Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
14
Time Required
20 - 30 minutes
Sections
4
- Lower Case
- 2 steps
- Battery Connection
- 2 steps
- Hard Drive
- 4 steps
- Hard Drive Cable
- 6 steps
Flags
0
BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Late 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).
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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
Hard Drive
- Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.
- These screws will remain attached to the hard drive bracket.
Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.
These screws will remain attached to the hard drive bracket.
Step 6
- Remove the hard drive bracket.
- The hard drive bracket may be firmly seated against the upper case.
Remove the hard drive bracket.
The hard drive bracket may be firmly seated against the upper case.
Step 7
- Use the attached pull tab to lift the hard drive out of the upper case.
- Don’t try to completely remove the hard drive just yet. It is still attached to the hard drive cable.
Use the attached pull tab to lift the hard drive out of the upper case.
Don’t try to completely remove the hard drive just yet. It is still attached to the hard drive cable.
Step 8
- Pull the hard drive cable away from the body of the hard drive.
- Remove the hard drive.
Pull the hard drive cable away from the body of the hard drive.
Remove the hard drive.
Step 9
Hard Drive Cable
- Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector up from its socket on the logic board.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector up from its socket on the logic board.
Step 10
- Remove the following four screws:
- Two 3 mm Phillips screws
- Two 9.7 mm Phillips screws
Remove the following four screws:
Two 3 mm Phillips screws
Two 9.7 mm Phillips screws
Step 11
- Carefully peel up the thin IR sensor/sleep LED ribbon cable from the adhesive securing it to the upper case.
Carefully peel up the thin IR sensor/sleep LED ribbon cable from the adhesive securing it to the upper case.
Step 12
- Pull the front hard drive bracket containing the IR sensor/sleep LED away from the front edge of the upper case.
Pull the front hard drive bracket containing the IR sensor/sleep LED away from the front edge of the upper case.
Step 13
- Remove the hard drive cable.
- Your replacement part may come with several adhesive foam bumpers. These are to ensure a snug fit of both bracket and hard drive. Apply only as needed.
Remove the hard drive cable.
Your replacement part may come with several adhesive foam bumpers. These are to ensure a snug fit of both bracket and hard drive. Apply only as needed.
Step 14
- Your replacement part may or may not come with the front (sensor) bracket. If it does not, you’ll need to transfer it to your new cable.
- Use the tip of a spudger to flip the “lever” of the ZIF connector (left side in first photo) on the hard drive cable. The connector does not come off, see next instruction.
- Gently pull the yellow sensor bracket cable out of the ZIF connector (to the right, in the second photo).
- Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable up off the sensor bracket to which it is adhered.
- Remove the adhesive backing from your new hard drive cable, stick it onto the sensor bracket, and connect the sensor bracket cable.
- Many fixers cover the length of the thicker cable in the pair with sections of electrical tape on both sides because it can rub the tiny ridges inside the aluminum case causing a short to the case itself or simply breaking the connection.
Your replacement part may or may not come with the front (sensor) bracket. If it does not, you’ll need to transfer it to your new cable.
Use the tip of a spudger to flip the “lever” of the ZIF connector (left side in first photo) on the hard drive cable. The connector does not come off, see next instruction.
Gently pull the yellow sensor bracket cable out of the ZIF connector (to the right, in the second photo).
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable up off the sensor bracket to which it is adhered.
Remove the adhesive backing from your new hard drive cable, stick it onto the sensor bracket, and connect the sensor bracket cable.
Many fixers cover the length of the thicker cable in the pair with sections of electrical tape on both sides because it can rub the tiny ridges inside the aluminum case causing a short to the case itself or simply breaking the connection.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Phillip Takahashi
Member since: 08/22/2011
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Joel Fuentes huchin - Apr 16, 2016
Reply
Excelente guia todo muy bien detallado.
Raj - Sep 9, 2016
Reply
Hi, My mac, I bought in late 2011 (december), doesn’t work on internal harddrive( I replaced it to SSD, year agao), but when i use SATA cable externally, it works perfect. I get the circle and slash sign when I try to boot with internal drive cable, but SATA works fine. Do I need to replace my internal cable?
Joshua Decosta - Nov 15, 2016
that probably means the cable is done. Just replace it and find out. It worked out that way for myself. If its not the cable, well it was going to cost more to bring in to a repair shop anyway.
Pete Markham - Jan 28, 2017
Reply
Having almost got to the stage when i was going buy a new macbook - I found this, and decided to give it a go, having had the death folder and my computer not responding to any of the so -called fixes and recoveries. Hey presto after 30 minutes of being an IT engineer, thanks to be the above guide, I am now up and running and not having to buy a new one - good saving and more confidence of how to fix my mac thanks to the clear directions and pics - superb
Pete M
Robert Ball - Sep 2, 2019
Reply
Thanks very much for this precise and well described guide. Looked like my son’s MacBook HDD was dead until I found a lot of talk on the forum about the hard drive cable being a common fault. Took the chance of replacing the cable first and could not have done so without this guide. Pleased to say the hard drive was actually fine and having successfully replaced the cable he’s now up and running again. Thanks
