MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011 Logic Board Replacement

Does void the warranty?

No, it does not void the warranty. More specifically: http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/display...

I'm thinking you'd probably be OK losing the DVD drive without a problem. Just make sure the optical drive cable is secured or you might hear it rattling in there from time-to-time.

Hey guys,

this website is amazing. I read it to guide me on fixing my mac book pro, but on the video, the girl gives a wrong information.. She says that is not possible replace just the keyboard... But I managed to replace only my keyboard. It is boring because I have to remove approximately 70 screws but it is possible. Thanks a lot! You guys helped me save about US$300 thats because in Brazil some technicians would charge me with that amount!

I posted some pictures on your facebook page..

Tip: Use one of those weekday pill holders to have a cheep way to store screws you remove and each day of the week can be for different sizes or parts. It has been handy to have (much less expensive than the magnetic mat.

Great tutorial. I found that using a Phillips #0 in lieu of the #00 worked much better.

I tried the PH #00 for the 10 screws that hold the bottom case and it's too big, instead PH #000 works perfectly. Are you sure this screws are #00?

The likely problem with your wifi is not the card but the antenna leads that go into the plastic clutch

. Ifixit don't have a guide to change this as it it includes the isight camera so the screen has to be disassembled which is fairly hard

I got round it by using the camera cable from the old set and cutting off the new one

Hello MacWorld,

Just want to say that this site is a great resource for repairing or upgrading your Mac. I had a bad SATA cable in my MacBook Pro and after ordering a new one from the "IFIXIT" site I received the cable within two days, replaced it and was up and running again in no time. Thanks IFIXIT for you help!

wer 10/5/15

I have found that my MacBook Pro 13 Late 2011 has five shouldered screws and not four. I am not sure exactly where it goes but I have put it in the top left corner of the picture as it is the odd one out.

on my device the #00 screwdriver was a bit too small. a #0 was the perfect one

I found with mine that the shouldered and un-shouldered screws were reversed (the three un-shouldered screws going where the orange colour indicates). Also, I found that the front four screws went in at an angle.

I used 3 eggcups to hold the screws ;>) They are very fiddly and easy to drop on floor so keep the MacBook away from the edge of the surface you are using to avoid accidentally dropping a screw off the edge of a table, etc.

A screw does not come out, how can I get it out? Many thanks in advance for your help

Since you’ll be removing many screws it’s best to plan ahead. I found it especially helpful to have a small plastic tray with about a dozen separate compartments to hold screws. As I removed screws I kept them in one compartment for each item removed. For example: The lower case removal involves the removal of ten screws. I kept them all in the first tray compartment and set the lid aside. Also, I put a post-it note identifying this compartment as “Lower case” and noted that the top right-most screws were the long ones. I continued with this methodology as a removed the next item, and the next, etc. Disassembly notes included for each compartment. This helped SIGNIFICANTLY as I was able to reassemble the Macbook easily by simply going from one compartment to the next (in reverse order). This guide is rated “Difficult” which it really isn’t when you plan ahead in this way. It saves time in the long run.

when putting the macbook pro back together, the middle screw on the right side (if the computer is upside down and you have the hinge furthest away from you) requires a bracket that was not included with my new upper case. i had to remove it from my old case and transfer it over - if you don’t do this, that screw will have nothing to attach to.

this was one of the many additional parts i needed to transfer from my old case to the new one that aren’t mentioned in this guide…i’m adding comments on each step to try to help others…i wish i had thought to take pictures.

It seems to me the yellow and orange screws are the same

The screws used on all Retina models, as well as about everything Apple has made since the iPhone 4, uses “PENTALOBULAR” not Phillips screws. These look like a TORX driver, but it has 5 concave sides. I believe the size you want is a P4 or T4. (1.2mm).

Two screw types:

______________________________

Shouldered Unshouldered

xxxxxxx……….xxxxxxx

..xxxxx……..….…….x…….

…..x……..…...……….x…….

…..x…………....……..x…….

______________________________

If the black vent window that is attached to the back cover becomes loose what kind of glue should be used to attach it again, thermal paste or super glue?

Thanks for your help.

Rather than be careful of the corners of the connector i would say don't use the spudger anywhere near the corners. While the corner looks like the obvious place to begin to pry it up from, it will break. Levering from the sides as the instructions suggest works well.

wonder why apple does not recommend it?!

I would recommend it, one careless short and the whole board is dead......

