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Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

42

Time Required

                          1 - 3 hours

Sections

9

  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Keyboard
  • 7 steps
  • Lower Case
  • 12 steps
  • Bottom Shield
  • 2 steps
  • DC-In Board
  • 3 steps
  • Upper Case
  • 7 steps
  • Top Shield
  • 2 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 4 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 3 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery
  • Use a coin to rotate the battery locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

Use a coin to rotate the battery locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

1024

Step 2

  • Lift the battery out of the computer.

Lift the battery out of the computer.

Step 3

              Keyboard
  • Pull the keyboard release tabs toward you and lift up on the keyboard until it pops free.
  • If the keyboard does not come free, use a small flathead screwdriver to turn the keyboard locking screw 180 degrees in either direction and try again.
  • Flip the keyboard over, away from the screen, and rest it face-down on the trackpad area.

Pull the keyboard release tabs toward you and lift up on the keyboard until it pops free.

If the keyboard does not come free, use a small flathead screwdriver to turn the keyboard locking screw 180 degrees in either direction and try again.

Flip the keyboard over, away from the screen, and rest it face-down on the trackpad area.

Step 4

  • If the computer has an AirPort card installed, follow the next three steps to remove it.
  • Push the wire clasp away from the AirPort card and toward the display, then rotate up to free it from the RAM shield.

If the computer has an AirPort card installed, follow the next three steps to remove it.

Push the wire clasp away from the AirPort card and toward the display, then rotate up to free it from the RAM shield.

Step 5

  • Grasp the clear plastic tab on the AirPort card and pull toward the display.

Grasp the clear plastic tab on the AirPort card and pull toward the display.

Step 6

  • Hold the AirPort card in one hand and use your other hand to remove the antenna cable.

Hold the AirPort card in one hand and use your other hand to remove the antenna cable.

Step 7

  • Remove the four silver Phillips screws that secure the RAM shield.

Remove the four silver Phillips screws that secure the RAM shield.

Step 8

  • Grasp the metal bracket on top of the RAM shield and pull upward to remove the shield.

Grasp the metal bracket on top of the RAM shield and pull upward to remove the shield.

Step 9

  • Pull the keyboard cable up from the logic board, holding the cable as close to the connector as possible.
  • Make sure that you reconnect the keyboard cable before replacing the RAM shield.

Pull the keyboard cable up from the logic board, holding the cable as close to the connector as possible.

Make sure that you reconnect the keyboard cable before replacing the RAM shield.

Step 10

              Lower Case
  • Use a pin (or anything you like) to remove the three rubber feet from the lower case.

Use a pin (or anything you like) to remove the three rubber feet from the lower case.

Step 11

  • Remove the three newly-revealed Phillips screws.

Remove the three newly-revealed Phillips screws.

Step 12

  • Use a spudger or small flathead screwdriver to pry up the three metal rings that housed the rubber bumpers.

Use a spudger or small flathead screwdriver to pry up the three metal rings that housed the rubber bumpers.

Step 13

  • Remove the three Torx screws using a T8 Torx screwdriver.
  • The shorter screw is in the center of the computer.

Remove the three Torx screws using a T8 Torx screwdriver.

The shorter screw is in the center of the computer.

Step 14

  • Remove the two Phillips screws on either side of the battery contacts.

Remove the two Phillips screws on either side of the battery contacts.

Step 15

  • Breathe deeply. Trying times are ahead, but we promise the lower case does come off.
  • Push the thin rims of the lower case surrounding the battery compartment in, bending them past the tabs, and then lift up to free that corner of the lower case.

Breathe deeply. Trying times are ahead, but we promise the lower case does come off.

Push the thin rims of the lower case surrounding the battery compartment in, bending them past the tabs, and then lift up to free that corner of the lower case.

Step 16

  • There is a slot on the wall of the battery compartment that locks the lower case in place. Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry out the slot’s lower rim and pull up on the lower case to free the slot from the tabs holding it.

There is a slot on the wall of the battery compartment that locks the lower case in place. Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry out the slot’s lower rim and pull up on the lower case to free the slot from the tabs holding it.

Step 17

  • Run a spudger along the seam between the lower case and upper case on the front of the computer to free the tabs locking the lower case. Pull up on the lower case and continue to use the spudger as necessary until you hear three distinct clicks.

Run a spudger along the seam between the lower case and upper case on the front of the computer to free the tabs locking the lower case. Pull up on the lower case and continue to use the spudger as necessary until you hear three distinct clicks.

