pay attention to the thin metal EMI fingers, as they may catch as you remove the left I/O frame.
  • The speaker wire may be hooked onto the I/O frame. Lift it out of the catch and don’t forget to put it back when you are reversing the procedure.
  • The part of the shield you are removing is attached to other part by little hooks underneath that are hard to see until you have it apart. They’re located over the headphone jack and the firewire port.

Lift the left I/O frame up and out of the computer. Pay attention to the thin metal EMI fingers, as they may catch as you remove the left I/O frame.

The speaker wire may be hooked onto the I/O frame. Lift it out of the catch and don’t forget to put it back when you are reversing the procedure.

The part of the shield you are removing is attached to other part by little hooks underneath that are hard to see until you have it apart. They’re located over the headphone jack and the firewire port.

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

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      15 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 5 other contributors 


                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

1 Reputation

                                      646 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       36







                                                        +33 more badges