Don't know what the deal is with the battery, but this IS a necessary step to keep from frying the logic Board if you accidentally touch something and short it out. I did this step every time during my troubleshooting and The battery was ALWAYS recognized by the system the next time I turned the MBP on. So be safe and don't fry your logic board in the process...

Prying the battery connector off does not take much force. I did exactly what the guide suggested (walked it off back and forth) with the spudger without any problems. Just be very gentle, much like with anything inside laptops, they are very fragile and need to be worked with carefully. A+ instructions, battery replacement was a success.

Installed/upgraded 4gb RAM to the system maximum 16gb and installed a 500 gb SSD today....DID NOT disconnect the battery cable....no issues at all when I powered back up. Then did a clean install of OSX Yosemite....next I used a time machine backup to put all my stuff back on the new HD. From start to finish it took about 4 hours. Macbook boots up right at 16 seconds now.

Easiest to use two spudgers, one on each short end, I found.

I took off th Airport /Bluetooth connectors but the number J3 connector is broken and so where can i buy J3 connecter for the Airport/bluetooth board

Its a lot easier and safer (corner wise) to pry it using the flat side of the black spudger directly in front of the connector (don't go/use the corners) very easily you will be able to pry it further by inserting the spudger into a better and thicker plastic section of the connector

DON'T remove the Battery Cable, you risk the battery NOT being recognised when you start the Mac up again, or breaking it!! More to the point, APPLE DOES NOT RECOMMEND THIS, so don't do it! I Installed 2x 8GB ( 16Gb total) of Crucial Mac RAM at 1333Mhz for my Late 2011 MacBook Pro, and it works beautifully, fully recognised and working well. I followed these instructions, but as Apple didnt recommend disconnecting the battery, I skipped this step, and as well as taking less time, nothing was damaged or broken, and everything works perfectly!!! Just make sure that you DISCHARGE ALL STATIC ELECTRICITY FROM YOUR HANDS, by touching a metal surface in the Mac. Apple recommends the edge of the Optical Disk Drive ( Big silver thing ) before touching any parts. Also, Take care removing the RAM out of its packet, DO NOT touch the Gold connectors, and hold the RAM by the edges. Finally, be PATIENT, GENTLE and it should all go perfectly. I managed it first time, with no technical ability, so follow my advice. Good luck!

Followed the tuto Step by step. Disconnected the battery (quite easily).

No problem when I lit the Mac on again. Battery's here, date's right.

Definitely do this step. It's an easy disconnect anyway and also easy to reconnect later.

I removed the battery cable for the repair. When I plugged in the MagSafe adapter after the repair, the Mac turned on automatically without pressing the power button and I was a bit worried, but after a restart everything worked fine again. I did have to reset date and time in Preferences. The battery was recognized OK.

Okey, I skipped this battery disconnection part. Did not do anything like this before in my life, changing the cable was super easy!

The official Apple guide to replacing the RAM says nothing about disconnecting the battery but it does recommend touching metal inside to discharge static. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201165

I always do this when working on MacBooks (over ten years) and it never caused an issue. Don’t worry about this step as removal of the battery connector is simple. This particular connector is pretty much goof-proof as it won’t break. I’m fairly aggressive and just pop it off whenever I’m working on the Macbook Pro.

Hello!

Do I really need to use a spudger tool? Can’t I just use like two plectrums for guitar? xD

What are the changes of it broke when i bend it?, after i disconect it does not work anymore

The guide worked perfectly, as it has in the past (our family has three Mid-2012 Macbook Pros that have been separately upgraded with RAM and SSD).

The PH00 screwdriver fit perfectly.

One note on getting the screws to seat easily and thread perfectly...always turn them gently a couple turns to the left (CCW or Anti-Clockwise) until you hear a small click. That's where the threads will grab. Works with any screw, but when threads are fine, this will help ensure that the screw is at the correct angle and will grab and seat perfectly.

Great guides. Thanks!

Got RAM in but only one slot is working and now I can't remove! The RAM won't pop up like before and tabs don't seem to do anything. Please advise.

Followed the advice and right as I was installing the replacement fan , the socket broke right off the motherboard.

One other note: The screw heads fit flush with the curvature of the case -- which means that they aren't exactly horizontal. In other words, they aren't perpendicular to the table that the computer is resting on. Don't try to force them straight in vertically, because you'll risk cross-threading them. (nearly ruined one screw hole myself!)

does the battery connection need to be removed? I only ask as other videos etc have not shown this step.

Can the socket be soldered back if broken? Or am I screwed? Can I use the laptop without the fan?

