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Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

21

Time Required

                          10 - 30 minutes

Sections

5

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 1 step
  • Optical Drive
  • 9 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Dual Hard Drive
  • 6 steps

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Introduction

Warning! If you have an older 3.0 Gb/s (SATA II) based system you need to make sure the drive you use is able to run at this slower speed. Review your drives spec sheet, make sure it clearly lists compatibility with 3.0 Gb/s (SATA II) systems. Most drives sold today are fixed speed 6.0 Gb/s (SATA III) which won’t work in 3.0 Gb/s (SATA II) systems properly.

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
  • Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

1024

Step 2

  • Wedge your fingers between the lower case and the vent, and lift upward to release the two clips holding the lower case to the upper case.
  • During reassembly, carefully align the lower case and then press it firmly until both clips engage.
  • Remove the lower case.

Wedge your fingers between the lower case and the vent, and lift upward to release the two clips holding the lower case to the upper case.

During reassembly, carefully align the lower case and then press it firmly until both clips engage.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery
  • Whenever working near the logic board, it is always wise to first disconnect the battery to avoid short circuits.
  • If present, grab the plastic tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the device. For Late-2011 models the battery connector will not have a tab and is simply a plug that inserts straight down into the motherboard–to remove pry the plug straight up.
  • If the plastic tab is missing, use a spudger to pry the connector up from its socket.
  • Pull the tab parallel to the face of the logic board.

Whenever working near the logic board, it is always wise to first disconnect the battery to avoid short circuits.

If present, grab the plastic tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the device. For Late-2011 models the battery connector will not have a tab and is simply a plug that inserts straight down into the motherboard–to remove pry the plug straight up.

If the plastic tab is missing, use a spudger to pry the connector up from its socket.

Pull the tab parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 4

              Optical Drive
  • Before disconnecting the camera cable, a small plastic retainer stuck to the logic board must first be moved out of the way.
  • Use the tip of a spudger to push the small plastic cable retainer away from the camera cable socket for enough clearance to remove the camera cable.

Before disconnecting the camera cable, a small plastic retainer stuck to the logic board must first be moved out of the way.

Use the tip of a spudger to push the small plastic cable retainer away from the camera cable socket for enough clearance to remove the camera cable.

Step 5

  • Pull the camera cable toward the optical drive opening to disconnect it from the logic board.
  • The camera cable socket is very fragile. Do not apply any upward force to this socket, as it may break off the logic board. Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the logic board.
  • For Late 2011 models, the camera connector plugs straight down into the motherboard—to remove this connector, gently lift it straight up.

Pull the camera cable toward the optical drive opening to disconnect it from the logic board.

The camera cable socket is very fragile. Do not apply any upward force to this socket, as it may break off the logic board. Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

For Late 2011 models, the camera connector plugs straight down into the motherboard—to remove this connector, gently lift it straight up.

Step 6

  • Carefully pull the Bluetooth cable toward the fans to disconnect it from the Bluetooth board.
  • Pull the cable parallel to the face of the optical drive.

Carefully pull the Bluetooth cable toward the fans to disconnect it from the Bluetooth board.

Pull the cable parallel to the face of the optical drive.

Step 7

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the thin plastic cover off the top and sides of the Bluetooth board housing.

Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the thin plastic cover off the top and sides of the Bluetooth board housing.

Step 8

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Bluetooth antenna connector up and off its socket on the Bluetooth board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Bluetooth antenna connector up and off its socket on the Bluetooth board.

Step 9

  • If present, remove the small piece of EMI foam near the Bluetooth board.
  • De-route the camera cable from the slot molded into the Bluetooth board housing.

If present, remove the small piece of EMI foam near the Bluetooth board.

De-route the camera cable from the slot molded into the Bluetooth board housing.

Step 10

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 11

  • Remove the three 3.5 mm Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.
  • To remove the screw closest to the battery, it may be helpful to use a T6 Torx screwdriver to first remove the upper case bracket directly above it.

Remove the three 3.5 mm Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.

To remove the screw closest to the battery, it may be helpful to use a T6 Torx screwdriver to first remove the upper case bracket directly above it.

Step 12

  • Remove the optical drive from the upper case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Remove the optical drive from the upper case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 13

              Optical Drive
  • Grab the optical drive cable by its connector and pull it away from the body of the hard drive.
  • Pulling on anything but the connector may damage the optical drive cable.
  • Remove the two black Phillips #0 screws securing the small metal mounting bracket. Transfer this bracket to your new optical drive or hard drive enclosure.

