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Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

10

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

4

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 4 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 1 step

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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
  • Remove two T6 Torx screws from each side of the hard drive (four screws total).
  • You’ll need to transfer these screws to your new hard drive if you’re changing drives.
  • If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

Remove two T6 Torx screws from each side of the hard drive (four screws total).

You’ll need to transfer these screws to your new hard drive if you’re changing drives.

If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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bgranquist - Apr 18, 2012

Reply

Piece of cake! Didn’t have the 5-point, so I left the battery alone. Finder says I have 550G of free space!

Evy Raelison - Jan 29, 2014

Reply

Very Easy. Don’t need to remove the battery.

sopaw22 - Nov 16, 2015

Reply

seriously the easiest repair I have done on one of my computers. My biggest worry was getting OS X reinstalled, but iFixIt made that easy as well. Can’t believe a local shop wanted $300+ to do this. I spend just over $100 and got my computer back up and running myself.

Fernando Beltran - Dec 14, 2015

Reply

Hi. Does myy macBook Pro (15" Mid 2009) support Solid State Drive? I upgraded the memory with 8 gigabites, but it´s still a bit slow. I hope someone can answer soon.

kris - Mar 15, 2018

Yes you can. Look up crucial.com