Skip to main content

Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive

What you need

  1. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Lower Case: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

    • Three 13.5 mm (14.1 mm) Phillips screws.

    • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

    • When removing these screws, note how they come out at a slight angle. They must be reinstalled the same way.

  2. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 2, image 1 of 1
    • Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.

    • Remove the lower case and set it aside.

  3. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Battery Connector: step 3, image 1 of 2 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Battery Connector: step 3, image 2 of 2
    • For certain repairs (e.g. hard drive), disconnecting the battery connector is not necessary but is recommended as it prevents any accidental shorting of electronics on the motherboard. If you do not disconnect the battery connector, please be careful as parts of the motherboard might be electrified.

    • Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.

    • It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to "walk" it out of its socket.

  4. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 4, image 1 of 1
    • Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

  5. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Optical Drive: step 5, image 1 of 1
    • Disconnect the camera cable connector from its socket on the logic board.

    • Do not lift up on the cable as you disconnect it from the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

  6. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 6, image 1 of 1
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth connector up from its socket on the logic board.

  7. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 7, image 1 of 1
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up from its socket on the logic board.

  8. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 8, image 1 of 2 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 8, image 2 of 2
    • Remove following two screws:

    • Take care, as these screws are unusually easy to strip. Apply firm pressure while unscrewing. Read comments before proceeding.

    • One 8.6 mm Phillips screw

    • One 3.9 mm Phillips screw

    • Carefully rotate the AirPort/Bluetooth board housing (with AirPort/Antenna cables still attached) out of the lower case.

  9. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 9, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the three 3.5 mm T6 Torx screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.

  10. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 10, image 1 of 1
    • Lift the optical drive near its connector and pull it away from the upper case to remove it from the computer.

  11. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Optical Drive Cable: step 11, image 1 of 2 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Optical Drive Cable: step 11, image 2 of 2
    • Pull the optical drive cable out of the optical drive.

    • Be sure to pull by the edges of the connector, not by the cable itself.

    • Remove the two black Phillips #0 screws securing the small metal mounting bracket. Transfer this bracket to your new optical drive or hard drive enclosure.

  12. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Dual Hard Drive: step 12, image 1 of 2 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive, Dual Hard Drive: step 12, image 2 of 2
    • Remove the plastic spacer from the optical bay hard drive enclosure by pressing in on one of the clips on either side and lifting it up and out of the enclosure.

  13. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 13, image 1 of 3 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 13, image 2 of 3 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 13, image 3 of 3
    • Make sure that the hard drive connectors are facing down before placing it into the enclosure.

    • Gently place the hard drive into the enclosure's hard drive slot.

    • While firmly holding the enclosure in place with one hand, use your other hand to press the hard drive into the enclosure connectors.

  14. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 14, image 1 of 2 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 14, image 2 of 2
    • Once the hard drive is snug, reinsert the plastic spacer while holding the hard drive against the bottom of the enclosure.

  15. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 15, image 1 of 2 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 15, image 2 of 2
    • Use two Phillips #1 screws to secure the drive to its enclosure.

  16. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 16, image 1 of 1
    • Attach the optical drive bracket to the new enclosure with two Phillips #0 screws.

    • Reconnect any cables you have removed from the original optical drive onto the optical bay enclosure.

  17. Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 17, image 1 of 3 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 17, image 2 of 3 Installing MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Dual Hard Drive: step 17, image 3 of 3
    • Don't ditch that drive! You can still use your optical drive externally with the help of our SATA Optical Drive USB Cable.

    • Align the cable's SATA connector with the drive's port and plug in securely.

    • Plug the USB connector into your laptop and your optical drive is ready for use.

Conclusion

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

151 other people completed this guide.

Jake Devincenzi

Member since: 04/18/11

117,207 Reputation

57 Guides authored

6 Comments

ho riscontrato problema all'hd collegato nell'optibay ...

fenixpoint - Reply

Usually there is a point in any project where I can say to myself (if no one else), "What idiot wrote this?" or "These instructions were clearly written for a different widget because I do not have the same Part A in figure 12!!!" There is also usually a place where the determination has to be made on whether I saved enough of the packaging to return the product and claim some deficiency and try to get my money back because I broke something or there was a "weird spark and resulting small fire." I've grown so accustomed to my own failure or instructions written by someone using Google as their sole translator into the English language, that i NEVER expect to really succeed with something like this. Incredibly well written and fool proof. Thank you for taking the time and getting it 100% dead-on right! FANTASTIC! You have restored my faith in humanity!

John Fitzgerald - Reply

from times to times my second hard drive in the optical drive / HDD adaptator no longer shows up as if it was disconnected. what to do with that ? I think its whenever inactive my mac forgets about it

Martin Bougaud - Reply

Caddy + 1TB hybryd drive installed

additional 500 GB ssd no problem trim enabled

Mac recognises caddy hdd as “Remote disc”

not seen in disk Utility even as hidden

formatted ok externaly & works fine same with original 750 hdd with os on ??

spins up but shows as remote disc & is inaccessible by any disk Utility or recovery programme

been on so many forums, no answer. Now seriously thinking it cannot be done.

Wont accept firmware updates

going to try installing back to matn lion then install firmware off that? Also got a hdd cable on order to try as a temporary measure as opposed to SATA ?

got another short opti SATA cable on order also just incase, I tried the insulation tape trick on the connector also?

Thats all my ideas used up after that, I think I will have covered just about everything possible?

any ideas

cheers in advance

Rich Tame - Reply

Easy to follow guide. Make sure to read all directions especially section 8! Maybe even check the comments at section 8 to make sure you don't mess your equipment up. Other than that it was a simple job using ifixit kit and took about 20 min. The optical drive works as an external drive. The old HDD is installed as a backup drive and the new SSD is installed as main boot drive. Good luck!

Yayna - Reply

Add Comment

View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 1

Past 7 Days: 21

Past 30 Days: 105

All Time: 132,548