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MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement

Introduction

You can install hard drives up to 9.5mm thick.

What you need

  1. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement, Battery: step 1, image 1 of 1

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

    Edit

  2. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the battery out of the computer.

    Edit

  3. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement, Memory Cover: step 3, image 1 of 1

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

    • The screws are captive to the metal memory cover so you cannot lose them.

    • Using The Flexible Extension sold by iFixit will help with this step.

    Edit

  5. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • Grasp the right end of the L-shaped memory cover, then pull it towards you so it clears the battery compartment opening.

    • Lift the memory cover up and out of the computer.

    Edit

  6. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement, Hard Drive: step 5, image 1 of 1

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

    • The hard drive goes back into its compartment with the label facing down.

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  7. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement, Hard Drive: step 6, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two black T8 Torx screws securing the silver bracket to the hard drive.

    • There are two types of screws on this caddy: one with a flange below the head of the screw, and one without. Make note that the screws without the flange go in the two holes closest to the SATA connector.

    Edit

  8. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • Rotate the hard drive and remove the two black T8 Torx screws on the other side of the drive.

    Edit

  9. MacBook Core 2 Duo Hard Drive Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the silver metal hard drive bracket off the hard drive.

    • You'll need to transfer this metal bracket to your new hard drive.

    • If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

    Edit
Conclusion

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

869 other people completed this guide.

Author

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iRobot

Member since: 09/24/09

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30 Comments

This upgrade is so easy. Just do it. Even your dad could do this.

After the upgrade to a 320 GB 7200 rpm, the MacBook (1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo A1181, with 2 GB of ram) works like a new computer. However, the fan comes on so easy - and stays on forever. Is this due to the increased speed of the hard drive? Is there a way to turn down the hard drive speed when used on AC power?

suselfunk - Reply

The rubber guide came off on mine too. The mistake is that the screws without the flanges go on the outside edge of the Mac and the flange ones towards the inside. If you do it backwards it will pull the rubber guide off and then an otherwise effortless install will take a while longer to complete.

MarkBookPro - Reply

it's really easy to do this - there's no need to pay someone else! thanks for this awesome tutorial.

andreahull - Reply

Very simple and easy! The biggest challenge was the walk to Radio Shack in cold weather to go get a !#!@ torx! The OSX installation guide was also a big help.

rsimmons1980 - Reply

Bought a Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 (128 GB SSD), removal was quick and easy. This was my wife's mac, I personally do not own Apple products. My challenge was that I had to erase the drive (which in the process re-formats the ssd) which got the install up and running.

russcrandall - Reply

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