I have the same question, looks like instead of "unplugging" these micro connections, I accidentally pried it off the Board instead. Harumph. Can these be fixed?

I successfully soldered the fan connector back on for a friend. I used a small soldering iron (maybe 6-10 watts) and ground the tip down to a very fine point. Also used a magnifying light and very fine rosin core solder. I took my time and lined everything up and was careful not to heat any other junction unnecessarily.

Yup. Be careful on this one. I was trying to gently pry up and popped it off the socket. Computer working fine after replacing magsafe board, but no fan for cooling…

This one is really delicate, as pointed out.  Be careful if using the pointed end of a spudger NOT to dig down and under ….there’s a layer of plastic-y insulation that can be torn.  I accidentally gored it with the pointy end of a spudger and it was slightly ripped.  Fortunately, I was able to press it down and there was no problem when the cable was reinserted.

For less than $16 I ordered a new fan from amazon. Fans eventually start making noise. If they fail, your system could expire from heat. Consider simply replacing your fan since this model is now about five years old. Here’s link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FWP...

I used a guitar pick and gently wiggled underneath to lift it up and out of the socket. no damage! woo hoo! on to step 7!

It would be helpful to have recommendations about how to clean the dust from inside. What places to direct the compressed air,

Forget the dust inside: replace the fan for about $15! Here’s what I ordered and it worked perfectly:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FWP...

Wah. My screws got rounded out and the old fan is stuck in now. Anybody have a solution to get them out without frying the logic board? It definitely seems as if locktite has been used here. Has anybody else found evidence to support that?

The camera cable head has bump at both sides. Just use two spudgers to pry it out.

Here's where the mid-2009 13" MacBook Pro 5,5 makes its first major departure from this guide. No such connection exists. At least nowhere I could find on the motherboard.

IIRC the official service manual suggests putting the blunt or wide edge of a black-stick/spudger underneath the cable and then pressing down on said cable to provide better gripping force while pulling the cable out/away from the connector. It’s my tried-and-true method of choice.

On the mid-2009 13" MacBook Pro 5,5 the Airport/Bluetooth cable is different from the other three cables in this step. It's fabric wrapped, and its connection works in a fashion more like the display data cable connection, although it does not have a lock that releases by pulling a tab back over the cable. So, to those of you who are repairing this model, be careful. Prying upward is not the way to remove this cable. I played with it until I could detect which parts were moving which way and why. Although I can't say with precision how the connection works, I removed it by gently coaxing slightly up at an angle and back along the plane of the optical drive. The idea is to pull the cable back out of its socket while lifting slightly.

Too bad we can't post photos in the comments.

David, thank you so much for the tape suggestion! A little Scotch tape just ended 15 minutes of eyes-widening frustration. :)

if the zif socket got fried which parts must be replaced?

i dont know what yall be talkin bout i just ripped the top part off and then i put some back tape voerit

works great!

After I put it all back together, the keyboard didn’t work; I traced it to this cable not being plugged in all the way. I used the tape trick to coax it all the way in to seat well and it works like a charm.

“Attach a piece of tape to the ribbon cable and make a tab so you can pull the cable into the socket. Use of a piece of tape that you can easily remove. Works like a charm.” <=== perhaps the best suggestion I’ve read in years!

The tape trick works. Since we’re in the middle of a home renovation project I used a piece of painters tape that was lying around. It doesn’t really stick to the cable but it just gives you that extra grip.

I had a hard time to reattach the keyboard cables, the tape trick just saved my life.

Just a random thing to add. My Mac would not boot without the keyboard ribbon being plugged in correctly.

Thanks for the tip about keyboard ribbon, saved me a major headache

The bottom of the small strip has excellent adhesive which will re-stick upon reassembly without any problems. I handled the sticky side and even stuck it to a plastic tray without any issues. Which is to say the sticky-ness does not seem to wear off.

The first time I reassembled the system I left this tiny ribbon connector under the logic board by accident. If your keyboard backlight no longer works after reassembly it’s because you forgot to reattach this small connector. Fortunately, I caught my mistake before securing the logic board screws. It’s an easy to miss item.

Hello Guys , I accidently Broke the Cable , is there a replacement for it?

the sleep sensor/battery indicator were not included with my new case, i had to transfer them over from my old case. once the battery is out (step 22), you can see the three screws you need to remove in order to take it out. it’s also secured by adhesive. the button for the battery indicator will likely fall out (at least it did on mine) when you remove the board, so be careful not to lose it…my new case did come with the button for the battery indicator (even though it didn’t come with the board or cable), but i just re-used the old one.