Grab the optical drive cable by its connector and pull it away from the body of the hard drive.

Pulling on anything but the connector may damage the optical drive cable.

Remove the two black Phillips #0 screws securing the small metal mounting bracket. Transfer this bracket to your new optical drive or hard drive enclosure.

Step 14

  • Remove the two 2.2 mm Phillips screws securing the Bluetooth board to the side of the optical drive.

Remove the two 2.2 mm Phillips screws securing the Bluetooth board to the side of the optical drive.

Step 15

  • Remove the Bluetooth board from the optical drive.
  • Optical drive remains.

Remove the Bluetooth board from the optical drive.

Optical drive remains.

Step 16

              Dual Hard Drive
  • Remove the plastic spacer from the optical bay hard drive enclosure by pressing in on one of the clips on either side and lifting it up and out of the enclosure.

Remove the plastic spacer from the optical bay hard drive enclosure by pressing in on one of the clips on either side and lifting it up and out of the enclosure.

Step 17

  • Make sure that the hard drive connectors are facing down before placing it into the enclosure.
  • Gently place the hard drive into the enclosure’s hard drive slot.
  • While firmly holding the enclosure in place with one hand, use your other hand to press the hard drive into the enclosure connectors.

Make sure that the hard drive connectors are facing down before placing it into the enclosure.

Gently place the hard drive into the enclosure’s hard drive slot.

While firmly holding the enclosure in place with one hand, use your other hand to press the hard drive into the enclosure connectors.

Step 18

  • Once the hard drive is snug, reinsert the plastic spacer while holding the hard drive against the bottom of the enclosure.

Once the hard drive is snug, reinsert the plastic spacer while holding the hard drive against the bottom of the enclosure.

Step 19

  • Use two Phillips #1 screws to secure the drive to its enclosure.

Use two Phillips #1 screws to secure the drive to its enclosure.

Step 20

  • Attach the optical drive bracket to the new enclosure with two Phillips #0 screws.
  • Reconnect any cables you have removed from the original optical drive onto the optical bay enclosure.

Attach the optical drive bracket to the new enclosure with two Phillips #0 screws.

Reconnect any cables you have removed from the original optical drive onto the optical bay enclosure.

Step 21

  • Don’t ditch that drive! You can still use your optical drive externally with the help of our SATA Optical Drive USB Cable.
  • Align the cable’s SATA connector with the drive’s port and plug in securely.
  • Plug the USB connector into your laptop and your optical drive is ready for use.

Don’t ditch that drive! You can still use your optical drive externally with the help of our SATA Optical Drive USB Cable.

Align the cable’s SATA connector with the drive’s port and plug in securely.

Plug the USB connector into your laptop and your optical drive is ready for use.

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

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signupjordanmathis - Dec 4, 2013

Reply

I went through these steps. I dint really have any trouble but now my computer won’t turn back on. I have a fair bit of experience opening macbook pros, but I can’t figure out what happened. I retrace the steps and look through everything but I can’t see why it won’t turn on. Any thing I can test? Any help?

mtlangr - Mar 28, 2014

Reply

I was able to use the original HDD for Time Machine backups and put a SSD in the original HDD spot, which is a great setup. Of course, I have backups going to a Time Capsule too. The only thing with my model MBP (mid-2011) is that I only get 3 Gigabit speeds, which isn’t a huge deal since I’m mainly using the extra space for backups. I really like that I don’t have to hear the DVD drive winding up and making spinning noises when I boot up anymore.

David - Jan 31, 2017

Reply

When these steps are completed, I should be able to turn the machine on and it just work? No formatting or configuration needed?

Erick McWayne - Feb 5, 2018

Reply

I just installed a SATA III SSD (Samsung EVO 850 1 TB) into my MBP late 2011 17” with the Highfine data doubler. It works like a clock so far - it’s been a week of booting from the optical drive at SATA III speeds. All discussions say this is impossible. It’s not and I’m getting 450 MB/s write and 500 MB/s read. It’s a miracle!

vilamoura2016 - Jul 22, 2018

Reply

Fantástico!!! I followed The Steps …. Very easy. Thank you