Apple macbook pro 15 inch mid 2009 User Manual

							 Apple Technician Guide
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
Updated:  2010-12-15  
						

							 Apple Inc.
© 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this document may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the 
written consent of Apple.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate. Apple 
is not responsible for printing or clerical errors.
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Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, MacBook, and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in 
the U.S. and other countries. 
Please send feedback to [email protected].  
						

							MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
Contents
About This Guide
Manual Updates 9
Update 15 December 2010  9
Update 11 June 2010 9
Updated 14 May 2010  9
Updated 26 January 2010  9
Updated 13 January 2010 9
Updated 2 December 2009  10
Updated 11 August 2009 10
Updated 6 July 2009 10
Updated 10 June 2009  11
Apple Technician Guide Introduced 08 June 2009  11
Feedback 12
Basics
Overview 14
Identifying Features  14
Product Configurations   14
Note About Images in This Manual  15
Battery Precaution 15
Battery Removal Tool  15
Service Fixture 16
Serial Number Location  17
Serial Number on Bottom Case  17
Transferring the Serial Number 18
General Information 19
Required Tools  19
Display Panels 20
The Glass Panel  21
Keycap Replacement  22  
						

							Troubleshooting
General Troubleshooting 24
Update System Software 24
Apple Service Diagnostics  24
Test Points 24
Troubleshooting Theory  24
Hardware vs. Software 25
Clamshell Service Diagnostic Read Me  25
Emerging Issues 25
Functional Overview  26
Block Diagram, MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)  27
Liquid Contact Indicators 28
Common Reset Procedures  28
Display Issue: Pixel Anomalies  30
Symptom Charts 31
Startup and Power Issues  31
No Power 31
Won’t Start Up  34
Intermittent Shutdown  37
No Video/Bad Video 42
Battery Isn’t Recognized or Won’t Charge  45
Kernel Panic/System Crashes 48
Battery Run Time Too Short 52
Won’t Run on Power Adapter Alone  52
Power Adapter Issue 53
Noise / Hum / Vibration  55
Burnt Smell / Odor 57
Battery Leaking or Swollen  58
Uncategorized Symptom 58
Communications 59
Ethernet Port/Device Issue  59
AirPort/Bluetooth: Defective Wireless Devices  61
No/Poor Wireless Signal 63
Bluetooth Wireless Input Device Loses Connection  64
AirPort Card: Kernel Panic 66
Wireless Performance Issue / Slow Connection  67
Wireless Input Device Doesn’t Pair 69
Uncategorized Symptom 70
Display 71
Display Anomalies  71
Defective Camera / Built-in iSight Not Operating Correctly  76
Backlight Issue / No Backlight 78
Noise / Unstable Flickering 79
Mechanical/Physical Damage  81  
						

							Cosmetic Defects 81
Uncategorized Symptom  81
Mass Storage 82
Hard Drive Read/Write Issue  82
Hard Drive Not Recognized/Not Mounting  83
Hard Drive Noisy 85
Optical Drive Won’t Accept/Reject Media  86
Optical Drive Read/Write Data Error 88
Optical Drive Not Recognized/Mount  90
Optical Drive Noisy 91
Optical Drive Not Performing to Specs  93
Uncategorized Symptom 94
Input/Output Devices 95
USB Port Does Not Recognize Known Devices  95
Built-in Keyboard Does Not Work Properly 96
Specific Keys Don’t Work 97
Built-in Trackpad Does Not Work  98
Built-in Keyboard Has Dim or No Keyboard Backlight  99
Built-in Keyboard Is Not Recognized 100
Built-in Trackpad Does Not Track Properly  101
Apple Remote Inoperable 103
Built-in Speaker Has No Audio  104
Distorted Sound from Internal Speaker  105
SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card Will Not Insert Into Slot  107
SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card Not Recognized By System  108
FireWire Port Not Recognizing Known Devices 109
Uncategorized Symptom 110
Mechanical Issues: Thermals and Enclosure  111
Reset/Power Button Stuck 111
System Runs Hot 113
Uncategorized Symptom  115
Take Apart
General Information 117
Connector Types on Logic Board  117
Battery Precaution 121
Service Fixture 122
Icon Legend 123
Temperature Concerns  123
Replacement Steps 123
Screw Sizes 123
Bottom Case  124
Removal 125  
						

