Tools
Parts
No parts required.
Introduction
Use this guide to replace a broken front display glass panel. Removal of the front display glass is required to access the LCD.
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Remove the following 10 screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody:
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Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
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Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.
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Slightly lift the lower case and push it toward the rear of the computer to free the mounting tabs.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector up out of its socket on the logic board.
why is step 3 necessary?
Quote from gansodesoya:
why is step 3 necessary?
Removes the possibility of any current flow. This is especially important if you are trying to mitigate the damage to the circuitry due to a spill on a keyboard.
$@$@. Don't use an non-isolated screwdriver for this. I just shorted-out my battery :(
You are absolutely right, never use a screwdriver on the logic board or any connector! Delicate use of fingernails or a credit card will get you through most situations if you lack a spudger.
How do you get that battery connector back on? Do you just press it in back in place after you're done?
yes. I usually plug it in before I screw it down so I can lift the battery a bit and have enough slack to be able to go straight down on the connector, otherwise it comes in on a bit of an angle, which can't be good (though not necessarily bad).
Would it not be advisable to drain the battery completely before attempting to repair, if you want to be sure you don't get a spark when removing the battery connector?
Berlugana
Disconnecting the battery connector is not that different from simply unplugging a battery from an older model MacBook with a removable battery. You're not trying to protect yourself from a "spark", but the internal circuitry when taking the MacBook apart.
I neglected step 3 and now my computer won't turn on. Could I have shorted out my logic board?
I had the same problem , my macbook doesn't switch on working
A very easy and fast update indeed! Using this guide and the tools indicated on top I replaced the two RAM cards (2GB each) with two 8GB RAM cards from OWC for a total of 16GB RAM in my MBP Middle 2010 Core 2 Duo (Officially not supported according to Apple).
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Make sure you select RAM with these specs: 16GB DDR3 PC8500 1066MHz Kit (8GBx2)
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Apps open much faster and I can run a virtual machine at a decent speed.
Removing the battery is not required, but in some instances can make installing ram much easier. If you plan on upgrading from 4GB (2X 2GB) to 8GB (2X 4GB) Removing the battery would be better. There are two levels of ram. If you are replacing both levels, then remove the battery. If you are just replacing the top, dont bother. Removing the battery for very long or even at all (depending on the CMOS battery age and health) could possibly reset settings, the clock, saved wifi passwords, and more.
It is beneficial to remove the battery at this stage.
This step almost finished me, and I did extensive damage to the battery plug. Fortunately, I later replaced the battery, and the replacement came with a new plug! :) Newbies need to know - 1. The battery plug is like a thin lip on a thicker lip, so you need to pry BETWEEN 2 thin lips to get it off, else you are trying to yank out the socket. 2. Mine was initially VERY tight, and trying to get it out broke the plastic on all sides of plug, even though I was as careful as possible. Luckily, this didn't hurt functionality and I later replaced the battery. AFTER disconnecting once, it was never so tight again,
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Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the subwoofer/right speaker cable connector up off its socket on the logic board.
You must first separate the little foam pad to see better how to pry the cable
connector up. You must be
careful not to root up also its socket
stuck on the logic board
My subwoofer/right speaker connection seemed to be soldered on the main board. Of course, I pried this off..realizing right after that there was no reconnecting it (&^$%^@!). There's really no reason to even disconnect this wire on the MacBook pro 13 mid-2009
Glad this is my "project" Mac
Please Be Carefully With This Step, Because I Had To Resolder It Back To The Logic Board. But There Is A Black Foam Piece Over The Cable You Have To Pry Up, Lift The Foam Piece And Then Try To CAREFULLY Pry Cable Connector
A better description would have been worth a lot....
I accidently pried off the socket aswell... gonna have to go to the computer/robotics lab at my college to resolder it -.-
CAUTION!! Note is required here! First off step is truly unnecessary! Secondly, just don't do it!
A real closeup photo of this small piece of hard plastic that prevents the connector from falling out would be a great help. !
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Disconnect the camera cable by pulling the male end straight away from its socket.
that's not only the camera but the wifi and bluetooth too. Be extremely careful!
So I unfortunately did not find this guide when I was replacing my keyboard. I did at first force this connection, didn't know I could peel that black plastic piece off, then was able to smoothly get it in. Now my Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/web cam isn't working. I'm looking at the connection now and it looks undamaged. How do I know for certain I damaged the cord and/or socket
It would be so helpful if a real closeup of the hard piece of plastic that keeps the connector in place were included. In the photo. it looks to be almost where
the guys fingernail is in the photo and close to the screw near the top edge of the connector, is that correct ?
