How to remove back cover

I'm also putting an SSD into this laptop...provided I can get into it. No problems getting all the screws out, but how in the world does one get the bottom cover off!? I've tried for hours and only managed to destroy my spudger. At a loss here. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

I do a lot of laptop work and, with the greatest respect to iFixit, the spudgers are not the best tool for the job.

My weapon of choice is a firm guitar pick - the sort of thing you can pick up in a music shop for a few pence. Get a hard nylon one - why not treat yourself to one that has cushions for your fingers? (a technician likes luxury too!).

I find picks work extremely well and are cheap to replace.

What size screwdriver does it take? I need to replace the HDD in my brother's laptop and I do not have any that fit

It's a T4 screwdriver. Guitar pics break more easily than a spudger. On a final note: this is the WORST pry-off case I've ever had to deal with, never have I torn apart a laptop requiring THIS much force.

Thanks! Your're the greatest. It was the screws under the buttons. I watched a video on Youtube of another model number before starting and it said that the rubber buttons doesn't come off so I didn't try it atleast not until I read this. I spent an hour trying to get the case open and dinged it up for no reason. Thanks for sharing. I will come here at my first source to look for solutions from now.