Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

25

Time Required

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Sections

4

  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • RAM Shield
  • 2 steps
  • Upper Case
  • 7 steps
  • Keyboard
  • 15 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Pro 15" Core 2 Duo Model A1211

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery, and lift the battery out of the computer.

Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery, and lift the battery out of the computer.

1024

Step 2

              RAM Shield
  • Remove the three identical Phillips screws from the memory door.

Remove the three identical Phillips screws from the memory door.

Step 3

  • Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

Step 4

              Upper Case
  • Remove the two 2.8 mm Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch.

Remove the two 2.8 mm Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch.

Step 5

  • Remove the following 6 screws:
  • Two 10 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.
  • Four 14.5 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

Remove the following 6 screws:

Two 10 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.

Four 14.5 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

Step 6

  • Remove the four 3.2 mm Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

Remove the four 3.2 mm Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

Step 7

  • Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two 3.2 mm Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two 3.2 mm Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

Step 8

  • Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four 3.2 mm Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four 3.2 mm Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

Step 9

  • Do not yank the upper case off quickly. The case is attached to the logic board via a ribbon cable.
  • Lift up at the rear of the case and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case (there are some hidden plastic clips that need to be clicked off).

Do not yank the upper case off quickly. The case is attached to the logic board via a ribbon cable.

Lift up at the rear of the case and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case (there are some hidden plastic clips that need to be clicked off).

Step 10

  • Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.
  • Remove the upper case.

Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Remove the upper case.

Step 11

              Keyboard
  • Use a spudger to pry up the translucent plastic sheath covering the keyboard connector.

Use a spudger to pry up the translucent plastic sheath covering the keyboard connector.

Step 12

  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the black plastic flaps locking down the keyboard and keyboard backlight ribbon cables.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the black plastic flaps locking down the keyboard and keyboard backlight ribbon cables.

Step 13

  • Slide the orange keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.

Slide the orange keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.

Step 14

  • Peel up the orange tape covering the keyboard backlight connector.

Peel up the orange tape covering the keyboard backlight connector.

Step 15

  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the brown plastic flap locking down the keyboard backlight ribbon cable.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the brown plastic flap locking down the keyboard backlight ribbon cable.

Step 16

  • Use a spudger or your finger to slide the keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.

Use a spudger or your finger to slide the keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.

Step 17

  • Carefully peel up the orange ribbon cable which carries the power and sleep signals, removing tape as necessary.

Carefully peel up the orange ribbon cable which carries the power and sleep signals, removing tape as necessary.

Step 18

  • Peel back the black protective sheath on the right side of the upper case. It is not necessary to fully remove this shield. Simply peel it back enough to access the screws beneath.

Peel back the black protective sheath on the right side of the upper case. It is not necessary to fully remove this shield. Simply peel it back enough to access the screws beneath.

Step 19

  • Peel back the black protective sheath on the left side of the upper case. It is not necessary to fully remove this shield. Simply peel it back enough to access the screws beneath.

Peel back the black protective sheath on the left side of the upper case. It is not necessary to fully remove this shield. Simply peel it back enough to access the screws beneath.

Step 20

  • Remove the ten identical Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing.

Remove the ten identical Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing.

Step 21

  • There are four locking tabs along the back edge of the keyboard holding it in place. These tabs must be straightened before you can remove the keyboard.

There are four locking tabs along the back edge of the keyboard holding it in place. These tabs must be straightened before you can remove the keyboard.

Step 22

  • The first frame shows a tab in the “locked” position and the second frame shows the same tab in the “unlocked” position.
  • Use needlenose pliers or a spudger to bend each of the four tabs so that they are all in the “unlocked” position.

The first frame shows a tab in the “locked” position and the second frame shows the same tab in the “unlocked” position.

Use needlenose pliers or a spudger to bend each of the four tabs so that they are all in the “unlocked” position.

Step 23

  • Slide the keyboard ribbon out of its connector.
  • If the keyboard ribbon won’t slide out, make sure that the black plastic flap holding the ribbon in place is vertical.

Slide the keyboard ribbon out of its connector.

If the keyboard ribbon won’t slide out, make sure that the black plastic flap holding the ribbon in place is vertical.

Step 24

  • Place the upper casing on its edge and use a spudger to push the keyboard away from the casing, poking the spudger through the central keyboard screw hole. Grasp the keyboard as it separates from the casing.

Place the upper casing on its edge and use a spudger to push the keyboard away from the casing, poking the spudger through the central keyboard screw hole. Grasp the keyboard as it separates from the casing.

Step 25

  • Maintaining your hold on the keyboard, lay the casing flat and gently bow the keyboard until the two tabs on either side of the keyboard come free.
  • Slide the keyboard away from the trackpad and out of the upper case.
  • When reversing the steps and installing the new keyboard, be sure to carefully insert the keyboard ribbon and the keyboard backlight ribbon into their respective slots in the upper case before reinserting the tabs on either side of the keyboard.

Maintaining your hold on the keyboard, lay the casing flat and gently bow the keyboard until the two tabs on either side of the keyboard come free.

Slide the keyboard away from the trackpad and out of the upper case.

When reversing the steps and installing the new keyboard, be sure to carefully insert the keyboard ribbon and the keyboard backlight ribbon into their respective slots in the upper case before reinserting the tabs on either side of the keyboard.

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

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                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

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Shane - Aug 18, 2012

Reply

The replacement keyboard I bought, although advertised for A1211 had no tabs on the sides and 6 locking across the top. The extra locking tabs in the corners made the corners of the keyboard bubble up. If someone wanted to saw bits of the top cover it might work. I ended up breaking of the 2 extra locking tabs, and holding the corners down with double-sided tape. I had to triple up the double sided tape in 1 on the two corners to hold down all the layers. Not a great solution, but it actually worked and looked clean, and the keyboard lights still worked fine afterwards.

gnome - May 24, 2015

Reply

As to this ENTIRE guide I have to say - BRAVO - thorough, detailed, complete. Made this keyboard replacement fast, and totaly NON-confusing! Yay!

re: tiny backlight cable - it IS possible to (gently) thread it through it’s designated opening after the keyboard has been seated, but you must do that BEFORE you screw it down. I found it easy by using a spudger to lift the tiny connector end through its opening while gently pushing on the keyboard from below (the side where you will screw it in.