Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

14

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 2 hours            

Sections

4

  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • Memory Door
  • 2 steps
  • Upper Case
  • 7 steps
  • Right Fan
  • 4 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150

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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

              Memory Door               
  • Remove the three identical Phillips screws from the memory door.
  • Make sure to record which sets of screws came from where. This will help when re-assembling.

Remove the three identical Phillips screws from the memory door.

Make sure to record which sets of screws came from where. This will help when re-assembling.

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 Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch.

Remove the two 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 Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

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

Step 7

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

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

Step 8

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

Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four 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. This stage can be quite tricky. Over the DVD reader are 4 tabs set back which pull out vertically.
  • Note that the two small tongues on the left hand front of the upper case may bend while you remove the upper case. When re-installing, you may need to bend them back to fit in the grooves in the lower case.

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. This stage can be quite tricky. Over the DVD reader are 4 tabs set back which pull out vertically.

Note that the two small tongues on the left hand front of the upper case may bend while you remove the upper case. When re-installing, you may need to bend them back to fit in the grooves in the lower case.

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

              Right Fan               
  • Disconnect the right fan cable from the logic board.

Disconnect the right fan cable from the logic board.

Step 12

  • Peel up the orange Kapton tape securing the right speaker cables above the right fan.

Peel up the orange Kapton tape securing the right speaker cables above the right fan.

Step 13

  • Remove the three silver T6 Torx screws securing the right fan to the logic board and lower case.

Remove the three silver T6 Torx screws securing the right fan to the logic board and lower case.

Step 14

  • Hold up the gray and black speaker cable with one hand. Use your other hand to lift the right fan up and carefully peel up the tape securing the fan to the heat sink as you go.

Hold up the gray and black speaker cable with one hand. Use your other hand to lift the right fan up and carefully peel up the tape securing the fan to the heat sink as you go.

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

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Author

                                      with 3 other contributors 

                    iRobot                     

Member since: 09/24/2009

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Fiona Brophy - Jul 3, 2012

Reply

THANK YOU ifixit.

I have never felt more satisfied from doing a repair in my life!! I have been living with a gentle whirring from my right fan for a few years! This morning it escalated to a very loud grinding (it was so loud it drowned out the radio that was on). I rang a few repair centres and it would have tkaen 2-3 working days and 100-150 euro to replace a fan (estimates).

Between this guide showing me how to open the laptop and remove the fan and another guide which recommended opening the fan and giving the metal pin inside a little clean and lubrication my laptop is now SILENT. I mean really silent. I can’t stop smiling. Best ever. And I am by no means a techie.

jordanparrott - Apr 12, 2014

Reply

What kind of tape is used in step 14? I’m putting in a new fan and would like use a new piece of tape.

mkeehnel - Aug 21, 2021

Reply

Sounds Like A Cat In A Bench Vise! The little fans that make such loud horrible noise when they let go! Thanks for a great Guide for replacing this bit of failed engineering. Easy to follow and I didn’t loose any screws!