Step 1: Battery
Step 2: Ram Shield
Steps 3–9: Upper Case
Steps 10–24: Upper Case Replacement
Parts
MacBook Pro 15" (Model A1226) Upper Case
$249.95 · 6 in stock
MacBook Pro 15" (Model A1260) Upper Case
$299.95 · 1 in stock
Tools
Phillips #00 Screwdriver
$4.95 · 990 in stock
Spudger
$2.95 · 151 in stock
T6 Torx Screwdriver
$4.95 · 380 in stock
Installing MacBook Pro 15" Core 2 Duo Models A1226 and A1260 Upper Case Replacement
Introduction
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
|---|
The ins and outs of replacing your upper case.
Tools used in this guide
Parts relevant to this guide
Paginated Single Page Steps
Step 1
—
Battery
Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery, and lift the battery out of the computer.
Step 2
—
Ram Shield
Remove the three identical Phillips screws from the memory door.
Lift the memory door up enough to grip it and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.
Step 3
—
Upper Case
Remove the two Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch.
this part is actually called the "top case", and is referenced as such in Apple's part numbers and take-apart guides.
Before start, make a clone of your old HD into the new one, if you don't want to initiate a fresh copy. (Carbon Copy software is good).
What is this about removing the PRAM battery causing a reinitializatio
Wait, I misunderstood you. I thought the comment was directed at the PRAM battery removal page. Silly me.
Nevermind. Yes, it is always a good idea to backup one's data before doing stuff like this. I never do, and have never had any problems, but it's still a good idea.
The two screws removed in step 3 should not be mixed with screws in steps 5 through 7. Though similar, they are actually slightly shorter and have a bigger head. If you put the longer screws back in here when reassembling, the button to unlatch the top will not work properly.