Step 18

  • Continue to run the spudger around the front, right corner. There are two tabs on the port side of the computer, one near the front corner and one near the sound-out port.

Continue to run the spudger around the front, right corner. There are two tabs on the port side of the computer, one near the front corner and one near the sound-out port.

Step 19

  • There are three tabs over the optical drive that must be released before the lower case can come off. Slide the spudger into the lower case above the optical drive and run it toward the back of the computer until you hear three distinct clicks.

There are three tabs over the optical drive that must be released before the lower case can come off. Slide the spudger into the lower case above the optical drive and run it toward the back of the computer until you hear three distinct clicks.

Step 20

  • Once the front and sides of the lower case are free, turn the computer so that the back is facing you and pull the lower case up and away from you until the back tabs pop free.
  • it may be helpful to jiggle the case up and down.

Once the front and sides of the lower case are free, turn the computer so that the back is facing you and pull the lower case up and away from you until the back tabs pop free.

it may be helpful to jiggle the case up and down.

Step 21

  • Remove the small greasy springs with white plastic caps from either side of the battery contacts.

Remove the small greasy springs with white plastic caps from either side of the battery contacts.

Step 22

              Bottom Shield
  • Remove the 4 Phillips screws from the bottom shield.
  • The two longer screws are along the computer’s edge, near the ports.

Remove the 4 Phillips screws from the bottom shield.

The two longer screws are along the computer’s edge, near the ports.

Step 23

  • Lift the bottom shield off.

Lift the bottom shield off.

Step 24

              DC-In Board
  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the DC-In board.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the DC-In board.

Step 25

  • Disconnect the DC-In cable from the logic board.

Disconnect the DC-In cable from the logic board.

Step 26

  • Deroute the cable from around the optical drive, removing tape as necessary, and angle the DC-In board out of its compartment.

Deroute the cable from around the optical drive, removing tape as necessary, and angle the DC-In board out of its compartment.

Step 27

              Upper Case
  • Remove the two Phillips screws from the battery compartment.

Remove the two Phillips screws from the battery compartment.

Step 28

  • We recommend placing the computer on a slab of grey anti-static packing foam from this point on to prevent damaging the logic board.
  • Turn over the computer and open it.
  • Pry up the magnet covering a Phillips screw near the middle of the computer.

We recommend placing the computer on a slab of grey anti-static packing foam from this point on to prevent damaging the logic board.

Turn over the computer and open it.

Pry up the magnet covering a Phillips screw near the middle of the computer.

Step 29

  • Remove the following 7 screws from the edges of the keyboard area.
  • Three 2 mm Phillips along the right edge.
  • One 4.5 mm Phillips underneath where the magnet was.
  • One 6 mm Phillips with a small head in the lower left corner.
  • Two 6 mm Phillips with large heads, one in the upper left corner and one in the middle

Remove the following 7 screws from the edges of the keyboard area.

Three 2 mm Phillips along the right edge.

One 4.5 mm Phillips underneath where the magnet was.

One 6 mm Phillips with a small head in the lower left corner.

Two 6 mm Phillips with large heads, one in the upper left corner and one in the middle

Step 30

  • Before you can yank the upper case off, you must disconnect the trackpad connector, the blue and white power cable, and speaker cable as described in the next steps.
  • Lift the upper case from the right side and use a spudger or your finger to disconnect the trackpad connector hidden beneath the white plastic tab. Due to model variatons your trackpad connector may be different from the one pictured.

Before you can yank the upper case off, you must disconnect the trackpad connector, the blue and white power cable, and speaker cable as described in the next steps.

Lift the upper case from the right side and use a spudger or your finger to disconnect the trackpad connector hidden beneath the white plastic tab. Due to model variatons your trackpad connector may be different from the one pictured.

Step 31

  • Carefully lift the upper case about half of an inch and move it so that you can access the power and speaker cables.
  • If the upper case is sticking, it may be necessary to free the tabs holding the upper case to the metal framework along the outer edge of the battery compartment.

Carefully lift the upper case about half of an inch and move it so that you can access the power and speaker cables.

If the upper case is sticking, it may be necessary to free the tabs holding the upper case to the metal framework along the outer edge of the battery compartment.

Step 32

  • The connectors at the ends of the cables are attached very firmly to the sockets on the logic board. Pulling directly on the cable will either separate the cable from its connector or the socket from the logic board.
  • Lift the upper case enough to disconnect the blue and white power cable from the logic board. Using your fingernails or a dental pick, carefully pry the connector from its socket. Make sure you’re pulling only on the connector and not on the socket.

