Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

18

Time Required

                          45 minutes - 3 hours

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 2 steps
  • AirPort/Bluetooth Board Assembly
  • 6 steps
  • Display
  • 8 steps

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  • BackMacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
  • Three 13.5 mm (14.1 mm) Phillips screws.
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
  • When removing these screws, note how they come out at a slight angle. They must be reinstalled the same way.

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

Three 13.5 mm (14.1 mm) Phillips screws.

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

When removing these screws, note how they come out at a slight angle. They must be reinstalled the same way.

1024

Step 2

  • Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.
  • Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.

Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Step 3

              Battery Connector
  • For certain repairs (e.g. hard drive), disconnecting the battery connector is not necessary but is recommended as it prevents any accidental shorting of electronics on the motherboard. If you do not disconnect the battery connector, please be careful as parts of the motherboard might be electrified.
  • 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.

For certain repairs (e.g. hard drive), disconnecting the battery connector is not necessary but is recommended as it prevents any accidental shorting of electronics on the motherboard. If you do not disconnect the battery connector, please be careful as parts of the motherboard might be electrified.

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.

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

              AirPort/Bluetooth Board Assembly
  • Pull the camera cable connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the optical drive opening.

Pull the camera cable connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the optical drive opening.

Step 6

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable up off its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable up off its socket on the logic board.

Step 7

  • Use the tip of a spudger to pry the four antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the four antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Step 8

  • De-route all four antenna cables from their channels in the AirPort/Bluetooth housing.
  • De-route the camera cable from its channel in the AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

De-route all four antenna cables from their channels in the AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

De-route the camera cable from its channel in the AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

Step 9

  • Remove the following two screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth assembly to the upper case:
  • One 8.6 mm Phillips screw
  • One 3.9 mm Phillips screw

Remove the following two screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth assembly to the upper case:

One 8.6 mm Phillips screw

One 3.9 mm Phillips screw

Step 10

  • Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth assembly from the upper case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth assembly from the upper case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 11

              Display
  • Remove the 8.6 mm Phillips screw securing the antenna/camera cable retainer to the upper case.
  • Remove the antenna/camera cable retainer from the upper case.
  • During reassembly, place the nearby metal grounding tab on top of the hole that the Phillips screw goes into, and then install the screw.

Remove the 8.6 mm Phillips screw securing the antenna/camera cable retainer to the upper case.

Remove the antenna/camera cable retainer from the upper case.

During reassembly, place the nearby metal grounding tab on top of the hole that the Phillips screw goes into, and then install the screw.

Step 12

  • Remove two of the three 6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the right side of the display to the upper case.
  • We purposely have you leave one screw attaching the display to the upper case to aid in future steps.
  • Before reinstalling the screw nearest to the corner of the case, make sure the nearby metal grounding tab doesn’t get caught under the hinge.

Remove two of the three 6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the right side of the display to the upper case.

We purposely have you leave one screw attaching the display to the upper case to aid in future steps.

Before reinstalling the screw nearest to the corner of the case, make sure the nearby metal grounding tab doesn’t get caught under the hinge.

Step 13

  • Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it up and over the connector, toward the DC-In side of the computer.
  • Pull the display data cable straight back (not up) out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Do not lift up on the display data cable, as its socket is very fragile. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it up and over the connector, toward the DC-In side of the computer.

Pull the display data cable straight back (not up) out of its socket on the logic board.

Do not lift up on the display data cable, as its socket is very fragile. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 14

  • Remove the 8.6 mm Phillips screw securing the display data cable retainer to the upper case.
  • Remove the display data cable retainer from the upper case.

Remove the 8.6 mm Phillips screw securing the display data cable retainer to the upper case.

Remove the display data cable retainer from the upper case.

Step 15

  • Remove two of the three 6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the left side of the display to the upper case.
  • We purposely have you leave one screw attaching the display to the upper case to aid in future steps.
  • The display assembly and MacBook body can be subtly misaligned on reassembly. With all six T6 Torx screws in place and the notebook closed, check for alignment. Loosen these six screws to correct the alignment if necessary, and then re-tighten them.

Remove two of the three 6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the left side of the display to the upper case.

The display assembly and MacBook body can be subtly misaligned on reassembly. With all six T6 Torx screws in place and the notebook closed, check for alignment. Loosen these six screws to correct the alignment if necessary, and then re-tighten them.

Step 16

  • Open your MacBook Pro so the display is perpendicular to the upper case.
  • Place your opened MacBook Pro on a table as pictured.
  • While holding the display and upper case together with your left hand, remove the remaining T6 Torx screw from the upper display bracket.

Open your MacBook Pro so the display is perpendicular to the upper case.

Place your opened MacBook Pro on a table as pictured.

While holding the display and upper case together with your left hand, remove the remaining T6 Torx screw from the upper display bracket.

Step 17

  • Be sure to hold the display and upper case together with your left hand. Failure to do so may cause the freed display/upper case to fall, potentially damaging each component.
  • Remove the last remaining T6 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.

Be sure to hold the display and upper case together with your left hand. Failure to do so may cause the freed display/upper case to fall, potentially damaging each component.

Remove the last remaining T6 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.

Step 18

  • Grab the upper case with your right hand and rotate it slightly toward the top of the display so the upper display bracket clears the edge of the upper case.
  • Rotate the display slightly away from the upper case.
  • Lift the display up and away from the upper case, minding any brackets or cables that may get caught.

Grab the upper case with your right hand and rotate it slightly toward the top of the display so the upper display bracket clears the edge of the upper case.

Rotate the display slightly away from the upper case.

Lift the display up and away from the upper case, minding any brackets or cables that may get caught.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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Eric Shea - Jul 24, 2014

Reply

@MacGyver @YoungWook (and anyone else who strips a screw). I was able to find a set of screws for this computer on eBay for $10. It is a complete set, so every screw in the computer is included from a complete tear down. Just search either early 2011 screw set or A1286 screw set.

Herbst - Apr 25, 2020

Reply

Vielen Dank für die detaillierte Anleitung!

Ging wirklich sehr gut. Ich denke, man könnte dem ganzen Vorgang auch die Schwierigkeitsstufe 2 geben, da es keine Verklebungen zu lösen gibt (im Gegensatz zu den ganzen neuen Smartphones…) und man alles eigentlich ganz gut erreicht.

Man sollte vielleicht noch als Anmerkung dazuschreiben, dass man beim Festschrauben der Schräubchen auf die Kraftdosierung aufpassen sollte, da man ja Stahlschrauben in Alugewinde einschraubt. Also nicht zu sehr übertreiben dabei.

Ray Floyd Cabrera - Jan 7, 2022

Reply

How to replace the LVDS cable connector only? Is it possible since i damaged mine while fixing my macbook