Fix Your Stuff Community Store

1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache

371 Questions View all
Question Closed

Options

What is the purpose of the tab on the bottom cover?

There is a tab on the inside of the bottom cover of my macbook air. It appears to fit into a slot (interlock?) on the battery. The slot appeared to have some physical damage from a recent airline flight (macbook in overhead bin) and I'm wondering if this is why the unit won't come on at all (dead, no beeps or anything although charger plugged in shows battery as "charged." Is this some kind of case interlock to remove power from the unit when the bottom cover is removed?

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

Is this a good question?

Yes No
Score 0
Add a comment

1 Answer

Filter by:
Most Helpful Newest Oldest
Chosen Solution

Options

It helps maintain the correct space internally. It helps protect the hard drive cable in some models. It has nothing to do with power or lack of. Youe machine should boot with or without it. Remove the bottom cover and try to boot to see if it was shorting anything out.

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 2

1 Comment:

Thanks. Makes sense. I ordered a replacement battery to see if it made a difference since that was the part that was visibly damaged. Worst case I'll have a spare for my other daughter's Macbook Air and it only cost me $30 on eBay ;-)

If the system board is kaput then I'm better off just buying her another new Air rather than trying to fix this one. That "slot" in the battery sure has some curious moving parts for just being an opening for a stiffening post but I can see how that would help keep the bottom from being pushed up into the innards.

by

Add a comment
View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 0

Past 7 Days: 0

Past 30 Days: 0

All Time: 101