Superdrive replacement (MacBook 17" Unibody)

My Problem

My optical drive had failed sometime in the past. I rarely used it. Recently I was doing upgrades to other components and decided to replace the Superdrive.

My Fix

The repair went very well. I was surprised when the internals of my MacBook did not quite match the repair guide. I had to rely on some personal experience and skill to complete the repair.

My Advice

Always be mentally prepared for exceptions.