MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Upper Case Replacement

Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery and lift the battery out of the computer.

Remove the four identical Phillips 3.4 mm screws from the memory door. These screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

Remove the three Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch. Apple was nice enough to tilt these screws at a slight angle to make them easier to remove. On the A1261 these screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

Remove the following six screws:

Two 14.5 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.

Four 3.4 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

Remove the four 3.4 mm Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

Lift up the back 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.

Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board.

Remove the upper case.

Use a spudger to pry up the translucent plastic sheath covering the keyboard connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the black plastic flaps locking down the keyboard and keyboard backlight ribbon cables.

Slide the orange keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.

Peel up the orange tape covering the keyboard backlight connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the brown plastic flap locking down the keyboard backlight ribbon cable.

Use a spudger or your finger to slide the keyboard backlight ribbon out of its connector.

Carefully peel up the orange ribbon cable which carries the power and sleep signals.

Peel up the two black protective sheaths on the bottom of the keyboard. It is not necessary to fully remove these, but only to peel them back enough to access the screws beneath.

If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1151 or A1212, refer to the first picture to remove the ten identical Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing.

If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1229, refer to the second picture to remove the twelve identical Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing.

If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1151 or A1212, refer to the first picture. There are four locking tabs along the back edge of the keyboard holding it in place. These tabs must be straightened before you can remove the keyboard.

If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1229, refer to the first picture. 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.

The first frame shows a tab in the "locked" position and the second frame shows the same tab in the "unlocked" position.

Use needlenose pliers or a spudger to bend each of the four tabs so that they are all in the "unlocked" position.

Slide the keyboard ribbon out of its connector.

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.

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.

Slide the keyboard away from the trackpad and out of the upper case.

Upper case remains.