Introduction
The ins and outs of replacing your upper case.
What you need
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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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Remove the three identical 2mm PH000 Phillips screws from the memory door.
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Lift the memory door up enough to grip it and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.
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Remove the following 6 screws:
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Two 10 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.
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Four 14.5 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.
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Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two 3.2 mm Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.
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Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four 3.2 mm Phillips screws from the side of the computer.
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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.
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There are four plastic clips above the DVD slot, and another above and to the left of the IR sensor. These clips can be very difficult to disengage without prying. They can also be difficult to re-engage during reassembly.
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Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.
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Remove the upper case.
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Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the black plastic flap locking down the keyboard ribbon cable.
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Slide the orange keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.
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Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the brown plastic flap locking down the keyboard backlight ribbon cable.
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Peel back the black protective sheath on the right side of the upper case.
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Similarly, peel back the black protective sheath on the left side of the upper case.
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Remove the 12 identical Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing.
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There are six locking tabs along the back edge of the keyboard holding it in place. These tabs must be straightened before you can remove the keyboard.
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Slide the keyboard ribbon out of its connector.
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It is common for the small ribbon just beside the keyboard ribbon to wear out with use in this model. (Keyboard and trackpad would not work but power button will.) The solution is to apply pressure directly on that cable where it enters the flap (with a piece of plastic or a folded paper that is pushed against by the battery).
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Place the upper casing on its edge and use a spudger to push the keyboard away from the casing, poking the spudger through the central keyboard screw hole. Grasp the keyboard as it separates from the casing.
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Maintaining your hold on the keyboard, lay the casing flat and gently bow the keyboard until the two tabs on either side of the keyboard come free.
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Slide the keyboard away from the trackpad and out of the upper case.
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Remove the two Phillips screws securing the black antenna holder to the upper case.
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Lift the black Bluetooth antenna holder off of the upper case.
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Disconnect the Bluetooth antenna cable from the Bluetooth board.
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Lift the Bluetooth antenna out of its housing in the upper case. The Bluetooth antenna may be secured to the upper case with an adhesive, so rocking the antenna board from side to side may help it come free easier.
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Disconnect the Bluetooth antenna cable from the Bluetooth board.
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Lift the Bluetooth antenna out of its housing in the upper case. The Bluetooth antenna may be secured to the upper case with an adhesive, so rocking the antenna board from side to side may help it come free easier.
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Peel up the Bluetooth data cable from the adhesive on the upper case, removing tape as necessary.
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Disconnect the Bluetooth data cable from the upper case.
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Lift the Bluetooth board and attached cable off the upper case.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
