Macbook Pro 13 Unibody Mid 2010 Ram Replacement Repair Guide

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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

5

Time Required

                          5 - 10 minutes            

Sections

3

• Lower Case
• 2 steps
• Battery
• 1 step
• RAM
• 2 steps

Flags

1

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Introduction

Originally, the maximum possible RAM configuration was 8 GB. However, systems running OS X 10.7.5 (or higher), updated with the latest EFI, and equipped with proper specification memory modules can support up to 16 GB of RAM. —Source

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

              RAM               

• Release the tabs on each side of the chip by simultaneously pushing each tab away from the RAM.
• These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to “pop” up.

Release the tabs on each side of the chip by simultaneously pushing each tab away from the RAM.

These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to “pop” up.

Step 5

• After the RAM chip has popped up, pull it straight out of its socket.
• Repeat this process if a second RAM chip is installed.

After the RAM chip has popped up, pull it straight out of its socket.

Repeat this process if a second RAM chip is installed.

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

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                    Walter Galan                     

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Muhammad Talha - Mar 2, 2018

Reply

Hello,

Please answer this question. Today i purchase Macbook Pro core2duo model: A1278 year: 2010 Laptop and i found the ram is 2gb DDR3 1333mhz bus speed.

So will 1333mhz bus speed support my macbook or it will crash randomly ? or i should buy another ram of 1066mhz bus speed.

Thanks.

Gordon - Mar 2, 2018

The front side buss speed is 1066mhz so that the speed the board talks to everything including memory, it can’t talk any faster so putting 1333mhz will run at 1066mhz. So I would go with 1066mhz and save your money. If you also make sure you firmware for the board is up-to-date and you are running latest OS it can take you should’ve able to run 16GB ram, even if apple say it only supports 8GB. If you get the correct ram you can run 16GB that’s what I have in mine running high Sierra. In have same system as you. You may also want to think about adding a solid state drive in place of the drive that’s in with will probably be a mechanical drive. Believe me you will seen the difference in speed when the system starts up etc.

Sebastien CHAPUIS - Dec 15, 2018

Reply

Be careful ! according to different other customers experience (read ifixit forum) and my own, it might be a hit or a miss.

I tried the upgrade to 16gb, no matter where or which one of the 8gb ram module is place, the Mac doesn’t want to recognize more than one module at a time, so I ended with 8+2=10gb , which is still an upgrade but deceiving money wise.

Claes - Feb 8, 2019

Which MHz speed do your 8 GB modules have? If both are faster then 1333 then the Mac will not startup. I can combine a original 2 GB 1066MHz module with a 8GB 1600MHz to 10GB then the older module decides the speed and it works. But if both are the 1600MHz then the bios will not boot and I get an error signal. Will see if it could be cheaper to just get one 8GB module with 1066 or 1333 that forces the 1600 to work at lower speed.

bprima - Jan 24, 2020

Hi Sebastien,