MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Logic Board Replacement

Written By: Walter Galan
  • Comments: 39
MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Logic Board Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

17

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

  1. XYgKyyR4VJlGpVcv

    • Remove the three T6 Torx screws securing the right fan to the upper case.

    on my screwdriver set, the T6 screw driver felt wobbly. It felt like I would strip the screw if not careful. So I used a T7 screw driver, and it was much more snug.

    Bryan Chun -

    Same here. T6 did not fit at all. Too small.

    Bummer. Will have to screw my MBP back together and get a T7 on Monday…

    Oliver Nielsen -

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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right fan connector up 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.

    • Remove the right fan from the upper case.

    There is no way to reconnect the fan cable. It looks like it was soldered onto the logic board. I disconnected it and can't reconnect it.

    Has this happened to anyone else.

    Vicki -

    Vicki, you tore the connector off the board. They can be re-soldered if you are very careful/skilled with a soldering iron, but that is not something that you should try to do if you haven't soldered SMD components before.

    rcoleskelton -

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

    • Fold the AirPort / Bluetooth ribbon cable back to keep it out of the way of the logic board.

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    • Disconnect the iSight cable by pulling its connector toward the optical drive opening.

    I was afraid to pull too hard, but wiggling it worked! :)

    Mark -

    This is NOT good advice, ifixit! You should never pull a cable but rather pull or push its connector. In this case, it went well for me the first time, but the second time I pulled the cable out of its connector and now my iSight camera is not working anymore. Thanks, ifixit. Not!

    Rather, use plastic (so you don’t short-circuit anything) tweezers or two tooth-picks or so and push the connector out of its socket.

    That’s actually who it’s described in Apples repair manual for this device that — I think — I also found on this webpage somewhere.

    So: PUSH, don’t pull!

    Colonel Task -

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

    • Fold the optical drive cable back to keep it out of the way of the logic board.

    hello i just installed a brand new logic board in my mac, in my mac i have replaced the cd drive with an second ssd - but when i turn the mac on, the OS cant find the second ssd, the cable is in (it clicks in) - does anybody know how to fix this or ?

    Best regards Mathias

    mathiastondering -

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    • Carefully pull the subwoofer/right speaker cable up to lift its connector out of its socket on the logic board.

    Same problem as with step 11. I pried up the connector as shown and can't reconnect it. It looks like it may have been soldered to the logic board. How can this be fixed?

    Vicki -

    The only problem that I face on substituting the top case was when I tried to connect the subwoofer connector to the socket on the logic board. I did some tentatives but on the last the socket on the logic board I suppose unsoldered. Some suggestions?

    Thanks

    Paolo Sperati

    paolosperati63 -

    I did step 16 (disconnecting the hard drive cable) first and then came back to this step - worked for me

    Colin White -

    This connector is just like the ones used for the fans (but has a cushion-like protection over it). Just take it apart just like in steps 8 and 11.

    Andres Lartitegui -

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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

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    • Remove the two short Phillips screws securing the small EMI shield to the logic board.

    • Remove the EMI shield from the logic board.

    Mine was stuck to the Keyboard Ribbon Cable; needed an extra pull, but it's safe and should come off - it's not attached to anything. :)

    Mark -

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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the trackpad cable connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

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    • Use your fingernail to carefully flip up the keyboard ribbon cable retaining flap.

    • Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Use the tip of a spudger to pull the keyboard ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

    How will I know I have inserted the keyboard ribbon successfully? After installing a new upper case I can't seem to get the keyboard ribbon to stay in its socket. Or does the EMI sheild hold it in place?

    Cem Catikkas -

    Ditto. It seems very tricky to reinsert the keyboard ribbon.

    GrooveStomp -

    I just did this - it is kinda tricky. The ribbon cable has a flap on top that is designed solely to help you coax the cable back into the socket....don't make the mistake I did and spend an hour trying to feed this flap through the socket. What worked for me was a combination of using the flap with my fingers and tweezers on the actual cable to reinsert it into the socket. Took a few tries, but I got the cable re-inserted, pressed down on the tiny locking thing, and the keyboard cable was in and secured.

    dave -

    Indeed, it is difficult to insert the keyboard ribbon cable. It will stop after about 1mm of insertion. It needs to go in quite a bit further. Angling it slightly, you may be able to get a corner to go in, then straighten the ribbon while applying forward pressure. I reassembled it a few times with that sinking feeling on startup before I realized that it wasn't really making contact!

    dennishodge -

    I've replaced the keyboard, so reinserting the ribbon was particularly tricky. After several failed attempts, here's what finally dawned on me... I took a piece of scotch tape, maybe an inch long. I folded on end on itself, maybe a quarter inch from the top. That left a sticky zone and a non-sticky zone on the tape. I taped it to the ribbon, and was able to use the tape and a "handle" to pull the ribbon into the socket. Afterwards, I carefully removed the tape without pulling the ribbon out of the socket.

    Bryan Chun -

    This was the hardest part for me. Be sure you flip the release flap up before removing or re-inserting.

