Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

28

Time Required

                          20 - 35 minutes

Sections

6

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connection
  • 2 steps
  • Fan
  • 3 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 12 steps
  • Left Speaker
  • 4 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 5 steps

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  • BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws:
  • Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws
  • Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws
  • Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws
  • When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

Remove the following ten screws:

Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws

Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws

Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws

When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

1024

Step 2

  • Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.
  • Remove the lower case.

Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery Connection
  • Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.
  • It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Step 4

  • Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Step 5

              Fan
  • Use the edge of a spudger to gently pry the fan connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.
  • It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.
  • The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

Use the edge of a spudger to gently pry the fan connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.

The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

Step 6

  • Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the logic board:
  • One 7.2 mm T6 Torx screw
  • Two 5.3 mm T6 Torx screws

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the logic board:

One 7.2 mm T6 Torx screw

Two 5.3 mm T6 Torx screws

Step 7

  • Lift the fan out of its recess in the logic board, minding its cable that may get caught.

Lift the fan out of its recess in the logic board, minding its cable that may get caught.

Step 8

              Logic Board
  • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the right speaker/subwoofer cable out from under the retaining finger molded into the upper case.
  • Pull the right speaker/subwoofer cable upward to lift the connector out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to pull the right speaker/subwoofer cable out from under the retaining finger molded into the upper case.

Pull the right speaker/subwoofer cable upward to lift the connector out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 9

  • Disconnect the camera cable from the logic board.
  • Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board. Pulling the cable upward may damage the logic board or the cable itself.

Disconnect the camera cable from the logic board.

Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board. Pulling the cable upward may damage the logic board or the cable itself.

Step 10

  • Disconnect the following four cables:
  • AirPort/Bluetooth cable
  • Optical drive cable
  • Hard drive cable
  • Trackpad cable
  • To disconnect the cables, use the flat end of a spudger to pry their connectors up from the sockets on the logic board.

Disconnect the following four cables:

AirPort/Bluetooth cable

Optical drive cable

Hard drive cable

Trackpad cable

To disconnect the cables, use the flat end of a spudger to pry their connectors up from the sockets on the logic board.

Step 11

  • Use your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard ribbon cable ZIF socket.
  • Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the keyboard ribbon cable out of its socket.
  • The cable may be difficult to insert. If you are having trouble, temporarily attach a piece of tape to the cable to help you guide the cable into the socket.

Use your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Use the tip of a spudger to pull the keyboard ribbon cable out of its socket.

The cable may be difficult to insert. If you are having trouble, temporarily attach a piece of tape to the cable to help you guide the cable into the socket.

Step 12

  • If present, remove the small strip of black tape covering the keyboard backlight cable socket.

If present, remove the small strip of black tape covering the keyboard backlight cable socket.

Step 13

  • Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable ZIF socket.
  • Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
  • Pull the keyboard backlight ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable ZIF socket.

Pull the keyboard backlight ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 14

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the sleep sensor/battery indicator connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the sleep sensor/battery indicator connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Step 15

  • Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the computer.
  • Pull the display data cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Do not lift up on the display data cable, as its socket is very fragile. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the computer.

Pull the display data cable straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Do not lift up on the display data cable, as its socket is very fragile. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 16

  • Remove the following nine screws:
  • Five 3.6 mm T6 Torx screws
  • Two 4.3 mm T6 Torx screws
  • Two 7.2 mm T6 Torx screws
  • In some models the screws may be slightly shorter as follows:
  • Five 3.0 mm T6 screws
  • Two 3.6 mm T6 screws
  • Two 6.7 mm T6 screws

Remove the following nine screws:

Five 3.6 mm T6 Torx screws

Two 4.3 mm T6 Torx screws

Two 7.2 mm T6 Torx screws

In some models the screws may be slightly shorter as follows:

Five 3.0 mm T6 screws

Two 3.6 mm T6 screws

Two 6.7 mm T6 screws

Step 17

  • Remove the following two screws:
  • One 8.6 mm Phillips screw
  • One 5.5 mm Phillips screw
  • Remove the display data cable retainer from the upper case.

Remove the following two screws:

One 8.6 mm Phillips screw

One 5.5 mm Phillips screw

Remove the display data cable retainer from the upper case.

Step 18

  • Use the tip of a spudger to gently peel the microphone off the adhesive securing it to the upper case.

Use the tip of a spudger to gently peel the microphone off the adhesive securing it to the upper case.

Step 19

  • Minding the many connectors near its edges, lift the logic board from the end nearest the optical drive.
  • Without flexing the board, maneuver it out of the upper case, minding the flexible connection to the DC-In board that may get caught in the upper case.
  • Remove the logic board.

Minding the many connectors near its edges, lift the logic board from the end nearest the optical drive.

Without flexing the board, maneuver it out of the upper case, minding the flexible connection to the DC-In board that may get caught in the upper case.

Remove the logic board.

