Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 Heat Sink

  • Add Note x
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The heat sink helps keep the processor cool and happy.

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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 — Mid Wall  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 5 screws securing the mid wall to the upper case:

    • Three 10.5 mm Phillips screws.

    • Two 3.7 mm Phillips screws.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Lift the mid wall out of the upper case.

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Add Note Edit Step 8 — Logic Board  ¶ 

  • Remove the following six screws securing both the right fan and the left fan to the logic board:

    • Four 3.5 mm Phillips screws.

    • Two 3.2 mm Phillips screws.

  • Use a spudger to pry both the right fan and left fan connectors straight up and out of their sockets on the logic board.

  • It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.

  • The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Lift both fans out of the upper case.

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Add Note Edit Step 10  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the camera cable by pulling the male end straight away from its socket.

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Add Note Edit Step 11  ¶ 

  • Use a spudger to pry the optical drive connector straight up off the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • If necessary, peel off the foam bumper covering the subwoofer connector.

  • Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the subwoofer connector straight up off the logic board.

  • Be very careful. This connector is delicate, and can be easily broken off the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector straight up off the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 14  ¶ 

  • Use a spudger to pry the trackpad connector straight up off the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Using the tip of a spudger, flip up the IR/sleep LED ribbon cable retaining flap.

  • Pull the IR/sleep LED ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

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Add Note Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the battery indicator light connector straight up off the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 17  ¶ 

  • Using the tip of a spudger, flip up the keyboard ribbon cable retaining flap.

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

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Add Note Edit Step 18  ¶ 

  • Using the tip of a spudger, flip up the express card cage ribbon cable retaining flap.

  • Pull the express card cage ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

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Add Note Edit Step 19  ¶ 

  • Using the flat end of a spudger, pry the microphone cable connector straight up off the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 20  ¶ 

  • 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 connector straight away from its socket.

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

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Add Note Edit Step 21  ¶ 

  • Locate the keyboard backlight ribbon cable (near the left fan space).

  • Using the tip of a spudger, flip up the keyboard backlight ribbon cable retaining flap.

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

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Add Note Edit Step 22  ¶ 

  • Remove seven 3.2 mm Phillips screws securing the logic board to the upper case.

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

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Add Note Edit Step 23  ¶ 

  • Remove two 7 mm Phillips screws securing the DC-in board to the upper case.

  • Note: This step is not completely necessary, but it will make it easier to disconnect the cable that is connected to the DC-in board.

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Add Note Edit Step 24  ¶ 

  • Remove two 3.5 mm Phillips screws securing the bottom case clip to the upper case.

  • Lift the bottom case clip out of the upper case.

  • Some MacBook Pro Unibodies do not have a bottom case clip and do not require this step.

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Add Note Edit Step 25  ¶ 

  • 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!

  • Ensure that the logic board is free from all connections to the upper case (except the battery connector) before proceeding.

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Add Note Edit Step 26  ¶ 

  • Lift the logic board enough to grab the battery connector and pull it straight away from its socket on the logic board.

  • Lift the logic board assembly out of the upper case.

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Add Note Edit Step 27 — Heat Sink  ¶ 

  • Remove eight 8.4 mm Phillips screws securing the heat sink to the logic board.

  • A spring is held under each of these screws.

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Add Note Edit Step 28  ¶ 

  • Use the tip of a spudger to pry the thermal sensor connector up off the logic board.

  • This connector is especially delicate, so be sure to use extreme caution when removing it.

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Add Note Edit Step 29  ¶ 

  • Gently lift the heat sink off the logic board.

  • If you need to mount the heat sink back into the laptop, we have a thermal paste guide that makes replacing the thermal compound easy.

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

For more information, check out the MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 device page.

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Required Tools

Spudger

$2.95 · 50+ in stock

Phillips #00 Screwdriver

$4.95 · 50+ in stock

Arctic Silver Thermal Paste

$8.95 · 50+ in stock

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MacBook Pro 15" Unibody (Late 2008/Early 2009) Heat Sink

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