Remplazo de la Placa Logica en un MacBook Unibody Modelo A1342

Paso 1

Usa el lado plano de un spudger para levantar el cable plano del Airport/Bluetooth de la placa lógica.

The steps from 7 up to 16, and then 19 and 20 are not necessary. It looks like Apple intentionally designed the shape in the corner around the magsafe connector, so that it can be replaced without disconnecting and unmounting the main board. Also, the placement of the two screws mounting the magsafe board confirms that - they are easily available. This is true at least for the 2009 model, which I've successfully repaired.

So you can skip the risky steps of disconnecting of all the main board connectors and go straight to unscrewing the magsafe connector. Then, having the spudger and some 3D imagination, you can remove the magsafe board with some 3D rotations. Same for mounting the new magsafe.

I've found out that crucial simplification only because I failed to unscrew the fan (broken a screw completely, while following this guide step by step). Then I found a comment from user grze under step 6, which saved my macbook by confirming, that 7 to 16 can be skipped.

Sebastian M - 07/06/17

Paso 2

Usa un spudger para levantar el conector del ventilador hacia arriba y fuera de su zocalo en la placa lógica.
Es útil torcer el spudger axialmente de debajo del loa cables del ventilador para liberar el conector.
El zocalo y conector del ventilador puede verse en la segunda y tercera foto. Ten cuidado de no romper el zocalo del ventilador de la placa logica cuando uses tu spudger para alzar el conector del ventilador del zocalo. El diseño de la placa lógica mostrada en la segunda foto puede ser diferente en tu maquina pero el zocalo del ventilador es igual.

Since this kind of connector and very fragile and easy to damage even with a spudger I use a needle that I insert in the front side of the connector, between the connector and the socket and only apply a little pressure while lifting up the needle. The connector will then pop up from one side. Repeat the procedure for the other side. With this method it's impossible to damage the connector. I adopted this method after ruining two or three connectors using the spudger.

lemerise -

Hi, how do you fix the axial which connects the fan with logic board..it's broken! Thanks in advance..

Gagandeep - 15/09/17

HELP! Both the connector AND socket detached from the logic board! Is it possible (barring micro-surgery) to reattach the socket to the logic board?

John Watson -

same problem here...any ideas? Did you fix it again, John?

Ben Kn - 19/12/14

I disconnected the connector and socket from the logic board because I wasn't being careful and wasn't using a spudger tool as was recommended. Luckily, a friend of mine that's handy with a soldering gun was able to individually solder each wire from the cooling fan's wire assembly back onto the soldering points on the logic board. It's really intricate, tricky, and risky...but at that point, what choice do you have? I verify it's possible to fix and my cooling fan is now running perfectly fine.

Dan Barnhart - 16/02/15

Hi my name is Lynn I made a mistake on the logic board trying to detach fan from laptop

A1342 and the whole thing came off so I was wondering do

I solder it back on or how can I fix it thank you and be Blessed

lynn6202388 - 29/03/20

Paso 3

Remueve los siguientes tres tornillos asegurando el ventilador a la carcasa superior:
Un tornillo Phillips de 7.1 mm.
Dos tornillos Phillips de 5 mm.
Levanta el ventilador afuera de la carcasa superior.

Paso 4

Cuidadosamente levanta el conector delicado de la bocina trasera de la placa lógica. Estos pequeños conectores de bocinas L/R son muy fáciles de romper.
Usa precaución extrema; este conector es fácilmente destruido.

While these connectors are very delicate, a new upper body case will have new connectors already installed. I slightly broke two connectors while removing them.

Also, the connectors have a notch underneath (on the logic board) for the corner of the spudger to fit into. The hard part is that you cannot see the notches until the connectors are removed.

Nations81 -

Hi. Long time ago, I know but.... How did you fix them?

I snapped mine off, can it be soldered back on?

