Apple macbook pro 15 inch late 2008 User Manual

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — HD Front Bracket/Flex Cable with IR and Sleep LED 211 2010-06-15
First Steps
Remove:
• Access door
• Battery
• Hard drive
• Optical drive
• Right speaker
• Midwall
This cable has a very 
narrow neck at its 
connection point to the 
main logic board. Handle 
with care or it could tear.
Tools
• Clean, soft, lint-free 
cloth
• ESD wrist strap
• Black stick
• Magnetized Phillips 
#00 screwdriver
• Tweezer
HD Front Bracket/Flex Cable 
with IR and Sleep LED  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — HD Front Bracket/Flex Cable with IR and Sleep LED 212 2010-06-15
Removal
1 IMPORTANT: 
Disconnect the 
trackpad flex cable 
before disconnecting 
the adjacent front IR/
Sleep indicator flex 
cable. 
Removing the 
trackpad flex 
cable first reduces 
the likelihood of 
damaging the front 
IR/Sleep indicator flex 
cable.
2 Remove 2 (3.3-mm) 
922-7620 screws  
attaching front 
bracket to top case.  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — HD Front Bracket/Flex Cable with IR and Sleep LED 213 2010-06-15
3 CAUTION: With a 
fingernail or black 
stick, carefully 
flip the IR/Sleep 
indicator locking lever 
connector to the 
“open” position.
4 Without straining the 
cable, pull it straight 
out of the connector.
Important: Flip 
the locking lever 
to the closed 
position (down) 
after removing the 
flex cable to protect 
the connector. See 
graphic on next page. 
5 Lift the entire IR/Sleep...

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — HD Front Bracket/Flex Cable with IR and Sleep LED 214 2010-06-15
Reassembly
1. If installing a new 
cable, peel off 
adhesive backing 
from cable, press 
cable onto top case 
and carefully insert 
the cable into the 
connector. Lock down 
the lever. 
2.  For known bad 
boards (KBB): Close 
all locking lever 
connectors on the 
logic board when 
returning the board 
to Apple. Connectors 
left in the “open” or 
up position during 
shipment can break, 
causing...

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — Express Card Cage 215 2010-06-15
First Steps
Remove:
• Access door
• Battery
• Bottom case
• Fans
• LVDS cable guide
• Logic board
Tools
• Clean, soft, lint-free 
cloth
• ESD wrist strap 
• Magnetized Phillips 
#00 screwdriver.
Express Card Cage  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — Express Card Cage 216 2010-06-15
Removal
1 Remove 4 black 
screws:
• 2 (4-mm) 922-8722
• 2 (1.85-mm) 922-8723
2 Lift card cage from 
the top case.  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — Kensington Lock 217 2010-06-15
First Steps
Remove:
• Access door
• Battery
• Bottom case
Tools
• Clean, soft, lint-free 
cloth
• ESD wrist strap and 
mat
• Magnetized Phillips 
#00 screwdriver
Kensington Lock  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — Kensington Lock 218 2010-06-15
Removal
1 Remove 2 (4 mm) 
screw (screw part 
number not offered).
2 Lift out lock.
Note that the lock 
includes the plastic 
piece and metal 
shield.  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — Top Case 219 2010-06-15
First Steps
Remove:
• Access door
• Battery
• Bottom case
• Optical drive
• Hard drive
• Fans
• Midwall
• Battery connector 
cover
• Camera cable guide
• LVDS cable guide
• Logic board
• Display assembly
• Right speaker
• Express card cage
• Center bracket
Tools
• Clean, soft, lint-free 
cloth
• ESD wrist strap 
• Magnetized Phillips 
#00 screwdriver.
Top Case  

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) Take Apart — Top Case 220 2010-06-15
Removal
With the first steps 
completed, the top case 
with keyboard is the 
remaining part.
The top case includes:
• battery indicator light 
board and cable
• battery cable 
connector cover
• hard drive cable
• front bracket IR/sleep 
indicator cable
• Kensington lock
Replacement
1 Before assembling the 
computer, be sure to 
first transfer the 
following 3 parts to 
the new top case: 
• center bracket 
• express card cage
• midwall...