Step 20

              Left Speaker
  • De-route the microphone cable from its slot molded into the left speaker enclosure.

De-route the microphone cable from its slot molded into the left speaker enclosure.

Step 21

  • Remove the small piece of black tape covering the left speaker connector.

Remove the small piece of black tape covering the left speaker connector.

Step 22

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker connector up from its socket on the logic board.
  • Pry up from beneath the wires.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Pry up from beneath the wires.

Step 23

  • Carefully pry the left speaker off the foam adhesive securing it to the logic board.
  • Remove the left speaker.

Carefully pry the left speaker off the foam adhesive securing it to the logic board.

Remove the left speaker.

Step 24

              Logic Board
  • Remove the piece of black tape covering the microphone connector.

Remove the piece of black tape covering the microphone connector.

Step 25

  • Pull the microphone cable upward to lift its connector out of the socket on the logic board.
  • Remove the microphone.

Pull the microphone cable upward to lift its connector out of the socket on the logic board.

Remove the microphone.

Step 26

  • Pull the MagSafe DC-In board cable toward the heat sink to disconnect it from the logic board.
  • Remove the DC-In board.

Pull the MagSafe DC-In board cable toward the heat sink to disconnect it from the logic board.

Remove the DC-In board.

Step 27

  • Remove the three 8.4 mm #1 Phillips screws securing the heat sink to the logic board.
  • Don’t lose the springs held under each of the screws.
  • Carefully remove the heat sink from the processor.
  • If the heat sink seems to be stuck, it may be helpful to gently pry it off the processor with a plastic spudger. Be careful not to break any surface mount components on the processor while prying.
  • Be sure to clean off the old thermal paste and apply a new layer before you reinstall the heat sink. We have a guide that makes it easy.

Remove the three 8.4 mm #1 Phillips screws securing the heat sink to the logic board.

Don’t lose the springs held under each of the screws.

Carefully remove the heat sink from the processor.

If the heat sink seems to be stuck, it may be helpful to gently pry it off the processor with a plastic spudger. Be careful not to break any surface mount components on the processor while prying.

Be sure to clean off the old thermal paste and apply a new layer before you reinstall the heat sink. We have a guide that makes it easy.

Step 28

  • Pull the two RAM retaining arms away from the center of the RAM chip.
  • The RAM chip should “pop” up slightly from its socket.
  • Pull the RAM stick out of its socket.
  • Repeat this process to remove the second RAM chip.
  • Logic board remains.

Pull the two RAM retaining arms away from the center of the RAM chip.

The RAM chip should “pop” up slightly from its socket.

Pull the RAM stick out of its socket.

Repeat this process to remove the second RAM chip.

Logic board remains.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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mitchkirk - Dec 22, 2016

Reply

My son spilled soda into 13"MB early 2011, I did not get to repair for 6 weeks. Machine took over twice typical time to start-up and once running, cursor showed stuttered movement and launching applications was very slow.

I used guide (only steps 1-19) to remove logic board and delicately cleaned with very slightly damp Q-Tip (using Windex electronics cleaner) & dried, every place I cleaned, using compressed air. I did not remove the heatsink, as I assumed the paste protected the processor underneath.

Once cleaned, I reversed all steps and it booted quickly and all other issues disappeared. THANK YOU!!!

QASEM ALHADIDI - Apr 16, 2018

Reply

what is logic board part number if I want to order new one

Susanna - Aug 8, 2018

For the Early 2011 MBP A1278 with the Core i5 2.3 GHz processor, the part numbers are 661-5869 and 661-6078

Maria carolina - Jun 14, 2021

Reply

Do you send to Brazil the same Logic board above Its the Early 2011 MBP A1278 with the Core i5 2.3 GHz processo. It had many issues with it’s Logic boar and I think it’s a manufacture defect. I’m so desaposentes with apple planned Obsolescence, ando no repair. It’s not the same apple. My computer was boutique inAustralia , so I’m protected by their consumer act(2010) I just have to prove it was a hidden problem.

Jake Ketchum - May 1, 2022

Reply

My track pad was difficult to “click”. I’ve replaced batteries before, so I knew that it was definitely a swollen battery. However, when removing the damaged, swollen battery, I used the end of a flat head screw driver to pry up the battery connection… DON’T DO THAT! I saw the tiniest of sparks around pins 4-5-6 on the 9 pin battery connector. New battery installed, but the OS didn’t recognize the new battery – black “X” over the battery indicator. Further, the wall charger would not recharge the new battery. Instead, the computer ran off the 30% charge that new batteries are shipped with. I ordered another new battery, and after draining a second battery without being able to charge, I figured that spark was the sign that I fried something in the logic board. Indeed that was exactly the case, and logic board replacement did fix the issue. I found these instructions INVALUABLE in replacing my old logic board.

$260 lesson: Always use a plastic spudger when dislodging connectors in computers!

Thanks!