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De-route the camera data cable from the channel in the optical drive.
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Remove the following screws securing the camera data cable and right speaker to the upper case:
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Two 8 mm Phillips screws.
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One 4mm Phillips screw.
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Slide the camera cable bracket out from under the subwoofer and remove it from the computer.
For my mid-2010 mbp, removing the 4mm screw is not enough as the camera cable bracket is under the black cover. I need to unscrew another screw (see the dark cover in step 6). However, the speaker (dark circle in step 6) is a strong magnet and the little screw flew onto it and crack the speaker slightly. You need to be very careful of this. The sound wasn't as clear when I turn on loud volume after that.
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Grab the plastic pull tab secured to the display data cable lock and rotate it toward the DC-in side of the computer.
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Pull the display data cable connector straight away from its socket.
Well, my display ended up looking like this after the repair:
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h366...
As you can see, there was a light/dark banded pattern along the bottom of the screen, corresponding to the LCD's backlight. In my case it was also accompanied by a constant high pitched whistling noise. I swear to anything that's holy, it was not coming from the fan or the speaker, but rather the motherboard itself.
Anyway, both these problems went away when I disconnected and reconnected the connector at this stage. I'm saying this on the off chance it helps someone else.
I did what you said, disconnect and reconnect the display data cable but the problem didn't go away. Any idea how to fix this?
jonk2015 -
I also encountered the issue at the bottom of the screen. I can't get mine to go away. I can make it vary a bit or at least the whole display to vary by fluctuating the connection, but it just won't go away. I'm open to any other suggestions.
I might have manhandled the bottom of my screen a bit. I didn't realize how to get the plastic u-shaped cover off, and I fudged around with it for a while before reading somewhere that it just slides down. I thought I had read that it snapped on, so I had been a little flustered on why it wouldn't snap off.
Anyway, if anyone has suggestions I'd be all ears.
Tim -
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Remove the following two screws securing the display data cable bracket to the upper case:
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One 7 mm Phillips screw.
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One 5 mm Phillips screw.
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Lift the display data cable bracket out of the upper case.
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Remove the two outer 6.5 mm Torx screws securing each of the two display brackets to the upper case (4 screws total).
This says t use a 6.5 mm Torx driver. In the required tools list it only mentions a 6 mm Torx driver. Where can we find a 6.5 mm Torx Driver?
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Open your MacBook so the display is perpendicular to the upper case.
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Place your opened MacBook on a table as pictured.
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While holding the display and upper case together with your left hand, remove the remaining 6.5 mm Torx screw from the lower display bracket.
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Remove the last remaining 6 mm T6 Torx screw securing the display to the upper case.
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Grab the upper case with your right hand and rotate it slightly toward the top of the display so the upper display bracket clears the edge of the upper case.
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Rotate the display slightly away from the upper case.
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Lift the display up and away from the upper case, minding any brackets or cables that may get caught.
May be in the wrong place but then please direct me. At this step, can I just take off the upper half (meaning the screen, LCD, and top housing shell in one) and simply replace it with another upper half of the same edition???
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With the heat gun set to low, start by heating the outer black border near the upper right corner of the glass panel.
With a lot of heating, for me, it was very hard to get the glass to separate from the case. I had better luck starting from the bottom right as I could grip better onto the case. Three mistakes I made:
1. Once I got the glass separated, I probably didn't heat sufficiently as I was going around and the glass broke. That made the rest of the procedure miserable. Lesson: pull very gently.
2. I must have touched one of the tiny bits of glass that fell on the LCD and it scratched the actual screen. :-(. Lesson: vacuum the pieces as you go and be very careful when touching the LCD.
3. I somehow overheated the LCD screen at the top left and right corners and now the display is all wonky and faded at the corners. Not sure what the lesson is here.
First, if using a hair dryer, what setting should that be operated at? It would be much cooler than the heat gun, right?
Second, the iFixit basic set comes with a small, clear suction cup. Would that be sufficient for this project, or does it require the stronger pull of the other cups?
Finally, must I reapply adhesive to the case when replacing the glass? Does the original remain tacky and re-bond on assembly?
It's been a while since you asked, but since no one answered and someone else may have the same questions:
Hair dryers vary a lot, depending on wattage. I would start on low or med, and work my way up to high if necessary. I'd keep the fan on the lowest setting.
The little suction cup is for removing screens like the iMac, which just uses magnets, and possibly an iPad or iPhone. I would not want to use that for this project, get something about 2" wide with a decent handle.