Sai G - 06/07/15

I used pointed tip of one side of the tweezers from the ifixit Home Tech Toolkit. I found this thinner pointed tip better than a spudger for hitting that notch in the socket underneath the connectors. Since this is a metal tool, I pried very gently and I was working on a MacBook with the battery taken out entirely (early on as suggested in the video) and was also using an Anti-Static wrist strap. I found the spudger broke one of the connectors because it's relatively thick plastic, and put too much pressure under the cables before the tip could reach the plastic block of the connector. The pressure under the cable popped the wire contact right through the top of the plastic block connector. (it was OK this connector broke since I didn't need to reuse it--my replacement keyboard/upper case came with its own cables.)

Because the tips of the tweezers are angled, I felt I had better control of the torque I was applying than if I used a jeweler's flathead screwdriver.

kenhtanaka -

i used a very sharp dental pick - a tool i've permanently "added" to my ifixit tool kit bag

pprod - 21/01/16

Using a needle/pin works well. I did what another person mentioned in Step 8. Pry up from the back corner with the tip of the needle. Be gentle. One side will pop up a tiny bit. Move to the other side and gently pry there. Mine popped out completely at that point.

stanos1 - 13/02/16

Totally agree with the needle solution prying up from the side of the connector. A dentist tool is perfect!

(yes, in 2021 i’m fixing a 2009 macbook! :P)

Filippo Giadrossi - 26/04/21

Paso 5

Usa el lado plano de un spudger para levantar el conector del lector óptico hacia arriba de la placa lógica.

Paso 6

Usa un spudger para levantar el conector conector de la bocina derecha y el LED de reposo hacia arriba de la placa lógica.
Estos conectores son muy delicados y se rompen fácilmente.

I broke a speaker connector on this step. I found it easier to use a tiny flathead screwdriver to gently pry these connectors up.

brad -

Did u manage to fix the broken speaker connexion Brad? Mine snapped off. How can I fix that?

Sai G - 19/06/15

what is the connector in the image that is two prong and has the orange and red box around it in the 3rd image? Need to replace that connector. Please help. Part number would be great

ajfrasca - 13/02/17

Paso 7

Usa el lado plano de un spudger para levantar el conector del cable plano del TouchPad de la placa lógica.

Paso 8

Usa tu uña para levantar la solapa de bloqueo en el zocalo ZIF del cable plano del teclado.
Usa la punta de un spudger para deslizar el cable plano de un teclado afuera de su zocalo.

I had to remove the battery again to insert the keyboard ribbon cable. I just couldn't get the right angle and force otherwise.

asciimo -

When reassembling make sure this cable is really deep in it's socket. (Use some force with the spudger wedging it in between the cable and battery). If you don't, you won't be able to power up the board. I had 2 logicboards that I thought were dead, but it turned out the cable was not inserted enough. Jump starting them with the jump pads did nothing (with or without cable connected), but connecting the cable properly made the board come alive. Really check this!!

Peterdk -

You sir, just saved my day! Switching boards between two mac and I thought I broke the two at once... This should be documented on the manual!!

jorgecarleitao -

Thanks for your help!!! I thought I did the replacement wrong. Greetings from Peru.

Lalo Gonzalez -

This was hugely helpful! The cable requires much more force than expected.

Daniel DeGrasse - 18/05/16

'This should be added to the guide:

MacBook unibody keyboard ribbon cable won't go in

bilang31 - 28/07/14

There really should be a comment in the steps regarding tips on how to put the ribbon back in. The tape did the trick and I am back up and running.

alexhgreene - 15/09/15

The two silver squares above the left corner of the Keyboard and to the right of the Trackpad cable ribbon are the jump pads to power on the MacBook if your power button may not be working.

Jason Ognosky - 07/04/17

Accidentally I broke this flap thing. Can I replace it some point?

Thank you!

MJS Nope - 08/08/19

Nope big job to replace it. Use Kapton tape to hold it in place. https://www.amazon.com/Retermit-Resistan...

mayer - 08/08/19

Paso 9

Usa el lado plano de un spudger para levantar el conector del cable del disco duro hacia arriba de la placa lógica.