The connectors at the ends of the cables are attached very firmly to the sockets on the logic board. Pulling directly on the cable will either separate the cable from its connector or the socket from the logic board.

Lift the upper case enough to disconnect the blue and white power cable from the logic board. Using your fingernails or a dental pick, carefully pry the connector from its socket. Make sure you’re pulling only on the connector and not on the socket.

Step 33

  • Lift the upper case off completely and disconnect the multicolored speaker cable from the logic board. As before, make sure you’re pulling only on the connector and not on the socket.
  • Tip: the multi-coloured cable may be easier and less daunting to disconnect after removing the top heat shield. Prop the top case upright while removing the shield - the connector is then much more accessible.

Lift the upper case off completely and disconnect the multicolored speaker cable from the logic board. As before, make sure you’re pulling only on the connector and not on the socket.

Tip: the multi-coloured cable may be easier and less daunting to disconnect after removing the top heat shield. Prop the top case upright while removing the shield - the connector is then much more accessible.

Step 34

              Top Shield
  • Remove the following 15 screws:
  • Fourteen 3 mm Phillips.
  • One 5.5 mm Phillips in the upper left corner.
  • Mind the magnet position in the lower right corner

Remove the following 15 screws:

Fourteen 3 mm Phillips.

One 5.5 mm Phillips in the upper left corner.

Mind the magnet position in the lower right corner

Step 35

  • Lift the top shield up from the right side, minding the upper left corner, which may catch on the metal framework.

Lift the top shield up from the right side, minding the upper left corner, which may catch on the metal framework.

Step 36

              Hard Drive
  • Lift the metal restraining bracket from the hard drive and place it aside.

Lift the metal restraining bracket from the hard drive and place it aside.

Step 37

  • Turn the computer over and disconnect the orange hard drive cable, removing tape as necessary.

Turn the computer over and disconnect the orange hard drive cable, removing tape as necessary.

Step 38

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive to the metal framework.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hard drive to the metal framework.

Step 39

  • Lift the hard drive up, carefully guiding the cable through the slot in the lower case.

Lift the hard drive up, carefully guiding the cable through the slot in the lower case.

Step 40

              Hard Drive
  • Remove the hard drive bracket from the left side of the hard drive.

Remove the hard drive bracket from the left side of the hard drive.

Step 41

  • Remove the two black T8 Torx screws from either side of the hard drive (four screws total).

Remove the two black T8 Torx screws from either side of the hard drive (four screws total).

Step 42

  • Use the transparent orange loop to disconnect the large orange ribbon cable from the hard drive.
  • This is a bit tricky. Try rocking the cable gently from side to side while applying even pressure. If you bend the pins, do your best to straighten them, using the hard drive cable as a guide.
  • If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

Use the transparent orange loop to disconnect the large orange ribbon cable from the hard drive.

This is a bit tricky. Try rocking the cable gently from side to side while applying even pressure. If you bend the pins, do your best to straighten them, using the hard drive cable as a guide.

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

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

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                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

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Jed - Aug 6, 2012

Reply

There are 3 screws under the CD drive that you need to take out.

Bob Allen - Nov 10, 2014

Reply

Wow! I just needed to remove the functioning hard drive from a 2003 iBook (not sure which model). We hadn’t used it in a few years because the screen was shot and I suspect the motherboard was on its way out. These instructions were close enough for this slightly different model. What a pain and I am so glad I didn’t need to put the thing back together! Thanks a bunch, iFixIt, because I don’t think I could have figured it out without this guide.

Jere - Jul 25, 2015

Reply

Thanks for the guide. I had to use this a few years back to replace a hard drive. It was a challenge, took a couple hours, but go slow and steady and be patien. The guide was perfect. I would suggest printing the screw guide, sticking double sided tape over the screw diagrams, and placing your screws on there as you disassemble. This make reassembly a ton easier. Trickiest part for me was actually removing the lower case. Don’t forget step 16 and go slowly.

Paul Walker - Mar 28, 2016

Reply

Wow! Just followed this guide to remove a drive from an old machine before disposing of it. Glad I don’t have to put it back together again and hope it still works! It should not be this difficult to take a HD out!! Thanks for the guide, would have been almost impossible without it :)

Noneyour Damnbusiness - Aug 27, 2018

Reply

Very well explained and illustrated . Thank you.