The screen should have the double sided glue tape already applied, just remove the backing. I wouldn't get glass that doesn't have the tape on it, big waste of time with little savings in cost.
Jeff Kamis
****EASIEST WAY TO REMOVE GLASS**** Instead of using this large heat gun, I used an Ancor Marine Grade Mirco Thermal Heat Gun (Ancor 702027) I picked up at West Marine. The tip is the exact width of the black trim and really concentrates the heat to the tape without heating outter rubber trim. No lie....I followed the heat gun all the way around the edge with a tiny pry tool and the glass was off in 5 min!!
All I can say for this is don't be tempted to hold the heat gun too close. I ended up burning my LCD the first time I did it and having to replace that when all I was looking to do was replace the cable. I got the glass off holding it about 4/5 inches from the screen and being patient (it took about 5/10 minutes in the end).
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With the panel sufficiently heated, fasten a heavy-duty suction cup near the upper right corner of the display glass.
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Slowly and gently pull the corner of the display glass up off the display assembly.
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Gently lift the corner of the display glass enough to insert a spudger between it and the display assembly.
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Use the flat end of a spudger to gently pry up the adhesive securing the front glass to the display.
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Pry up the glass panel a few inches away from the upper right corner along the top and right edges of the display.
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Use a heat gun to soften the adhesive under the black strip along the right side of the front glass panel.
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Attach a suction cup along the right side of the front glass panel.
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Pull up on the glass panel while you use the flat end of a spudger to separate it from the rest of the display assembly.
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Continue working along the right edge of the front display glass until it is separated from the display.
I ended up breaking my glass panel due to using the spudger. I think if you use something more like a small putty knife you will do better. The spudger puts a lot of pressure in a small spot while the putty knife would put a little pressure over a larger area. Also, if you do break the glass, be sure to get ALL of the broken bits off before putting the new one on. Also, watch out for those broken bits as they tend to penetrate skin quite easily, and stay there for days!
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Use your heat gun to soften the adhesive under the black strip along the top edge of the glass display panel.
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Attach a suction cup near the top edge of the glass display panel and use it to pull the glass panel up off the display.
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Work along the top edge of the glass panel, carefully using the flat end of a spudger to separate the adhesive if necessary.
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Use a heat gun to soften the adhesive under the black strip near the upper left corner of the glass display panel.
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Attach a suction cup near the upper left corner of the glass display panel.
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Pull up on the suction cup and use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the glass display panel out of the display assembly.
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Use a heat gun or hair dryer to soften the adhesive under the black strip along the left side of the front glass panel.
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Attach a suction cup along the left side of the front glass panel.
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Pull up on the glass panel while you use the flat end of a spudger to separate it from the rest of the display assembly.
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Continue working along the left edge of the front display glass until it is separated from the display.
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Now that the top, left, and right edges of the glass are free from the display, slowly lift the top edge of the glass panel and gently rotate it out of the display.
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Insert the edge of a plastic opening tool between the display glass and the camera bracket, and run it around the camera bracket to separate it from the display glass.
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To reconnect the cable, first use the tip of a spudger to remove the piece of foam tape over the camera cable ZIF socket.
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Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the ZIF cable retainer on the camera cable socket.
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Insert the camera cable into its socket on the camera board and use the tip of a spudger to snap down the ZIF cable retainer, locking the cable in place.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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3 Comments
I just replace the glass on my 13" MacBook Pro with badly broken glass screen.
The suction cup did not work because a) my screen was cracked badly and the cup would not hold suction, and b) the glue is too tenacious (even with heating) and over a large surface area to simply pull it away from the frame, especially if the glass is cracked.
I found a hairdryer on hottest setting, but lowest speed works best. It softens the glue enough to pry the glass away from the frame. I had to work around the perimeter using the Spudger tool and a small, flat-blade screw driver. I started prying at a cracked opening in my glass (it was really badly cracked - someone stepped on the computer when my daughter left it on the floor!). Need to be very carefull with using the screw driver - only pry along and parallel to the edge of the frame like using an ice scraper on a sidewalk. Don't pry on the rubber seal on the edge and stay away from the LCD.
I left the cracked glass in place until I cleared all of the glass along the perimeter- this allowed me to rest my hand on the screen without damaging/scratching the LCD underneath.
Be aware that the camera cable runs in a channel from the lens on top to the right corner, then down the right edge of the screen. The channel is in the center of the border, so it is ok to pry under the glass as close as you can get to the rubber seal on the edge, and also on the inside edge of the border, but take care not to pry into the LCD. The camera cable is wider and has connectors within 2 inches of the lens, so you really need to be careful with prying in this area. I saved the lens area for last. Started to the left of the lens and worked counterclockwise around the perimeter.
