Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

21

Time Required

                          10 - 30 minutes

Sections

5

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • Rear Vent
  • 3 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 14 steps
  • MagSafe Board
  • 1 step

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the eight 4 mm Phillips screws securing the lower case to the MacBook.

Remove the eight 4 mm Phillips screws securing the lower case to the MacBook.

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Step 2

  • The lower case is constructed of rubber-coated aluminum. Do not excessively bend the aluminum during removal, as any permanent deformation will cause tolerance issues after reassembly.
  • Slightly lift the lower case near the vent opening.
  • Continue running your fingers between the lower and upper cases until the upper case pops off its retaining clips.
  • The location of these three clips is shown in the third picture.

The lower case is constructed of rubber-coated aluminum. Do not excessively bend the aluminum during removal, as any permanent deformation will cause tolerance issues after reassembly.

Slightly lift the lower case near the vent opening.

Continue running your fingers between the lower and upper cases until the upper case pops off its retaining clips.

The location of these three clips is shown in the third picture.

Step 3

              Battery
  • For precautionary purposes, we advise that you disconnect the battery connector from the logic board to avoid any electrical discharge. This step is optional and is not required.
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector up out of its socket on the logic board.
  • It may be easier to use your fingernails to lift up on both sides of the connector.

For precautionary purposes, we advise that you disconnect the battery connector from the logic board to avoid any electrical discharge. This step is optional and is not required.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

It may be easier to use your fingernails to lift up on both sides of the connector.

Step 4

              Rear Vent
  • Remove the following screws from the optical drive side of the rear vent:
  • Two 10 mm T8 Torx
  • Two 5.2 mm Phillips

Remove the following screws from the optical drive side of the rear vent:

Two 10 mm T8 Torx

Two 5.2 mm Phillips

Step 5

  • Remove the following screws from the port side of rear vent:
  • Two 10 mm T8 Torx
  • Two 5.2 mm Phillips

Remove the following screws from the port side of rear vent:

Step 6

  • Carefully lift the rear vent out of the upper case.

Carefully lift the rear vent out of the upper case.

Step 7

              Logic Board
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable up off the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable up off the logic board.

Step 8

  • Use a spudger to pry the fan connector straight up and out of its socket on the logic board.
  • It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.
  • The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

Use a spudger to pry the fan connector straight up and out of its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.

The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

Step 9

  • Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
  • One 7.1 mm Phillips screw.
  • Two 5 mm Phillips screws.
  • Lift the fan out of the upper case.

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:

One 7.1 mm Phillips screw.

Two 5 mm Phillips screws.

Lift the fan out of the upper case.

Step 10

  • Carefully pry the delicate rear speaker connector up off the logic board. These small L/R speaker connectors are quite easily broken.
  • Use extreme caution; this connector is easily destroyed.

Carefully pry the delicate rear speaker connector up off the logic board. These small L/R speaker connectors are quite easily broken.

Use extreme caution; this connector is easily destroyed.

Step 11

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

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

Step 12

  • Use a spudger to pry the right speaker connector and sleep LED connector up off the logic board.
  • These connectors are very delicate and easily broken.

Use a spudger to pry the right speaker connector and sleep LED connector up off the logic board.

These connectors are very delicate and easily broken.

Step 13

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

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

Step 14

  • Use your fingernail to flip up the locking flap on the ZIF socket for the keyboard ribbon cable.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to slide the keyboard ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use your fingernail to flip up the locking flap on the ZIF socket for the keyboard ribbon cable.

Use the tip of a spudger to slide the keyboard ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 15

  • 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 16

  • Use a spudger to pry the left speaker connector and microphone connector up off the logic board.
  • These connectors are very delicate and easily broken.

Use a spudger to pry the left speaker connector and microphone connector up off the logic board.

Step 17

  • Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the computer.

Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the computer.

Step 18

  • Gently pull the display data cable connector away from its socket on the logic board.
  • Pull the socket parallel to the face of the logic board.
  • The display data cable socket is made of very thin metal and is easily bent. Be sure to pull the connector straight away from its socket.

Gently pull the display data cable connector away from its socket on the logic board.

Pull the socket parallel to the face of the logic board.

The display data cable socket is made of very thin metal and is easily bent. Be sure to pull the connector straight away from its socket.

Step 19

  • Remove the six 4.1 to 4.4 mm T6 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.
  • Remove the two 4.1 to 4.5 mm T6 Torx screws securing the MagSafe board to the upper case.
  • On some models, these screws may be T7. Be careful not to strip away the head with a smaller bit.

Remove the six 4.1 to 4.4 mm T6 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.

Remove the two 4.1 to 4.5 mm T6 Torx screws securing the MagSafe board to the upper case.

On some models, these screws may be T7. Be careful not to strip away the head with a smaller bit.

Step 20

  • Lift the side of the logic board opposite the ports out of the upper case.
  • Rotate the logic board away from the upper case until the ports clear the lip molded in the upper case.
  • Pull the logic board and MagSafe board away from the edge of the upper case as one piece.
  • The MagSafe board may get accidentally disconnected during this process. As a precaution, be sure the MagSafe board connector is securely seated in its socket before lowering the logic board back into the upper case.
  • Before lowering the logic board back into the upper case, be sure the left speaker and microphone cables are seated in their channels cut into the upper case (as seen in the third picture).

Lift the side of the logic board opposite the ports out of the upper case.

Rotate the logic board away from the upper case until the ports clear the lip molded in the upper case.

Pull the logic board and MagSafe board away from the edge of the upper case as one piece.

The MagSafe board may get accidentally disconnected during this process. As a precaution, be sure the MagSafe board connector is securely seated in its socket before lowering the logic board back into the upper case.

Before lowering the logic board back into the upper case, be sure the left speaker and microphone cables are seated in their channels cut into the upper case (as seen in the third picture).

Step 21

              MagSafe Board
  • Pull the MagSafe board connector away from its socket on the logic board.
  • Pull the connector parallel to the face of the logic board.

Pull the MagSafe board connector away from its socket on the logic board.

Pull the connector parallel to the face of the logic board.

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

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                                      with 6 other contributors 


                    Walter Galan

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khoover - Mar 18, 2013

Reply

Excellent guide, very easy to follow, success!!!!

rodrigoj6 - Aug 26, 2014

Reply

I did it Success! Thank you very much!!!!

I had some problems after I reassemble all the parts, first the Macbook wasn’t turn on, but I wait few seconds and it’s turn on again. Second the key A on the keyboard not worked but I take off the ribbon cable of keyboard and put it on again and the keyboard worked normally.

svenaustx - Nov 19, 2014

Reply

Another excellent guide. Can be tedious. Good, bright lighting a must, and patience.

Andreas - Dec 1, 2014

Reply

The computer fell on the MagSafe cable, wich pressed in the MagSafe board (socket) into the body so the cable and the socket couldn’t reach contact. From this guide I only did steps 1 to 6 and 17 to 19(only the two screws for the MagSafe board). Then I could move the MagCharger board out enough so it could make contact with the charger cable. Then I tightened the two screws again. Allthou I was as carefull I could with the display data cable (step 17 -18) and looked on youtube allso, it did break a bit at the surrounding solder joint. But it’s working. I didn’t have to replace the MagCharger board, just move it back into position.

Nielven Araullo - Oct 14, 2015

Reply

Hi I have a problem with the fan connector. I accidentally break the plastic fan socket off the logic board.. I am worried as the way am looking at it its difficult to solder it back as it too tiny.. What should I do?