Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 Airport Card

User-Contributed Guide

User-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

How to replace the airport card in a MacBook Pro 15" Unibody late 2008/early 2009.

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Sections
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Access Door  ¶ 

  • With the case closed, place the Unibody top-side down on a flat surface.

  • Depress the grooved side of the access door release latch enough to grab the free end. Lift the release latch until it is vertical.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • The access door should now be raised enough to lift it up and out of the Unibody.

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Add Note Edit Step 3 — Battery  ¶ 

  • Be sure the access door release latch is vertical before proceeding.

  • Grab the translucent plastic tab and pull the battery up and out of the Unibody.

  • If the latch is depressed it will lock the battery in place.

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Add Note Edit Step 4 — Lower Case  ¶ 

  • Remove the following eight screws securing the lower case to the chassis:

    • One 5.4 mm Phillips screw.

    • Three 14 mm Phillips screws.

    • Four 3.5 mm Phillips screws.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Using both hands, lift and remove the lower case off the upper case.

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Add Note Edit Step 6 — Display Assembly  ¶ 

  • If necessary, peel the EMI gasket off the camera cable connector.

  • Disconnect the camera cable by pulling the male end straight away from its socket toward the optical drive opening.

  • Do not try to lift this connector straight up off the board. Pull the connector parallel to the face of the logic board.

  • Deroute the camera data cable from the channel in the optical drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the camera cable bracket to the upper case.

  • The leftmost screw may remain captive in the camera cable.

  • Seperate the camera cable bracket from the camera cable and remove it from the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

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

  • Pull the LVDS connector straight away from its socket.

  • When disconnecting the LVDS cable, do not pull on the black tab secured to the LVDS cable lock. We recommend wiggling the cable while applying tension to slowly "walk" the connector out of its socket.

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