Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

14

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery Connector
  • 2 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 6 steps
  • Subwoofer & Right Speaker
  • 4 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

              Optical Drive
  • Disconnect the camera cable connector from its socket on the logic board.
  • Do not lift up on the cable as you disconnect it from the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Disconnect the camera cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

Do not lift up on the cable as you disconnect it from the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 6

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Step 7

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Step 8

Remove following two screws:

One 8.6 mm Phillips screw

One 3.9 mm Phillips screw

Carefully rotate the AirPort/Bluetooth board housing (with AirPort/Antenna cables still attached) out of the lower case.

Step 9

  • Remove the three 3.5 mm T6 Torx screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.

Remove the three 3.5 mm T6 Torx screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.

Step 10

  • Lift the optical drive near its connector and pull it away from the upper case to remove it from the computer.

Lift the optical drive near its connector and pull it away from the upper case to remove it from the computer.

Step 11

              Subwoofer & Right Speaker
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive/IR sensor cable connector up off the logic board.
  • Peel the hard drive cable up from the channel within the subwoofer and right speaker.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive/IR sensor cable connector up off the logic board.

Peel the hard drive cable up from the channel within the subwoofer and right speaker.

Step 12

  • Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the subwoofer connector straight up off the logic board.

Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the subwoofer connector straight up off the logic board.

Step 13

  • Remove the following six screws securing the subwoofer and right speaker to the upper case:
  • Two 3.2 mm Phillips screws.
  • Two 12.3 mm Phillips screws.
  • One 2.5 mm Phillips screw.
  • One 8.3 mm Phillips screw.

Remove the following six screws securing the subwoofer and right speaker to the upper case:

Two 3.2 mm Phillips screws.

Two 12.3 mm Phillips screws.

One 2.5 mm Phillips screw.

One 8.3 mm Phillips screw.

Step 14

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to dislodge the right speaker from its recess in the upper case.
  • Lift the subwoofer and right speaker assembly out of the upper case.

Use the flat end of a spudger to dislodge the right speaker from its recess in the upper case.

Lift the subwoofer and right speaker assembly out of the upper case.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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