If you take your time, heat a small area, pry the glass away and continue around the perimeter, it will come out. Need to be patient and not get in a hurry.
When the glass is removed, take care to clean out the glass fragments, especially down between the edge of the LCD and the frame. I used a business card to slide in the gap and pull out pieces of glass. Then used small piece of packaging tape, tacky side out, to dab out the small pieces (don't put the tape on the LCD, just the frame border area). Overall, the instructions on this site are excellent - I had no trouble removing the screen from the base of the computer, and re-assembling with the pictures and the instructions.
One improvement would be to show better detail how to remove the screen power cable - the locking mechanism has to be rotated from flat position to about 90 degrees before pulling the connector. It was not obvious how to do this in the instructions - it is a U-shaped bar that connects on each side of the connector and runs around the stationary part of the socket. Simply lift it up before pulling the connector out. I pulled the connector without lifting this U-shaped arm first, and it fell off when I pulled the plug. I was able to put it back on to the connector without much trouble.
The connecters all went back in to place very well. The machine worked when I started it up after re-assembly. It works and looks great.
Thanks for the instructions!
It looks like you need a Phillips #000 screwdriver for the 10 bottom screws. I tried the #00 and it's too big. Good thing I bought a 23 piece precision screwdriver set or else I would have been screwed.
scott523 - Reply
The 10 screws that hold tha bottom case take a #00 Phillips driver, if yours doesnt fit it's probably because it's cheaply made & not precise enough. The only thing that I needed a #000 driver for was the keyboard screws. They're so small they look like specks of dirt or sand. I stripped out 4 of them & now will need to grind the heads off with a Dremel/rotary tool. The other thing that sucks is iFixit doesn't have a tutorial for keyboard replacement!
iphonetechtips -
A true Phillips head screw's slots are rounded at their inner corners, to allow the screwdriver to "cam out" (pop out) of the screw head before you apply too much torque and strip the threads in the part that you're torqueing the screw into. However, the screws used in the Macbook don't have those rounded inner corners, so they're not Phillips. Instead, they may be a Japanese standard known as JIS B 1012, or a Frearson (also known as a Reed & Prince), but that's a less common design. Maybe technically these non-Phillips screws should be used with a screwdriver that was specifically designed for them, but they can be properly removed and reinstalled using a truly precision-made Phillips #00 (some people find a #000 sometimes works even better) whose tip comes to a sharp point--not the lousy fake "precision" screwdrivers that are sold in too many places. See my next comment for more.
johnsawyercjs -
Many screwdriver manufacturers get away with marketing fake "precision" screwdrivers because, in the words of the Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sc...: "Most heads come in a range of sizes, typically distinguished by a number, such as "Phillips #00" or "Torx T5." These sizes do not necessarily describe a particular dimension of the drive shape, but are often arbitrary designations in the same sense as a "Size 8" dress."
In other words, the quality of many "precision" screwdrivers is poor. In my experience, one of the biggest problems with many fake "precision" Phillips screwdrivers is that the four blades at the tip are often too wide, and their width may even vary on the same screwdriver (they're not supposed to). So just because a screwdriver is marketed as a "precision screwdriver", it may not be, and many that are labeled as #00, or even #000, will not work for a Macbook's screws. See my next comment for still more.
johnsawyercjs -
One of the best manufacturers of precision screwdrivers is Wiha (http://www.wihatools.com/tech-tools/prec... cost more, but they're worth it. Or buy screwdrivers from iFixit, who seem to be selling JIS screwdrivers.
Another article with some good info on screw and screwdriver types:
http://www.instructables.com/id/When-a-P...
Also keep in mind that some screws are tougher to remove and reinstall because they have a thread-locking compound on them, which is usually blue.
johnsawyercjs -
Phillips #00 is the correct screwdriver for the lower case. Maybe the one you have is worn or badly made.
David Fear -
Perfect man!Many thanks!:)
wertaerte - Reply
Compare the short screws carefully before reinstalling them. The shouldered screws go in the holes on the front edge.
twisk - Reply
thanks twisk, I wish i would have read your tip before I finished putting the bottom of my laptop back together. I managed to get all screws in somehow, but one was in fact too-tight.
