MacBook Core Duo Optical Drive Replacement

  • Author: iRobot
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Add Note x
  • x 67

Upgrade or replace the combo or SuperDrive (requires a slim drive).

Sections
Tools
Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Battery  ¶ 

  • Use a coin to rotate the battery-locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Lift the battery out of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 3 — Memory Cover  ¶ 

  • Remove the three evenly-spaced Phillips screws from along the rear wall of the battery compartment.

  • The screws are captive to the metal memory cover.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Lift up on L-shaped memory cover, slide it to the right, and lift it out of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 5 — Upper Case  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 3 screws:

    • One 11 mm Phillips #00 in the middle of the case.

    • Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00.

  • If the screws stick in the case, you can use a magnetized screwdriver to draw them out.

  • The shorter of the three screws goes in the middle.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 3 screws from the rear wall of the battery compartment:

    • Two 3 mm Phillips #00.

    • One 4 mm Phillips #00 on the right side.

  • When reinstalling these screws, it may be helpful to push down on the lower case to line up the screw holes.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Remove the two 6 mm Phillips #00 screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Remove the four 3 mm indicated Phillips #00 screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screw.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 4 screws from the back of the computer:

    • Two 7 mm Philips on the far sides.

    • Two 10.5 mm Phillips toward the center.

    • Do not over-tighten these; you can cause the case to distort.

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Add Note Edit Step 10  ¶ 

  • Remove the two 5.2 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws from the optical side of the computer.

  • It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the other side of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 11  ¶ 

  • Starting near the display and working around to the front of the computer, pry up on the upper case. It is held with clips on the right above the optical drive. These will release with some firm lifting pressure.

  • Be careful when prying up the upper case. It's very easy to slice open a fingertip and thus provide the blood sacrifice the Mac gods sometimes require of those who insist on doing their own repairs.

  • There's a trackpad and keyboard ribbon connecting the upper case to the logic board, so don't pull the upper case off entirely just yet.

  • If you have trouble getting the clips to release, be careful that you are not prying the plastic top of the upper case away from its metal frame.

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Add Note Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • While holding up the upper case, use a spudger to pry up the orange trackpad and keyboard cable from its connector.

  • If you happen to break your upper case cable when removing the upper case, we stock the cable individually and we have a guide that makes replacing it easy.

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Add Note Edit Step 13 — Optical Drive  ¶ 

  • Grasp the white plastic tab attached to the hard drive and pull it to the left, removing the hard drive from the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 14  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws from the front edge of the optical drive.

  • The shorter screw is recessed nearest the RAM modules.

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Add Note Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the orange optical drive ribbon cable from the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the newly-revealed display data cable. If there is no pull-tab on the top of the connector, it may be helpful to use a spudger to disconnect this connector.

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Add Note Edit Step 17  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the (once again) newly-revealed hard drive cable.

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Add Note Edit Step 18  ¶ 

  • Peel up the foil tape between the fan and the optical drive.

  • Remove the Phillips screw securing the display data cable to the metal framework.

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Add Note Edit Step 19  ¶ 

  • Pull up the display data cable from along the edge of the optical drive to reveal a silver Phillips screw.

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Add Note Edit Step 20  ¶ 

  • Remove the Phillips screw securing the optical drive.

  • The Bluetooth cable may be covering the screw; carefully push it aside before removing the screw.

  • Do not over-tighten this screw when re-mounting. You could break the plastic enclosure.

  • After removing the screw, push the metal tab backwards, towards the fan, to release the front of the optical drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 21  ¶ 

  • Lift the Bluetooth antenna board from the right side of the optical drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 22  ¶ 

  • Deroute the hard drive cable from along the front of the optical drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 23  ¶ 

  • Lift the front edge of the optical drive and slide it up and out of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 24 — Optical Drive Cable  ¶ 

  • Peel up the orange tape partially covering the orange optical drive cable.

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Add Note Edit Step 25  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the orange cable from the optical drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 26 — Optical Drive Replacement  ¶ 

  • Use a spudger to carefully pry the silver metal bracket off the left side of the optical drive. Be careful not to bend the bracket, as it is very thin and bends easily. If the bracket doesn't come free easily, heating the adhesive may make prying the bracket off easier.

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Add Note Edit Step 27  ¶ 

  • Peel up the L-shaped piece of black tape from the top of the drive.

  • You'll want to reapply this tape in the same position on your replacement drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 28  ¶ 

  • Peel up the silver foil tape from the optical drive.

  • You'll want to reapply this tape in the same position on your replacement drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 29  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the mounting bracket to the right side of the optical drive.

  • This bracket is designed to slide back and forth slightly, so don't tighten the screws so much that the bracket is unable to slide.

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Add Note Edit Step 30  ¶ 

  • Use a spudger to pry the gray Bluetooth antenna holder off the top of the optical drive.

  • You'll want to reapply this piece in the same position on your replacement drive.

  • If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

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

For more information, check out the MacBook Core Duo device page.

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