Featured
Featured Guide
Difficulty
Easy
Steps
7
Time Required
15 - 30 minutes
Sections
4
- Access Door
- 2 steps
- Battery
- 1 step
- Hard Drive
- 3 steps
- Hard Drive
- 1 step
Flags
1
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BackMacBook Unibody A1278
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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 white plastic tab and pull the battery up and out of the Unibody.
Be sure the access door release latch is vertical before proceeding.
Grab the white plastic tab and pull the battery up and out of the Unibody.
Step 4
Hard Drive
- Remove the single Phillips screw securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.
- This screw is captive to the hard drive bracket.
Remove the single Phillips screw securing the hard drive bracket to the upper case.
This screw is captive to the hard drive bracket.
Step 5
- Lift the hard drive by its pull tab enough to grab and remove the retaining bracket.
- Lift the hard drive out of the chassis, minding the cable attaching it to the computer.
Lift the hard drive by its pull tab enough to grab and remove the retaining bracket.
Lift the hard drive out of the chassis, minding the cable attaching it to the computer.
Step 6
- Remove the hard drive from its cable by pulling the cable connector straight away from the drive.
- Hard drive remains.
Remove the hard drive from its cable by pulling the cable connector straight away from the drive.
Hard drive remains.
Step 7
Hard Drive
- Remove the 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 the 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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Author
with 8 other contributors
Andrew Bookholt
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618 Guides authored
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Ryan - Apr 10, 2012
Reply
Radio shack has a small kit with assorted bits that includes all of the t bits
Britt - Apr 26, 2012
Reply
just to be save a quick .. use super duper first on your new hdd to clone the old one… (if possible) and after installing… its like you have the same drive… no loss of files…. easy does it!
Ivan Juarez - Jun 15, 2012
Reply
Very easy and worth the upgrade
StripyDonkey - Mar 7, 2013
Reply
The model A1278 in front of me doesn’t look like the above. It has 10 screws holding a single piece base onto the body, and not a single quick-release catch in sight. The battery bay looks different as well, but removing the HDD is just as easy.
Frank Malinowski - Jan 4, 2015
That is because you are looking at a MacBook Pro A1278, not the MacBook Unibody. Apple made the regular MacBook in an aluminum enclosure in 2008 and the following aluminum model was changed to be called the MacBook Pro.