Macbook Core Duo Pram Battery Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

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Sections

Battery
2 steps
Memory Cover
2 steps
Upper Case
8 steps
Left I/O Frame
4 steps
Logic Board
19 steps
PRAM Battery
2 steps

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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.

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Step 2

Lift the battery out of the computer.

Lift the battery out of the computer.

Step 3

              Memory Cover

Remove the three evenly-spaced Phillips screws from along the rear wall of the battery compartment.
The screws are captive to the metal memory cover.
When replacing the battery casing, use a spudger to re-insert the foam cushioning behind the rear wall for propper battery spacing.

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

The screws are captive to the metal memory cover.

When replacing the battery casing, use a spudger to re-insert the foam cushioning behind the rear wall for propper battery spacing.

Step 4

Lift up on L-shaped memory cover, slide it to the right, and lift it out of the computer.

Lift up on L-shaped memory cover, slide it to the right, and lift it out of the computer.

Step 5

              Upper Case

Remove the following 3 screws:
One 11 mm Phillips #00 in the middle of the case.
Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00.
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.

Remove the following 3 screws:

One 11 mm Phillips #00 in the middle of the case.

Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00.

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.

Step 6

Remove the following 3 screws from the rear wall of the battery compartment:
Two 3 mm Phillips #00. (A1181 has three 3 mm screws and one 4 mm.)
One 4 mm Phillips #00 on the right side.
When reinstalling these screws, press gently on the lower case to line up the screw holes.
These screws easily strip, so be careful while taking these particular screws out.

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

Two 3 mm Phillips #00. (A1181 has three 3 mm screws and one 4 mm.)

One 4 mm Phillips #00 on the right side.

When reinstalling these screws, press gently on the lower case to line up the screw holes.

These screws easily strip, so be careful while taking these particular screws out.

Step 7

Remove the two 6 mm Phillips #00 screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).

Remove the two 6 mm Phillips #00 screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).

Step 8

Remove the four 3 mm indicated Phillips #00 screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screw.

Remove the four 3 mm indicated Phillips #00 screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screw.

Step 9

Remove the following 4 screws from the back of the computer:
Two 7 mm shouldered Phillips on the far sides.
Two 10.5 mm Phillips toward the center.
Do not over-tighten these; you can cause the case to distort.

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

Two 7 mm shouldered Phillips on the far sides.

Two 10.5 mm Phillips toward the center.

Do not over-tighten these; you can cause the case to distort.

Step 10

Remove the two 5.2 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws from the optical side of the computer.
It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the other side of the computer.

Remove the two 5.2 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws from the optical side of the computer.

It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the other side of the computer.

Step 11

Starting near the display and working around to the front of the computer, pry up on the upper case. It is held with clips on the right above the optical drive. These will release with some firm lifting pressure.
Be careful when prying up the upper case. It’s very easy to slice open a fingertip and thus provide the blood sacrifice the Mac gods sometimes require of those who insist on doing their own repairs.
There’s a trackpad and keyboard ribbon connecting the upper case to the logic board, so don’t pull the upper case off entirely just yet.
If you have trouble getting the clips to release, be careful that you are not prying the plastic top of the upper case away from its metal frame.

Starting near the display and working around to the front of the computer, pry up on the upper case. It is held with clips on the right above the optical drive. These will release with some firm lifting pressure.

Be careful when prying up the upper case. It’s very easy to slice open a fingertip and thus provide the blood sacrifice the Mac gods sometimes require of those who insist on doing their own repairs.

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

If you have trouble getting the clips to release, be careful that you are not prying the plastic top of the upper case away from its metal frame.

Step 12

While holding up the upper case (from the bottom or the top), use a spudger to pry up the orange trackpad and keyboard cable from its connector.
Take care to pry between the black socket and the white connector. You might have to pry on both sides for it to release properly.
Do not pry from the bottom or the top, but from the sides.
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 holding up the upper case (from the bottom or the top), use a spudger to pry up the orange trackpad and keyboard cable from its connector.

Take care to pry between the black socket and the white connector. You might have to pry on both sides for it to release properly.

Do not pry from the bottom or the top, but from the sides.

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.

Step 13

              Left I/O Frame

Disconnect the MagSafe board cable from the logic board.

Disconnect the MagSafe board cable from the logic board.

Step 14

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Step 17

              Logic Board

Peel up the foil tape between the fan and the optical drive.

Peel up the foil tape between the fan and the optical drive.

Step 18

Use a spudger to move the gray display data and black speaker cables to the right. This will reveal a silver screw securing the fan housing to the lower case.

Use a spudger to move the gray display data and black speaker cables to the right. This will reveal a silver screw securing the fan housing to the lower case.

Step 19

Disconnect the orange optical drive ribbon cable from the logic board.

