Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

13

Time Required

                          45 minutes

Sections

5

  • Access Door
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 6 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 2 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Access Door
  • With the case closed, place the Unibody top-side down on a flat surface.
  • Depress the grooved side of the access door release latch enough to grab the free end. Lift the release latch until it is vertical.

With the case closed, place the Unibody top-side down on a flat surface.

Depress the grooved side of the access door release latch enough to grab the free end. Lift the release latch until it is vertical.

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Step 2

  • The access door should now be raised enough to lift it up and out of the Unibody.

The access door should now be raised enough to lift it up and out of the Unibody.

Step 3

              Battery
  • Be sure the access door release latch is vertical before proceeding.
  • Grab the translucent plastic tab and pull the battery up and out of the Unibody.
  • If the latch is depressed it will lock the battery in place.

Be sure the access door release latch is vertical before proceeding.

Grab the translucent plastic tab and pull the battery up and out of the Unibody.

If the latch is depressed it will lock the battery in place.

Step 4

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following eight screws securing the lower case to the chassis:
  • One 5.4 mm Phillips screw.
  • Three 14 mm Phillips screws.
  • Four 3.5 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following eight screws securing the lower case to the chassis:

One 5.4 mm Phillips screw.

Three 14 mm Phillips screws.

Four 3.5 mm Phillips screws.

Step 5

  • Using both hands, lift and remove the lower case off the upper case.

Using both hands, lift and remove the lower case off the upper case.

Step 6

              Optical Drive
  • Disconnect the camera cable by pulling the male end straight away from its socket.

Disconnect the camera cable by pulling the male end straight away from its socket.

Step 7

  • Deroute the camera data cable from the channel in the optical drive.

Deroute the camera data cable from the channel in the optical drive.

Step 8

  • Use a spudger to pry the optical drive connector straight up off the logic board.

Use a spudger to pry the optical drive connector straight up off the logic board.

Step 9

  • Remove two 8 mm Phillips screws securing the camera cable bracket to the upper case.
  • The rightmost screw may remain captive in the camera cable.
  • Lift the camera cable bracket out from the upper case.

Remove two 8 mm Phillips screws securing the camera cable bracket to the upper case.

The rightmost screw may remain captive in the camera cable.

Lift the camera cable bracket out from the upper case.

Step 10

  • Remove the following three Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the upper case:
  • One 3.5 mm Phillips screw.
  • Two 2.5 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following three Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the upper case:

One 3.5 mm Phillips screw.

Two 2.5 mm Phillips screws.

Step 11

  • Lift the optical drive from its left edge and pull it out of the computer.

Lift the optical drive from its left edge and pull it out of the computer.

Step 12

              Optical Drive
  • Remove the optical drive cable by pulling it straight away from the optical drive.
  • If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

Remove the optical drive cable by pulling it straight away from the optical drive.

If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

Step 13

  • Remove the two black Phillips #0 screws securing the small metal mounting bracket. Transfer this bracket to your new optical drive or hard drive enclosure.

Remove the two black Phillips #0 screws securing the small metal mounting bracket. Transfer this bracket to your new optical drive or hard drive enclosure.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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Michael Ahlers - Dec 7, 2010

Reply

Be extremely careful removing the drive retainer bracket screws. Stop immediately if they resist. These were extremely tight in my case, and I (carelessly) ended up stripping two, even using the correct screwdriver. Keep your extractor handy. (Apple technicians suggest the Alden Grabit-Micro.)

Peter - Jul 23, 2012

Reply

Since 2010, My Macbook Pro’s Superdrive is not work..

It is not read DVD or CD… and I can’t write DVD/CD…

I fix it ;)

I cleaned the superdrive’s lens with alcohol…

After I clean the superdrive’s lens, my Superdrive is working!!! ;)

Thank you!

kehowell1 - May 5, 2017

Reply

Thank you for your help!

Dana Kimble - Jul 6, 2017

Reply

This was super easy. I just took mine apart and found a piece of tape lodged in it. Works great now. Thanks.