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MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement

What you need

  1. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement, Access Door: step 1, image 1 of 2 MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement, Access Door: step 1, image 2 of 2
    • 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.

  2. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1
    • The access door should now be raised enough to lift it up and out of the Unibody.

  3. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement, Battery: step 3, image 1 of 1
    • 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.

  4. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement, Lower Case: step 4, image 1 of 1
    • 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.

  5. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1
    • Using both hands, lift and remove the lower case off the upper case.

  6. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement, RAM: step 6, image 1 of 1
    • Release the tabs on each side of the chip by simultaneously pushing each tab away from the RAM.

    • These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to "pop" up.

  7. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Late 2008 and Early 2009 RAM Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1
    • After the RAM chip has popped up, pull it straight out of its socket.

    • Repeat this process if a second RAM chip is installed.

Conclusion

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

187 other people completed this guide.

10 Comments

Thank you ifixit. It was a breeze... 8Gb in the house... Best Regards

Bruno Perneta Correia - Reply

Hi Bruno!

Assuming you still have the MBP, I am curious to see what memory you installed to get 8 gigs. I just installed 2 X 4 gigs of Kingston PC3 106000 SODIM and my MBP does not want it. My tech assured me that if anything would do it, it was this memory.

Suggestions?

Thank you!

Ghislain

Ghislain -

As a breeze. Man, was my computer dirty! Now my computer feels like it's on amphetamines! Lol. So happy the pinwheels are gone. I can finally get work done and feel right about charging my clients hourly!

jayalovevibes - Reply

Thanks ifixit ... Easy reward & proud 8GB working power.

Tiny note: I wasn't sure weather or not it is important (or not) to remove the stickers from my 2 x 4GB RAM modules - I left the stickers on and it seems all running happily.

Grit - Reply

Installed 8GB of RAM without problems. :)

Been wondering if this system would support 16GB though, given that appropriate modules seem to be on the market, that it has a 64 bit EFI and that the never versions of OS X, booted in the 64 bit kernel (which has been the default mode for a few years, now) obviously support that and moreā€¦

jack - Reply

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