BTW, big big thanks to the Author: Andrew Bookholt. Just used this guide and my trackpad now works again.
xitxit2 -
i too need a #000 for the bottom of the case -- i got the recommended screwdriver (#00) and unfortunately it's too big
plins718 - Reply
Before I started removing any screws I took a piece of paper and drew the bottom of the laptop and put a piece of double-sided tape in the spot where each screw goes. That way when I took out the screws, I could put them on the tape so I knew exactly which screw went in which spot. I did the same thing for dismantling the inside on another sheet of paper, then a third sheet for the screen after getting the front glass off.
mastover - Reply
I use a similar technique: I print out the iFixit manual for the job, and Scotch-tape down the screws/brackets/cables I remove at each step next to the component descriptions. That way, when I'm reassembling, the bits are taped right next to the photo of where they came from.
adlerpe -
That's exactly what I do for all my repairs! It's the best way to keep track of all of the parts ' original location and to make sure that you don't miss any parts during reassembly.
joyitsjennie -
Great idea and one I use often
Thomas Overstreet -
Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing it here.
Laura Sharkey -
The colours you used for these circles are indistinguishable for colour-blind people. Please consider using something like the palette suggested by visibone: http://www.visibone.com/colorblind/
Eric Sorenson - Reply
Squares, Circles, Triangles (you get the idea) would work as well to distinguish the different screws.
danzeitlin -
I'd use a Phillips #000 screwdriver also. The #00 can work, but if the screws are in really tight, it doesn't get far enough down into the screws to get purchase, so it will start to strip (and I agree that the screws are pretty soft). On mine, the screws for the fan were really tight, started to strip with #00, needed a #000 and quite a bit of pressure to get them to move.
jonathanmorgan - Reply
I thought it took a 000 as well. However, I tried both and realized the 00 works best.
john - Reply
Hi i was wondering if you can add 16gb to this model? or is 8 the maximum?
Igor - Reply
The Mid 2010 MacBook Pro 13" does support 16 GB RAM, but it is very picky about the type of RAM. OWC sells a 16 GB kit (2x 8 GB). I think it's got to be 1066 (aka 1067) MHz RAM. A lot of 8 GB modules on the market now are faster than 1066 MHz, and reports I've read say people start getting kernel panics if they use the wrong RAM.
Some info here:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ma...
"1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM"
"*Originally, both the official and actual maximum RAM was 8 GB. However, as confirmed by site sponsor OWC, if running OS X 10.7.5 or higher, updated with the latest EFI, and equipped with proper specification memory modules, this model can support up to 16 GB of RAM."
Our Mid 2010 already had "the latest EFI" (i.e. Boot ROM version in System Profiler), so the reference to updating it may not be relevant.
Winston -
I used a 00 that fit but the screws were very tight so I used a tiny paintbrush with some wd40 on it and put it around the edges of the screws. Worked like a charm
valentinedhdh - Reply
I had the same problem. The #00 screwdriver worked for some of the screws but some others were too tight and I had to use a #000. Maybe it was because the cover had slightly bent because the battery inside had basically doubled its width, but I still found that the #000 was a much better fit for these screws. Even the ones that came out with the #00 came out much easier with the #000. I would suggest updating this guide to suggest using a #000.
tarriojuan - Reply
Had no idea they were so expensive.
Franklin - Reply
Phillips #00 is the right tool for all the steps (Except the 4 HD T6 screws). Maybe there is dirt in the notch.
Luis Soto - Reply
There is any chance to use the Toshiba MQ01ABD 1 TB 2.5" Internal Hard Drive MQ01ABD100 , it has7200 rpm , shuold it work?
Luis - Reply
If you are running OS X 10.11.2 or newer, battery provided by iFixIt will not work. I've already tried 2 batteries from iFixIt and neither worked. iFixIt needs to come clean on this unfortunate situation. I've already put 8 hours into this futile effort when it should have taken me 45 minutes.
gkofga - Reply
What was your solution? I'm using 10.11.3 OS X. I may need a battery replacement very soon too.
John Doe -
<i>The 10 screws that hold that bottom case take a #00 Phillips driver, if yours doesn't fit it's probably because it's cheaply made & not precise enough.</I>
I purchased the IFixIt 54 bit Driver Kit and their Phillips #00 are <b>NOT</b> the appropriate size for the bottom screws on this MacBook Pro. This manual needs to have the tools changed to Phillips #000 Screwdriver. Until then I shall not click the "Give the author +30 points" button. Apart from that, the rest of the manual is very good. It would also be an idea to make a comment about making sure the battery connector is in the correct position when plugging the battery back in. One poster commented that their battery will not charge anymore. My guess is a pin(s) was/were bent due to the connection not being in the vertical orientation when being pressed back together. :-)
THANK YOU for writing and generously supplying this guide for our use. It is much appreciated. +30 point coming when the Phillips #000 size is changed or added.
Joseph King - Reply