    Jonathan Daiello -

    This might be obvious to some, but for those for whom it is not, this info is very important. First: only the ribbon is what needs to be pulled out (and inserted later on) not any of the black plastic casing. Second: before you try to pull the ribbon out, you need to flip up the release flap so its vertical (this is the thin black part that is located on the top edge of the black casing). If you don’t do this you will damage the casing or the ribbon or both.

    Greg -

    Vraiment dommage que ce point de blocage très sensible ne soit pas plus développer, il peut compromettre tout le travail et l’état de la machine, c’est la grosse erreur de ce tuto.

    Pour l’instant, je ne suis pas parvenu à retirer ce connecteur et je crains que l’impatience me fasse commettre une erreur irréparable.

    pc-design -

    the flap mentionned is the plastic part the most far to the ribbon, not the part where the finger seem to be pulling. The flap comes off easily.

    Paraita Wohler -

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    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the battery indicator cable connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

    Can anyone tell me what the little gold-colored button or switch is on the left side of the cab let connector?

    michael crawford -

    On mine, the plastic tab was almost completely hidden under some fabric-like tape on top of connector.

    Make sure to grab only the glossy plastic tab and pull it up, which rotates upward a metal hinge on the removable part of the connector. That metal hinge is then used as a handle to pull the connector straight out (flat) toward MagSafe.

    I didn’t see the plastic tab, and first pulled up the tape. That caused the metal hinge to pop off. Upon close inspection, it was easy to see where the hinge attached at each end to the top assembly. whew!

    prreitz -

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

    • Pull the display data cable straight out of its socket.

    • Do not pull the cable upward, as the socket is very fragile. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the corner of the upper case.

    One of the chips in this image was covered in glue. when I flipped the data cable clip, the glue plus encased chip popped right off the board. Does anyone know what chip this is? Without it, my Mac plays the startup chime, but the screen is black. The backlight is on, but it just displays black.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/befonnaz125fn9...

    Jon -

    I did the exact same thing. I still have the tiny chip. Is there a way to glue it back on or will I need a new logic board now?

    Louis Adams -

    There's a bracket / handle clip attached to the display port. I didn't know it was there and accidentally bent it off. Can't get it back on, but it seems to work OK without it.

    Bryan Chun -

    The pull tab has a small rectangular frame. I used this to gently pull out the plug with both hands, rather than pulling on the cable like in the photo. This worked well.

    Bryan Kring -

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    • Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable socket.

    • Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Pull the keyboard ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

    I couldn’t see the flap as mine was already popped up. Try looking at it from the side to get a better view of the state of yours.

    Cyrille -

    broke it! be really careful

    zoharargaman -

    I did too. The whole connector actually popped off the board. Were you able to fix yours?

    Dylan -

    I posted a question on this as well. I have an Early 2013 Macbook Retina, and I accidentally popped off the flex cable connectors to the fans. From doing some research, it seems like you can solder it back on but I have no experience in that. Would anyone know where to start, and where to get the tools?

    Tif -

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    • Remove the following screws:

    • Seven 3.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing the logic board to the upper case.

    • Two 8 mm T6 Torx screws securing the DC-In board to the upper case.

    • Do not remove the logic board yet! There are components on the underside of the logic board attached to the the upper case that must first be disconnected.

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    • Carefully lift the logic board assembly from the left side and work it out of the upper case, minding the port side that may get caught during removal.

    • Do not entirely remove the logic board yet!

    I just took one apart that had some pretty strong adhesive holding the speaker onto the upper case. I had to slip a spudger underneath and pry it up, else it was going to overly bend the mobo before it would release.

    jkamis -

    My board was stuck to the bottom plastic. I had to gently release it by pushing the black plastic beneath the board down, while carefully moving the board upward.

    Jonathan Daiello -

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    • Lift the logic board enough to gain clearance and use a spudger to pry the microphone up off the upper case.

    On this step, the microphone was attached to the board so the whole unit lifted off easily.

    seandodd -

    Mine was too; it was part of the speaker assembly, a much better arrangement.

    maccentric -

    me too on model number A1286

    mid 2009

    15 inch

    Balloon Wrangler -

    I have a Mid 2010 15 inch and had one more connection in the corner that needed to be removed, so be careful!!

    Scott Hopper -

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    • Slide the logic board away from the port openings and lift the assembly out of the upper case.

    • Before reinstalling the logic board, it is easiest to press the microphone down into its housing in the left speaker to keep it in place.

    • To avoid ESD damage, be sure to lay your logic board on a soft, static free surface during service.

    After prying off the mic from the top case and carefully lifting the logic board, I realized there was still a wire connected near the display connector, under the board. I was able to disconnect it but I'm wondering if I missed something or if this cable is missing from the instructions. The wire was connected under the board so it could not be disconnected before removing the board.

    Laurent Daudelin -

    This is the magsafe cable. Step 23 details removing the torx screws holding the magsafe board in place. If you remove the screws, you don't need to remove the cable.

    supersuade -

Conclusion

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

Author

Walter Galan

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