Introduction
Replacing a defective fan is pretty easy and will keep your laptop running cool.
Tools
Parts
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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 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 a spudger to disconnect the iSight cable from the logic board by sliding the cable to the left and out of its connector.
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Disconnect the left fan and left ambient light sensor cables by placing a spudger beneath each cable and lifting up.
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Peel up the left ambient light sensor cable from above the left fan, removing tape as necessary.
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Remove the following 3 screws:
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One 6.2 mm black T6 Torx screw from the right side of the fan.
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Two 9.4 mm silver T6 Torx screws from the left side of the fan.
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Lift the fan up; carefully peel up the tape that secures the fan to the heat sink as you go.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
6 comments
I used this to take the fan out and blow it out with compressed air, and it solved my fan noise problem!
Followed the instructions and it was all fairly straightforward, but my right speaker now appears to not be working. I haven't had the motivation to crack the case again and see if I can find what is wrong with that. At least the grinding fan noise is gone, so I can live with it for now.
meyer -
I had no problems replacing the left fan as per instructions. Even though I did buy the spudger, the only hitch for me was the isight cable which I didn't end up disconnecting. I was able to gently remove the fan anyway.
Just organise your screws properly as you go along & they will all go back into place !
Very happy !
abwr -
Before start, make a clone of your old HD into the new one, if you don't want to initiate a fresh copy. (Carbon Copy software is good).
ColmillodeChile -
Besides using WD 500GB models, are the WD 640GB and WD 750GB (the 9.5mm thickness model) good to go for? I am still considering as I have heard from other websites on the computer does not draw enough power to power up the 640 and 750 as it has the clicking sound and the rainbow keeps appearing. Anyone has install one before yet?
Please advice. Appreciated! Thanks a million to all the Mac gurus out there!
Danny Lim -