Difficulty

Easy

Steps

14

Time Required

                          10 - 25 minutes

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connection
  • 2 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 4 steps
  • Hard Drive Cable
  • 6 steps

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  • BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012

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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

              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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Author

                                      with 4 other contributors 


                    Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Member since: 10/17/2009

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carynturner - Jul 8, 2014

Reply

Thank you Ifixit and Andrew “Optimus” Goldberg, the parts and tools arrived today i went to the shop to buy lunch when i had returned (15 mins later) my Husband had replaced the part (hdd cable) and my Macbook pro is super speedy again. Nice repair guide thank you i doubt i can say thank you enough.

mbj - Sep 16, 2014

Reply

After many hours of trying to get my SSD drive to work, I read elsewhere that other users had issues with the HD cable that came with the laptop. From when I opened the envelope until my SSD booted was less than 30 minutes. If you have the right tools this is an easy fix. Just keep in mind that there is adhesive on the cable that goes to the bracket – don’t forget to peel off the paper backing and line it up correctly.

palbarede - Oct 18, 2014

Reply

Hello, I have a mid 2009 Macbook pro 13. I have bought a hard disk cable that looks almost the same as the original one except for greater width and shorter length. I guess that this new cable fits the 2012 model, SO YOU MAY HAVE TO UPDATE THE GUIDE accordingly.

Electrically the wider cable also works on the mid 2009 model (at least for disk access) though it does not fit mechanically.

My friends be careful when you buy this part.

1schwartzmd - Dec 3, 2014

Reply

thanks, Ifixit! Like many, my laptop developed the flashing question mark with startup even though when I removed the drive and put in external enclosure it worked perfectly, and putting in a different HD with a good system install on it also failed. thankfully I found out about the ribbon cable issue with a web search. The part fit perfectly and was easy to install, took about 10 minutes and I was up and running again.

Larry Schwartz

Landon - Jan 25, 2015

Reply

Thank you so much for this guide! My MacBook pro works! I had the folder of death on my screen so I just swapped out the ribbon and now it turns on. Easy fix and saved a lot of money. EASY TO DO!!!!