Paso 10

Usa un spudger para levantar el conector de la bocina izquierda y del micrófono hacia arriba de la placa lógica.
Estos conectores con muy delicados y se rompen fácilmente.

Note: the 2009 and 2010 model differ here. On one the 3 point connector is left and 2 point is right, on the other one the 3 point connector is right and 2 point is left.

I found this while installing several logicboards for A1342.

Peterdk -

@Peterdk, are the connectors exchangeable?

I mean, would putting the 3 pin on the 3 pin, and the 2 pin on the 2 pin, regardless of the position (left or right) be ok?

Have you successfully used a 2010 logic board on a 2009 case?

Alberto Einstein - 08/02/17

I can't seem to connect those any suggestions

Ayat - 20/09/14

how do you reconnect these?

yourstruly69101 - 23/11/14

hi! i know iʻm 6 years late, and you probably figured it out already, but for the rest of us newbies , line the plug over the socket and gently press down. the correct orientation of the plug is the side with the tiny slots in them faces the logic board, aligning with the contacts in the socket. it may help to press the side farthest from the ribbon cable first.

Kahana - 28/04/20

Paso 11

Agarra la lengüeta de plástico asegurada al seguro del cable de datos de la pantalla y rótalo hacia el lado de DC-In de la computadora.

Just lift the tab up slightly to release the clip that secures the data display cable. Then the cable will slide out easily.

matt15 -

If the video data cable has been disconnected before, the adhesive on the might not hold. Be extra cautious in disconnecting this. An illuminated magnifier would be a good help on this step as it is very delicate. This was where I feared I would fail. Was very relieved in getting through this step...

svenaustx - 19/11/14

I wasn't careful enough here, and didn't realize that the silver metal piece around the connector is actually a locking clip. No wonder disconnecting the cable required more than a gentle pull. The clip popped out of the cable-side connector in the process, and was bent; fortunately I was able to very carefully bend the clip out just enough to get it re-seated in the connector; there are tiny slots on the sides of the connector that the clip fits into.

kmcrawford111 - 09/02/17

Paso 12

Tira gentilmente del conector del cable de datos de la pantalla lejos de su zocalo en la placa lógica.
Tira del zocalo paralelo a la cara de la placa logica.
El zocalo del cable de datos de la pantalla es hecho de un metal muy delgado y se puede doblar fácilmente. Asegura de tirar el conector directamente de su zocalo.

Paso 13

Remueve los seis tornillos Torx T6 de 4.1 a 4.4 mm asegurando la placa lógica a la carcasa superior.
Remueve los dos tornillos Torx T6 de 4.1 a 4.4 mm asegurando la placa MagSafe a la carcasa posterior.
En algunos modelos, estos tornillos pueden ser un T7. Se cuidadoso de no rodarlos con una punta más pequeña.

Paso 14

Levanta el lado de la placa lógica opuesto a los puertos para sacarla de la carcasa superior.
Rota la placa lógica lejos de la carcasa superior hasta que los puertos salgan del borde moldeado en la carcasa superior.
Tira de la placa lógica y placa MagSafe lejos del borde de la carcasa superior como una pieza.
La placa MagSafe puede ser accidentalmente desconectada durante el proceso. Como una precaución, asegura que el conector de la placa MagSafe esta bien asentada en su zocalo antes de volver a poner la placa lógica en la carcasa superior.
Antes de volver a colocar la placa lógica en la carcasa superior, asegura que los cables de la bocina izquierda y micrófono estén asentados en los canales cortados en la carcasa superior (como se muestra en la tercera foto).

(When re-installing) Before screwing down the logic board, go around the edge and make sure no cables are caught underneath, remember there are 11 of them, 12 if the battery is present at this point.

kenhtanaka -

I reassembled the macbook A1342 using this guide and everything is perfect, except that if I shut down the computer and power it up after 1hour or so, I have to press the power button a few times before it starts. What could I have gone wrong? I checked the magsafe connector and it seems to be firmly seated. :(

Alok -