How to Disassemble a Macbook

At some point during the lifetime of your Macbook, you may find that you need to replace parts. Perhaps the memory has gone bad, or you need to replace the CPU or a non-working fan. Taking your Macbook to a certified Apple repair service can be time-consuming and costly. If you learn how to disassemble your Macbook yourself, you can take it apart and make many of those needed repairs on your own.

Things You'll Need

• Spudger
• Phillips screwdriver
• Torx screwdriver
• Electrostatic wrist band
• Antistatic bags

Instructions

1. Lay your Macbook face down on a table. Disconnect the power cable. Remove the battery by inserting your spudger (nylon tool used to pry apart computer components) into the battery lock and turning it to the right. This will pop up the battery. Grab the battery and slide it out of the battery bay.

2. Remove the "L" bracket, located along the top of the battery bay. Remove the screws holding it in place and slide it out of the bay.

3. Remove the memory modules and hard drive. Once you have remove the "L" bracket, one or two metal levers should be visible. These are the locking switches for the memory modules. Flip the levers and the memory modules will pop out. Grab the modules by the sides to remove them. The hard drive is located in the left side of the battery bay. Grab the plastic tab and pull it out and away from the Macbook. the hard drive will slide out.

4. Remove the top cover. To remove it, remove the screws located inside the battery bay as well as the screws on the bottom and along the edges of the Macbook. Starting with the corners, pry the top cover off of the Macbook base. Lift it up slightly and disconnect the trackpad cable from the motherboard. This reveals the major internal components of the Macbook.

5. Remove the screws holding the optical drive in place. Disconnect the optical drive cable from the motherboard. This will reveal the display cable that you must also disconnect from the motherboard. If you have a hard time reaching the cables, use your spudger to loosen the connections.

6. Disconnect the hard drive cable underneath the disconnected display cable. Remove the screw holding the speaker cable in place and hold all of the cables out of the way. This reveals one final screw that you must remove before you can remove the optical drive. Lift the drive straight up to remove it.

7. Remove the Airport Extreme card. The card is located on the left side of the motherboard. Disconnect the three cables connecting it to the motherboard. Remove the screws holding it in place and lift the card straight up to remove it.

8. Remove the battery cable. Remove the single screw holding the battery cable connector in place. Remove the retainer clip and disconnect the battery cable. Remove the two screws holding the battery board in place and remove the battery board.

9. Disconnect the inverter cable running from the display to the motherboard. Remove the screw on the vent assembly, the screw holding down the black speaker and the screw holding the silver metal clasp on the right side of the Macbook. Use your spudger to lift up on the tab located on the vent assembly. While lifting up on the tab, pull on the silver metal clasp to remove it.

10. Disconnect the iSight cable, located in the battery bay and remove the screws holding the display cable in place. Remove the screws from the display hinges and slide the display assembly off of the Macbook base.

11. Remove the Bluetooth board, located on the right side of the motherboard. Use your spudger to pry up the board and disconnect the cables attaching it to the motherboard. Disconnect the cable connecting the right speaker to the motherboard. Remove the screws holding the right speaker/subwoofer assembly in place and lift them up and out of the Macbook base. Do the same for the left speaker.

12. Remove the fan assembly in the upper right corner of the motherboard by removing the screws that hold it in place. Use your spudger to pry up the fan assembly and remove it from the motherboard. Remove the heat sink, located next to the fan, by removing the screws holding it in place. Disconnect the temperature sensors from the motherboard and use your spudger to pry it up and off of the board.

13. Remove the motherboard. Remove the the two screws in the top left corner of the motherboard holding the motherboard bracket in place. Lift it up and move it underneath the MagSafe cable to remove it. Remove the remaining screws holding the motherboard in place and lift it up and out of the Macbook base.

Tips & Warnings

• Place any removed components in antistatic bags until you are ready to replace or reinstall them.

• Avoid working on carpet and wear an electrostatic wrist band at all times to prevent static electricity from damaging your Macbook.

• Disassembling your Macbook will void the warranty, so if it's still under one, consider having Apple make the repairs.

References

• Powerbook Medic: Macbook Manual