Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

23

Time Required

                          1 - 3 hours

Sections

5

  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • RAM Shield
  • 2 steps
  • Upper Case
  • 7 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 10 steps

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  • BackMacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery and lift the battery out of the computer.

Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery and lift the battery out of the computer.

1024

Step 2

              RAM Shield
  • Remove the four identical Phillips 3.4 mm screws from the memory door. These screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

Remove the four identical Phillips 3.4 mm screws from the memory door. These screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

Step 3

  • Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

Step 4

              Upper Case
  • Remove the three Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch. Apple was nice enough to tilt these screws at a slight angle to make them easier to remove. On the A1261 these screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

Remove the three Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch. Apple was nice enough to tilt these screws at a slight angle to make them easier to remove. On the A1261 these screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

Step 5

  • Remove the following six screws:
  • Two 14.5 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.
  • Four 3.4 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

Remove the following six screws:

Two 14.5 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.

Four 3.4 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

Step 6

  • Remove the four 3.4 mm Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

Remove the four 3.4 mm Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

Step 7

  • Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

Step 8

  • Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

Step 9

  • Do not yank the upper case off quickly. The case is attached to the logic board via a ribbon cable.
  • Lift up the back of the case and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case.

Do not yank the upper case off quickly. The case is attached to the logic board via a ribbon cable.

Lift up the back of the case and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case.

Step 10

  • Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board.
  • Remove the upper case.

Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board.

Remove the upper case.

Step 11

              Optical Drive
  • Disconnect the orange SuperDrive ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Disconnect the orange SuperDrive ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Step 12

  • Remove the following three screws:
  • Two black 4 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the SuperDrive.
  • One 8.7 mm silver (black in some models) T6 Torx screw at the back of the drive near the speaker.

Remove the following three screws:

Two black 4 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the SuperDrive.

One 8.7 mm silver (black in some models) T6 Torx screw at the back of the drive near the speaker.

Step 13

  • Use one hand to pull back the speaker cable and use your other hand to lift the optical drive up and out of the computer.
  • If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

Use one hand to pull back the speaker cable and use your other hand to lift the optical drive up and out of the computer.

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

Step 14

              Logic Board
  • Disconnect the ten indicated connectors from the logic board.
  • If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1229 or A1212, the connectors have different positions and are highlighted in the second and third pictures.

Disconnect the ten indicated connectors from the logic board.

If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1229 or A1212, the connectors have different positions and are highlighted in the second and third pictures.

Step 15

  • Rotate the large display data cable to the left and disconnect the small right thermal sensor cable beneath.
  • If you have the A1261 model, the right thermal sensor cable is located next to the right fan connector.

Rotate the large display data cable to the left and disconnect the small right thermal sensor cable beneath.

If you have the A1261 model, the right thermal sensor cable is located next to the right fan connector.

Step 16

  • Remove the single black T6 Torx screw securing the clear plastic shield over the right ambient light sensor.
  • Lift the clear plastic shield off the right ambient light sensor.

Remove the single black T6 Torx screw securing the clear plastic shield over the right ambient light sensor.

Lift the clear plastic shield off the right ambient light sensor.

Step 17

  • Peel up the orange Kapton tape securing the right thermal sensor cable to the logic board.

Peel up the orange Kapton tape securing the right thermal sensor cable to the logic board.

Step 18

  • Remove the following twelve screws:
  • Seven 6.5 mm T6 Torx screws.
  • Two 7.6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the battery connector to the lower case.
  • Three 7.8 mm T6 Torx screws.

Remove the following twelve screws:

Seven 6.5 mm T6 Torx screws.

Two 7.6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the battery connector to the lower case.

Three 7.8 mm T6 Torx screws.

Step 19

  • Lift up the left side of the logic board and disconnect the multi-colored power connector from the bottom of the board.

Lift up the left side of the logic board and disconnect the multi-colored power connector from the bottom of the board.

Step 20

  • Grasp the logic board at the left side and at the thin section near the right fan, and rotate the logic board out of the lower case.

Grasp the logic board at the left side and at the thin section near the right fan, and rotate the logic board out of the lower case.

Step 21

  • If the right speaker assembly remains attached to the logic board, hold the logic board with one hand and slide the speaker up slightly to free it from the logic board.

If the right speaker assembly remains attached to the logic board, hold the logic board with one hand and slide the speaker up slightly to free it from the logic board.

Step 22

  • Release the tabs on each side of the RAM chip at the same time. These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to “pop” up.
  • Pull the chip directly out from its connector.
  • If there are two RAM chips installed, repeat the above procedure for the second chip.

Release the tabs on each side of the RAM chip at the same time. These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to “pop” up.

Pull the chip directly out from its connector.

If there are two RAM chips installed, repeat the above procedure for the second chip.

Step 23

  • Disconnect the multi-colored battery connector from the logic board.
  • To properly reassemble your MacBook Pro, you’ll have to clean off and replace the thermal compound from the three chips shown here. Use our Applying Thermal Paste Guide to prepare the processor and heat sink surfaces.

Disconnect the multi-colored battery connector from the logic board.

To properly reassemble your MacBook Pro, you’ll have to clean off and replace the thermal compound from the three chips shown here. Use our Applying Thermal Paste Guide to prepare the processor and heat sink surfaces.

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

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                    iRobot

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craigster0 - Mar 1, 2011

Reply

I haven’t tried this (yet). However, one note that might be useful:

Note the heat sink compound on the tops of the CPU, video chip, and whatever the third chip is. You’re going to need to clean that off the chips and the mating surface and carefully replace it with new compound. Mac’s run hot, so it’s important to do this carefully (for better heat conduction.

Buy a good quality thermal grease like “Arctic Silver” or “OCZ Freeze Extreme” (my favorite because its almost as good and easier to use). The instructions assume that you’re putting the heat sink down on the CPU, but here you’re putting the CPU down on the heat sink, so adjust accordingly.

Andreas Hofmeister - Aug 26, 2013

Reply

Tried that. Rather helpful, but a few suggestions.

Step 18: I would suggest to avoid losen the screws that that fasten the heatsink to the board - unless your intention is to really replace the board or the thermal paste. It is possible to get the board in and out with the heatsink attached, but you may have to remove the fans first. Do not losen the five srews marked red towards the back.

Step 19: the mentioned coloured cable is not always coloured (it is not in my model), do not mistake that cable with the cable to the battery, which is also couloured and also connected to the bottom of the board. It may also be better to remove the left speaker assembly and the WLan card to get to the other end of that cable and disconnect it there.

Pete - Feb 17, 2014

Reply

If I Buy The Whole Logic Board Why Would I Have To Apply Thermal Compound To The Three Chips? The Logic Board Come With It Already Attached Right?? (17" Macbook Pro Model # A1229 Santa Rosa 2.6GHz) Or Did I Missed Something?

David Schembri - Mar 6, 2016

Reply

Would it be possible to replace the logic board of an A1212 with the logic board of an A1261?

Waldbaer - Mar 7, 2016

Look at Step 14, the connectors seem to be different, at least at first sight. Why do you want to take that risk, by the way?