Its quite delicate, pull gently and it will pop out with a slight clicking sound

On my mid-2009 13" MacBook Pro 5,5 the display data cable was square with the motherboard, rather than at an angle. I'm not experienced with working on computer connections, but if I were going to describe this procedure, it would be more like:

"Grasp the plastic tab on the end of the display data cable connection, and pull it gently back over the cable, toward the DC-in board. The tab is connected to a flat rectangular 'ring' that locks the cable to its connection, and when you pull the tab, the rectangular lock will flip back over the cable, allowing the cable to be removed by pulling the same direction, parallel to the surface of the motherboard."

Probably a long shot but can this cable be replaced? I think i broke mine

Well i found the part at amazon. how to repair it is another thing. I have to ask for help from one on this one. because its booting to a whiet screen.

My display is not working after reassemble the mac.

Any reason?

My display is also not working after reassembly. External monitor works, but the internal display doesn't.

I choose not to remove this, just laid the board over. Worked just fine.

I used my phone to photograph the entire underside of the Macbook Pro before I started removing things. This photo helped augment the excellent photos here. Take a few close-ups of each section/item before disassembly to reference upon assembly.

when reattaching the display cable, i used the spudger to tuck the spongy top flap underneath the cable lock, so that i could then get the cable lock down the entire way. i couldn’t get it under there (and get the lock closed) without it, the top part of the display cable blocked it.

2 of the 7 (the two red ones on the right side in the image) seem really hard to remove. Is there something I'm missing, or do I just need to try harder?

lol @ eye widening frustration. i disabled the keyboard and track pad some how after trying discon my mic. i think its cuz i DID REMOVE BATTERY AND STICKER. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

For keeping the screws straight I drew a simple diagram and placed them on it head down/threads up in their respective positions. Then all screws went back into their original positions without any guess work. Another suggestion I have during assembly is to start the screws without torquing them all the way down - leave them a little loose to allow some adjustment of the logic board for getting them all to line up with their holes, then torque them down. This technique also works for the screws on the bottom cover/lower case.

Great guide! Saved me some dough, and now my MagSafe connector stays nice and cool.

There is only 2 4.3mm T6 on the left part of the logic board and 2 7.2mm T6 on the magsafe board. The 5 T6 left are 3.6mm

for me the two on the farthest left were the 4.3mm screws. otherwise all went as described

The last screw is the onde that's getting me. Been trying to take it out for half an hour...

The mic adhesive was the only adhesive which seemed diminished by disassembly. I don’t know what apple uses for internal adhesive but I finished the project wishing I had some to secure this mic assembly a little better.

Careful with this one. The wires are very thin fragile and it’s glued down very well making it extremely hard to remove. Just go slow and be patient otherwise you’ll damage the wires.

I am stuck here. When I lift the logic board, it doesn't come out. I don't want to force it out by fear of breaking it. Please help

I had the same issue. After wiggling the logic board back and forth and slowly applying more force, just up the threshold where I felt uncomfortable, it came out. The problem appeared to be caused by glue on the heatsink barcode sticking to the layer underneath.

Same experience here. I used a longish spudger slipped under the logic board to carefully separate the black backlight shield from the underside of the logic board. I suspect the processor and/or the GPU sticks the two together. Be careful and patient separating the backlight shiled...it is delicate..go slow and use minimal force...

It is heat not glue that caused the sticking...

I got the microphone cable out fine, but what I'm really struggling with is the camera cable - it doesn't seem to wanna come out and I don't want to force it because I know it's fragile. Anyone find a trick for this?

There is one flexible metal plate near each connector probably a grounding plate which can get bend while pulling out the logic board. I had one of them bend but fortunately it didn't break off.

I broke the black backlight shield.... be careful when you feel the logic board and the film underneath it seem stickinig togethre.

The magnetic MagSafe connector pins have a grey plastic frame which can be seen as you look at it from the outside, looking inwards at the port. This plastic frame eventually starts to crack and break-up over the years. It’s not a necessary part so if your MagSafe connector has broken grey plastic on the external end of the connector, remove the pieces as they’re there only for cosmetic reasons.

The fan exhaust grille was catching onto the speaker unit so I had to skip to step 28 to take it out. After taking out the airport card the speaker was able to move away from the fan grille and let me lift out the logic board.

Also be sure to lift up the logic board to a slight angle so it clears the optical drive then pull it out gently at that angle. Do not pull it ulwards.

Need to remove the heat sink for the GPU as well.