My Problem

The left fan of my girlfriend's Macbook Pro 15" A1226 started making a loud rattling/grinding noise. You could imagine how distracting and annoying this this was.

My Fix

The repair went very smoothly. Took about 30 mins from start to finish.

My Advice

I followed iFix's guide to a T but Instead of replacing the fan I disassembled it, cleaned out any debris and applied lubrication with RadioShack's Needle-Tip Precision Lubricator to the axle. WD-40 would've worked just as well. Problem solved.

My Problem

My MacBook was showing the 'Service Battery' alert. I asked for a quote from an Apple repair store who were going to charge almost $300 for a 10 minute job.

My Fix

Repair was simple. No worries at all and all of the tools worked perfectly.

My Advice

Replacing the battery is incredibly easy. If you're able to, never settle for the heavily overpriced repair stores. There are plenty of sources online to buy replacement batteries including on ifixit but ifixit also have all the necessary tools to carry out the repair.

My Problem

5400RPM HDD was just not cutting it anymore.

My Fix

The process was fantastic! The actual HD swap was less than an hour and went without incident!

I then uploaded Lion via a USB that I'd made when it came out. That went fairly quickly and also without incident!

I then restored from a backup from my Time Machine and selected the files that I wanted. The hardest part was waiting for all the files to transfer which took about 2 hours.

My Advice

Have all the tools you need before you get started.

Make sure you have anti-static mat and bracelet.

Don't forget to partition the hard drive in the correct format before you start! I have a SATA/IDE to USB Adapter (Vantec) which made the process a lot easier. I just plugged it in before I started and partitioned it first.

Maybe don't restore from a backup over wireless. I started it and didn't want to stop in the middle of it, but I thought it would most likely be a lot faster had I just plugged it in.

My Problem

Lock/Power Button wouldn't function. Think of it as one of those useless snap buttons on your jeans, except the protruding part had worn away in less than 2 years.

My Fix

Needed to take a couple breaks do to frustration and my lack of patience, but a success in the end.

My Advice

When you take apart your phone, put the pieces on a sheet of paper labeled; step one, step two, etc. It makes it easier to put it back together.

My Problem

My original home button would require significant amounts of force in order for it to be functional.

My Fix

It well very well. At first, the provided Phillips screwdriver did not work for the battery enclosure screw, so I bought the 26 bit kit. Then, I finally was able to pry open everything. The display assembly took sometime, but with some patience and extra force, I was able to take it apart. The vibrator motor didnt work after the repair, but that was quickly fixed as well.

My Advice

patience!

My Problem

I to wanted boost performance by adding an SSD (though I went for a Hybrid in the end since the SSDs are still pretty pricey).

My Fix

The only problem I had was getting the antenna plate back in. I could only get one side fully slotted in. I took it apart & reassembled multiple times but it just wouldn't fit. In the end I simply left one screw out. Annoying but what can you do.

My Advice

Get some post-it's, write a step number from the ifixit guide on each and stick them to (or under if your working on a table without any sort of tray) each part as you remove them. Since the guide doesn't show you how to reassemble this makes it easy to simply look through the guide in reverse and reach each part as you come to the step number it's labelled with.

My Problem

The Hard Drive was small and getting slow.

My Fix

Using the guide at iFixit it was easier than I thought it would be.

My Advice

It went smoothly but I was glad that I had a full back-up in case. Taking the glass off with the suction cups was fun but it was tricky to keep the dust off when putting it back on.

My Problem

Son's Story: A thrown rock magically struck the back panel of the top screen, making a spiderweb pattern on the LCD.

My Fix

Found a replacement screen online for $36. Slowly but surely, your detailed instructions were invaluable. I coached my 12 yr. old son throughout (since he had ownership) and he did great! The spudger and driver kit served perfectly. Sorry no pics. It took 2 days but only a total of about 3-4 hours. I assisted when necessary - like using the wrist-strap - and the end result is a next to new 3DS. It was broke for a month and when he happily showed the repaired game, the neighborhood kids called him a liar and thought he got a new one!

My Advice

Beware when arranging the ribbon cables through the hinge. Look where they are going to be finally connected. I had to delicately rearrange them mid-way while assembling. Pain. Also, from the start, we had separate containers for each major step to hold the screws and components together so they wouldn't be confused. Aircraft Avionic Maintenance RULES! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My Problem

The keyboard had some water damage because my wife always uses it in the kitchen, she was really sad when her keyboard stopped working, so It was time for me to get into my DIY mode and fix it for her =)

My Fix

The repair was easier than expected, the manual and the video from the site were easy to follow and they were of great help. I took the mac apart and put it back in no time =)

My Advice

Keep your screws organized because THERE ARE A LOT OF SCREWS. I have some small containers (like the ones you use in the kitchen to put spices and stuff) and whenever I would take a part out (battery, speaker, fan) I would keep the screws separate from each other.

My Problem

Constantly looking at those old scratched out serial numbers on Apple products is a nightmare, but with the ability to add light and a very magnified glass to read it, it's a breeze. I totally recommend the loupe. It's a little heavy, but it has the cover to protect it and tuck it in, as well as the little hook so you can try to hand it to a key right.

My Fix

Was able to spot counterfeit products immediately.

My Advice

Will need to have a utility belt to carry this loupe around. It's heavy but very convenient.