Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

14

Time Required

                          30 minutes

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 4 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Hard Drive Cable
  • 5 steps

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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:
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
  • Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

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

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

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
  • Remove the two 5-Point Pentalobe screws along the top edge of the battery.
  • You do not necessarily have to follow steps 3-6 to remove the battery in order to replace the hard drive. However it is recommended to remove all power sources from electronics before working on them.

Remove the two 5-Point Pentalobe screws along the top edge of the battery.

You do not necessarily have to follow steps 3-6 to remove the battery in order to replace the hard drive. However it is recommended to remove all power sources from electronics before working on them.

Step 4

  • Use the tip of a spudger to bend back the finger of the “Warning: Do not remove the battery” sticker while you remove third five-point Pentalobe screw hidden underneath.

Use the tip of a spudger to bend back the finger of the “Warning: Do not remove the battery” sticker while you remove third five-point Pentalobe screw hidden underneath.

Step 5

  • Lift the battery by its plastic pull tab and slide it away from the long edge of the upper case.
  • Do not try to completely remove the battery just yet.

Lift the battery by its plastic pull tab and slide it away from the long edge of the upper case.

Do not try to completely remove the battery just yet.

Step 6

  • Tilt the battery back enough to access the battery cable connector.
  • Pull the battery cable connector away from its socket on the logic board and remove the battery from the upper case.
  • If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation.

Tilt the battery back enough to access the battery cable connector.

Pull the battery cable connector away from its socket on the logic board and remove the battery from the upper case.

If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation.

Step 7

              Hard Drive
  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.
  • These screws are captive to the hard drive bracket.
  • Lift the the retaining bracket out of the upper case.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.

These screws are captive to the hard drive bracket.

Lift the the retaining bracket out of the upper case.

Step 8

  • Lift the hard drive by its pull tab and pull it out of the chassis, minding the cable attaching it to the computer.

Lift the hard drive by its pull tab and pull it out of the chassis, minding the cable attaching it to the computer.

Step 9

  • Remove the hard drive cable by pulling the hard drive straight away from the connector. Keep the connector steady. If pulled by the connector, it can be pulled too far and accidentally tear the hard drive cable.

Remove the hard drive cable by pulling the hard drive straight away from the connector. Keep the connector steady. If pulled by the connector, it can be pulled too far and accidentally tear the hard drive cable.

Step 10

              Hard Drive Cable
  • Remove the following four screws securing the hard drive and IR sensor cable to the upper case:
  • Two 1.5 mm Phillips screws.
  • Two 4 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following four screws securing the hard drive and IR sensor cable to the upper case:

Two 1.5 mm Phillips screws.

Two 4 mm Phillips screws.

Step 11

  • Slide the hard drive and IR sensor bracket away from the edge of the upper case.

Slide the hard drive and IR sensor bracket away from the edge of the upper case.

Step 12

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

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

Step 13

  • Carefully peel the hard drive and IR sensor cable off the right speaker body/upper case and remove them from your computer.

Carefully peel the hard drive and IR sensor cable off the right speaker body/upper case and remove them from your computer.

Step 14

  • Your replacement part may or may not come with the front (sensor) bracket. If it does not, you’ll need to transfer it to your new cable.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to flip the ZIF connector on the hard drive cable.
  • Gently pull the sensor bracket cable out of the ZIF connector.
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable up off the sensor bracket.
  • Remove the adhesive backing from your new hard drive cable, stick it onto the sensor bracket, and connect the sensor bracket cable.

Your replacement part may or may not come with the front (sensor) bracket. If it does not, you’ll need to transfer it to your new cable.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip the ZIF connector on the hard drive cable.

Gently pull the sensor bracket cable out of the ZIF connector.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable up off the sensor bracket.

Remove the adhesive backing from your new hard drive cable, stick it onto the sensor bracket, and connect the sensor bracket cable.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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shanebanderson - Jul 9, 2012

Reply

I found that the smaller cable branch to the IR sensor was glued down to the case. The new part (purchased from ifixit.com) didn’t have a sticky backing so I carefully removed some of the sticky material from the original cable and stuck it to the new cable. This kept the cable in place when I replaced the hard drive. I could see how one might accidentally bend or fold the cable in a way that could damage it when placing the hard drive.

sarashunter - May 11, 2015

Reply

This guide made it really easy. It fixed my problem. Thanks!

Arsenio Divas - Aug 4, 2017

Reply

I want to buy a hard drive cable but I live in Mozambique, how can I get it, because my country is not included?