Macbook Unibody Model A1278 Optical Drive Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

Access Door
2 steps
Battery
1 step
Lower Case
2 steps
Optical Drive
8 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 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

              Lower Case

Remove the following eight screws securing the lower case to the chassis:
One 3 mm Phillips screw.
Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.
Four 3.5 mm Phillips screws.

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

One 3 mm Phillips screw.

Three 13.5 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

Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the subwoofer connector straight up off the logic board.
On some models, the subwoofer connector is soldered to the logic board and will break if you pry it off. If you need to replace the speaker/subwoofer, you can pull back the foam padding on the connector and remove the red and black wires to disconnect. You will need to reinsert the wires from the new speaker to reconnect.
If you are only removing the optical drive and not replacing the speaker/subwoofer, you do not need to disconnect this connector.

Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the subwoofer connector straight up off the logic board.

On some models, the subwoofer connector is soldered to the logic board and will break if you pry it off. If you need to replace the speaker/subwoofer, you can pull back the foam padding on the connector and remove the red and black wires to disconnect. You will need to reinsert the wires from the new speaker to reconnect.

If you are only removing the optical drive and not replacing the speaker/subwoofer, you do not need to disconnect this connector.

Step 7

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 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 the two Phillips screws securing the subwoofer to the upper case.
The longer of the two screws is on the right.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the subwoofer to the upper case.

The longer of the two screws is on the right.

Step 10

The subwoofer is still connected to the right speaker, so don’t completely remove it just yet.
Lift the subwoofer off the optical drive, and set it above the computer.

The subwoofer is still connected to the right speaker, so don’t completely remove it just yet.

Lift the subwoofer off the optical drive, and set it above the computer.

Step 11

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the camera cable bracket to the upper case.
The leftmost screw may remain captive in the camera cable.

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

The leftmost screw may remain captive in the camera cable.

Step 12

Remove the three 2.5 mm Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.

Remove the three 2.5 mm Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.

Step 13

Lift the optical drive from its right edge and pull it out of the computer.
The hard drive cable may become disconnected from the logic board when removing the optical drive. Ensure it is connected during reassembly.

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

The hard drive cable may become disconnected from the logic board when removing the optical drive. Ensure it is connected during reassembly.

Step 14

              Optical Drive

Remove the optical drive cable by pulling it straight away from the optical drive.
This connector is particularly deep, so be sure to pull away from the drive at the center of the connector.
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.

This connector is particularly deep, so be sure to pull away from the drive at the center of the connector.

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

Step 15

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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Thomas C - May 12, 2011

I ruined my laptop because of this guide.

The step 6 says it’s a connector that comes of (sub-woofer), mine was welded, I broke it, I cannot fix it.

i am frustrated, and I know I should only blame myself for following blindly that guide.

But at least I thought I should let people know : be careful when removing that sub-woofer connector!!!

John Chinnery - Jun 2, 2011

I also broke the sub-woofer connector away from the board, the connection to the board is very fragile, however I managed to solder the connector back on with a very fine soldering iron, (tricky). but it worked. I don’t think it is really necessary to disconnect the sub-woofer cable to remove the optical drive, I’ll find out when I get a new one to replace the old broken one. To remove the subwoofer cable it would be necessary to hold the connector in place while the plug is very carefully prized up from the lead side without moving the connector socket.

Daniel Reyes - Feb 17, 2013

Completed this one successfully. Now running OCZ 256 GB SSD in main bay and WD Black 320GB in optical bay.

Jonny - Apr 3, 2013

italtrav - May 25, 2013

My computer had a different optical drive than shown. Instead of the screws going through the body of the drive, it was secured by two screws at the corners opposite the screw by the connectors (i.e, along the wall where the CD slot is). In addition, in order to repair the drive, black tape sealing the unit had to be peeled back in order to open it (and the screws underneath the tape were placed slightly differently).

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need