Disconnect the orange optical drive ribbon cable from the logic board.

Step 20

Peel up the small black rubber cover from the right side of the heat sink.

Peel up the small black rubber cover from the right side of the heat sink.

Step 21

Disconnect the black fan connector and two white temperature sensor connectors from the logic board.

Disconnect the black fan connector and two white temperature sensor connectors from the logic board.

Step 22

Remove the following 6 screws:
One 3 mm Phillips on the right side of the fan.
One 6 mm Phillips on the left side of the fan.
Four 9 mm Phillips securing the heat sink to the lower case.

Remove the following 6 screws:

One 3 mm Phillips on the right side of the fan.

One 6 mm Phillips on the left side of the fan.

Four 9 mm Phillips securing the heat sink to the lower case.

Step 23

Hold the heat sink with one hand and the fan with your other hand, and lift the heat sink and fan assembly out of the computer. The fan is attached to the heat sink only with a strip of black felt tape, so be sure to remove both parts as a unit
If you need to mount the heat sink back into the laptop, we have a thermal paste guide that makes replacing the thermal compound easy.

Hold the heat sink with one hand and the fan with your other hand, and lift the heat sink and fan assembly out of the computer. The fan is attached to the heat sink only with a strip of black felt tape, so be sure to remove both parts as a unit

If you need to mount the heat sink back into the laptop, we have a thermal paste guide that makes replacing the thermal compound easy.

Step 24

Disconnect the two antenna cables from the Airport card, and the black inverter cable from the logic board.

Disconnect the two antenna cables from the Airport card, and the black inverter cable from the logic board.

Step 25

Remove the following 2 screws from the Airport card:
One 3 mm Phillips from the left side.
One 8 mm Phillips from the right side.

Remove the following 2 screws from the Airport card:

One 3 mm Phillips from the left side.

One 8 mm Phillips from the right side.

Step 26

Grasp the Airport card at its top and slide it toward the screen and out of the computer.

Grasp the Airport card at its top and slide it toward the screen and out of the computer.

Step 27

Use a spudger to disconnect the left speaker connector from the logic board.
Lift the left speaker out of the computer.

Use a spudger to disconnect the left speaker connector from the logic board.

Lift the left speaker out of the computer.

Step 28

Disconnect the display data cable by pulling up on the black plastic pull-tab. If there is no pull-tab on the top of the connector, it may be helpful to use a spudger to disconnect this connector.

Disconnect the display data cable by pulling up on the black plastic pull-tab. If there is no pull-tab on the top of the connector, it may be helpful to use a spudger to disconnect this connector.

Step 29

Disconnect the newly-revealed hard drive cable from the logic board.

Disconnect the newly-revealed hard drive cable from the logic board.

Step 30

Use a spudger to disconnect the two speaker connectors from the logic board.

Use a spudger to disconnect the two speaker connectors from the logic board.

Step 31

Use a spudger to carefully disconnect the microphone cable from the logic board. You’ll want to work from side to side, and slowly wiggle the connector out of its socket.

Use a spudger to carefully disconnect the microphone cable from the logic board. You’ll want to work from side to side, and slowly wiggle the connector out of its socket.

Step 32

Deroute the silver microphone cable from the silver metal clip just above the right RAM slot.

Deroute the silver microphone cable from the silver metal clip just above the right RAM slot.

Step 33

Use a spudger to carefully pry the battery connector up and disconnect it from the logic board.

Use a spudger to carefully pry the battery connector up and disconnect it from the logic board.

Step 34

Remove the three 3 mm Phillips screws securing the logic board to the lower case.

Remove the three 3 mm Phillips screws securing the logic board to the lower case.

Step 35

Lift the logic board up from the right side, and slide it up and out of the computer.

Lift the logic board up from the right side, and slide it up and out of the computer.

Step 36

              PRAM Battery

Turn the logic board over.
Peel the PRAM battery up from its location on the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Turn the logic board over.

Peel the PRAM battery up from its location on the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Step 37

Disconnect the PRAM battery cable from the logic board and remove the PRAM battery from the computer.

Disconnect the PRAM battery cable from the logic board and remove the PRAM battery from the computer.

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

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                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

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John Robertson - Feb 25, 2018

Unfortunately not all A1181s use the replaceable battery - some use a Super-Cap. Certainly mine did, after spending 1/2 hour opening it up and flipper the case over I find no replaceable battery, rather a small device labeled “V C2800” almost under J4501 (HDD). Mine charges up to 2.8V with the AC power adapter hooked up, but quickly discharges to 0.9VDC once power is removed. I shall see if the SuperCap at Digi-Key works better…https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en…

Here is discussion on the SuperCap version: Is there no CMOS RAM battery on this model?

Hariza Akbar - Aug 10, 2019

mine not use the replaceable battery either

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need