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MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement

Introduction

This motherboard includes all ports on the right side.

What you need

  1. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement, Battery: step 1, image 1 of 1

    • Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery, and lift the battery out of the computer.

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  2. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement, Memory Door: step 2, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the three identical Phillips screws from the memory door.

    • Make sure to record which sets of screws came from where. This will help when re-assembling.

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  3. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

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  4. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement, Upper Case: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch.

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  5. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following 6 screws:

    • Two 10 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.

    • Four 14.5 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

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  6. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the four Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

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  7. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

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  8. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

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  9. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 1

    • Do not yank the upper case off quickly. The case is attached to the logic board via a ribbon cable.

    • Lift up at the rear of the case and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case. This stage can be quite tricky. Over the DVD reader are 4 tabs set back which pull out vertically.

    • Note that the two small tongues on the left hand front of the upper case may bend while you remove the upper case. When re-installing, you may need to bend them back to fit in the grooves in the lower case.

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  10. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

    • Remove the upper case.

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  12. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement, Optical Drive: step 11, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the orange SuperDrive ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

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  13. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following 3 screws:

    • Two 3.3 mm silver Phillips screws on either side of the SuperDrive.

    • One 4.8 mm black Phillips screw at the top right corner of the drive.

    • The 4.8mm screw may be a T6 Torx

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  14. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the optical drive up and out of the computer.

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  15. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement, Logic Board: step 14, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the hard drive and ExpressCard connectors from the left side of the logic board.

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  16. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the eight indicated connectors from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

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  17. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 1

    • Use a spudger to flip up the brown plastic flap securing the left ambient light sensor cable to the logic board.

    • Slide the left ambient light sensor cable to the left and out of its connector.

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  18. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 17, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the silver T6 Torx screw securing the ground loop on the display data cable to the casing.

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  19. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the single silver T6 Torx screw securing the clear plastic shield over the right ambient light sensor.

    • Lift the clear plastic shield off the right ambient light sensor.

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  20. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 19, image 1 of 1

    • Peel up the orange Kapton tape securing the right thermal sensor cable to the logic board.

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  21. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 20, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following 16 screws, moving cables as necessary:

    • One 4.4 mm black Phillips screw to the right of the RAM slot.

    • Nine 4.7 mm silver T6 Torx screws securing the logic board to the lower case.

    • One 6.2 mm black T6 Torx screw on the right side of the left fan.

    • Five 9.4 mm silver T6 Torx screws securing the left and right fans.

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  22. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 21, image 1 of 1

    • Move the display data cable to the right, removing tape as necessary.

    • Peel up and remove the orange foil shield near the right speaker.

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  23. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 22, image 1 of 1

    • Rotate the speaker clockwise approximately 30 degrees until it comes free from the logic board.

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  24. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 23, image 1 of 1

    • Peel up the gray and black speaker wires from the top of the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

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  25. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 24, image 1 of 1

    • Peel up the iSight and inverter board cables from above the left fan.

    • Hold the logic board down with one hand and use your other hand to lift the left fan up from its housing. There is a piece of black tape securing the fan to the heat sink. Carefully peel this tape up from the heat sink as you lift the fan up.

    • Place the fan above the Airport card. It is not necessary to entirely remove the fan from the computer.

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  26. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 25, image 1 of 1

    • It may be helpful to hold the heat sink in place while removing the right fan.

    • Lift the right fan up while carefully peeling up the tape which secures the fan to the heat sink.

    • Remove the right fan from the computer.

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  27. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 26, image 1 of 1

    • Lift up the left side of the logic board and disconnect the multi-colored power cable from the bottom of the board.

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  28. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 27, image 1 of 1

    • The logic board is still attached to the computer by one more cable, so don't lift the logic board too far out of the computer yet.

    • Grasp the logic board at the left side and at the thin section, and rotate the logic board out of the lower case.

    • To properly reassemble your MacBook Pro, you'll have to clean off and replace the old thermal compound from the chips on the back of the logic board. Use our Applying Thermal Paste Guide to prepare the processor and heat sink surfaces.

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  29. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement: step 28, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the right thermal sensor cable from the bottom of the logic board near the DVI port.

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  30. MacBook Pro 15" Core Duo Model A1150 Logic Board Replacement, Logic Board: step 29, image 1 of 1

    • Release the tabs on each side of the RAM chip at the same time. These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to "pop" up.

    • Pull the chip directly out from its connector.

    • If there are two RAM chips installed, repeat the above procedure for the second chip.

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Conclusion

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

53 other people completed this guide.

Author

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iRobot

Member since: 09/24/09

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3 Comments

Buying the part, it says that thermal paste is needed for installation. Where?

bjornarstople - Reply

Thermal paste is needed to transfer heat from the Nvidia GPU and the CPUs to the heat spreader bar which is located below the motherboard. It transfers heat from the CPUs to the fans.

Michael Pender - Reply

The final part says to just follow the steps in reverse order to reassemble--that isn't quite enough information. It is critical *not* to snug or overtighten the memory door screws from step 2. The screws pass to the bottom of the keyboard, and the keyboard is made of a light material that deforms easily. If you overtighten the screws it will bend the keyboard out of shape and the spacebar will not work properly.

After installing the screws on the memory door, then test that the space bar goes down and back up properly. If it doesn't back the screws out and try again. Do not proceed with the rest of reassembly if the keyboard is not working.

Michael Pender - Reply

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