Macbook Pro 13 Unibody Mid 2009 Hard Drive Cable Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

Time Required

                          30 minutes

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery
1 step
Hard Drive
4 steps
Hard Drive Cable
4 steps

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BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2009
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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the lower case screws

Remove the following 10 screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody:
Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following 10 screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody:

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

1024

Step 2

              Lift the lower case away

Slightly lift the lower case and push it toward the rear of the computer to free the mounting tabs.

Slightly lift the lower case and push it toward the rear of the computer to free the mounting tabs.

Step 3

              Battery

For precautionary purposes, we advise that you disconnect the battery connector from the logic board to avoid any electrical discharge.
Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

For precautionary purposes, we advise that you disconnect the battery connector from the logic board to avoid any electrical discharge.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 4

              Hard Drive

Remove two Phillips screws securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.
These screws are captive to the hard drive bracket.

Remove two Phillips screws securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.

These screws are captive to the hard drive bracket.

Step 5

Lift the the retaining bracket out of the upper case.

Lift the the retaining bracket out of the upper case.

Step 6

Lift the hard drive by its pull tab and pull it out of the chassis, minding the cable attaching it to the computer.

Lift the hard drive by its pull tab and pull it out of the chassis, minding the cable attaching it to the computer.

Step 7

Remove the hard drive cable by pulling its connector straight away from the hard drive.

Remove the hard drive cable by pulling its connector straight away from the hard drive.

Step 8

              Hard Drive Cable

Remove the following four screws securing the hard drive and IR sensor cable to the upper case:
Two 1.5 mm Phillips screws.
Two 9.5 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following four screws securing the hard drive and IR sensor cable to the upper case:

Two 1.5 mm Phillips screws.

Two 9.5 mm Phillips screws.

Step 9

Slide the hard drive and IR sensor bracket away from the edge of the upper case.
Carefully peel the hard drive and IR sensor cable from the upper case.

Slide the hard drive and IR sensor bracket away from the edge of the upper case.

Carefully peel the hard drive and IR sensor cable from the upper case.

Step 10

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector up off the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector up off the logic board.

Step 11

Lift the hard drive/IR sensor cable assembly out of the upper case.
If your replacement part does not come with the hard drive bracket and indicator light, you will need to pull those off of the part you are removing and install them on the new part.
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.

Lift the hard drive/IR sensor cable assembly out of the upper case.

If your replacement part does not come with the hard drive bracket and indicator light, you will need to pull those off of the part you are removing and install them on the new part.

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.

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

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Author

                                      with 9 other contributors

                    Walter Galan

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sjoerdstra - Feb 1, 2012

Used a Phillips #00 and a creditcard. It’s an easy job, takes about 10 minutes. :)

bgrinstein - Jan 5, 2013

In step #8 the two small screws were very tight in my computer. The Phillips #00 was too large and damaging the screws. I changed to a Phillips #000 applied substantial pressure and voila, the screws came off.

Reassembly: placing the IR sensor cable (the one you"peeled off" in step #9) is a bit tricky. Start from the side opposite the IR sensor (the side with the two small screws of step 8) and press first along the short vertical side and then across towards the IR section. There should be a little left for a vertical section at the IR sensor end.

omar - May 27, 2017

Very Easy and clearly written instructions

Rene - Jul 15, 2017

Can you illustrate how to attach the gold strip cable?

Curtis O’brien - Jan 14, 2018

if i change the HDD cable and get the same results what could be the the real problem , because the original problem as we all know was the we were getting the question mark on the white screen .

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need