							Replacement 127
Battery 128
Removal  129
Replacement  130
Hard Drive and Bracket  132
Removal 133
Replacement  136
Reinstalling Software that Came with the Computer  138
Installing Mac OS X  138
Installing Applications  138
Hard Drive/IR/Sleep Indicator Cable  139
Removal 140
 Replacement  140
Memory 141
Removal 142
Replacement  143
Bluetooth Card With Holder  144
Camera Cable Guide 147
LVDS Cable Guide 149
Display Assembly 151
Removal 152
Replacement  155
Display Hinge Behavior  157
Display Clutch Cover 158
Removal 159
Replacement  160
AirPort Card 162
Removal 163
Replacement  164
Antenna Board  165
Removal 166
Replacement  166
Optical Drive  167
Optical Drive Data Cable  172
Right Speaker / Subwoofer  174  
						

							Fan, Right 179
Logic Board  181
Removal 182
Replacement  186
Fan, Left 188
Heatsink  190
Removal 191
Replacement  192
Trackpad 194
Removal 195
Replacement  197
Left Speaker  200
Microphone   202
MagSafe Board  204
Center Bracket 206
Top Case 208
Battery Indicator Light Cable and Board  210
Views
Exploded Views 213
Main Assembly 1  213
Main Assembly 2 214
External Views 215
Front View 215
Port View 216
Screw Chart  217
Screw Location Diagrams  219
Bottom Case Screws 219
Battery and Optical Drive Assembly Screws   220
LVDS Cable Guide, Right Fan, Camera Cable Guide Screws  221
HD/IR/Sleep Indicator, Metal Cover, Logic Board Screws 222
Trackpad, Midwall Snap, Midwall Pogo Screws 223
Right Speaker and Display Assembly Hinge Screws  224
Battery Indicator Light Board and Center Bracket Screws  225
Left Fan, Left Speaker and Heatsink Screws 226
AirPort Card and Antenna Board Screws 227  
						

							© 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
 Apple Technician Guide
About This Guide
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)   
						

							MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009) About This Guide — Manual Updates 9 2010-12-15
Manual Updates
Update 15 December 2010
Troubleshooting
• Symptom Charts: Display: Backlight Issue/No Backlight: Changed last two steps in Deep Dive 
to include F9800 fuse-check procedure.
Update 11 June 2010
Troubleshooting
• General Troubleshooting: Common Reset Procedures: Resetting the System Management 
Controller (SMC): Updated step 3 to clarify LED behavior on the MagSafe connector; deleted 
statement that resetting the SMC requires resetting the date and time.
Updated 14 May 2010
Basics
• General Information: Added new section “Keycap Replacement.”
Troubleshooting
• Symptom Charts: Input/Output Devices: Built-In Keyboard Does Not Work Properly: Changed 
fist step in Action column of Deep Dive to refer to Keycap Replacement articles HT4002 and 
HT4003.
• Symptom Charts: Input/Output Devices: Specific Keys Don’t Work: Changed last step in 
Quick Check column to refer to Keycap Replacement articles HT4002 and HT4003.
Updated 26 January 2010
Troubleshooting::
• General Troubleshooting: Updated Liquid Submersion Indicator topic and changed wording 
from Liquid Submersion Indicator (LSI) to Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI)
• Symptom Charts: Startup and Power Issues: Burnt Smell / Odor: Changed Liquid Submersion 
Indicator (LSI) to Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI)
Take Apart:
• Heatsink: Added screw replacement order for heatsink screws
Updated 13 January 2010
Basics:
• General Information: Added new section “Display Panels” describing the glossy and antiglare 
panels  
						

							MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009) Manual Updates — Updated 2 December 2009 10 2010-12-15
Take Apart:
• Updated Display Assembly procedure to include new graphics of glossy and antiglare 
display cable removal (step 4).
• Updated Optical Drive procedure to include new graphics of glossy and antiglare display 
cable removal (step 4).
Updated 2 December 2009
Troubleshooting:
• General Troubleshooting: Added new section “Clamshell Service Diagnostic Read Me”
• Symptom Charts: Startup and Power Issues: Revised for Clamshell Service Diagnostic (CSD) 
considerations
• Symptom Charts: Communications: Revised for CSD considerations
• Symptom Charts: Display: Revised for CSD considerations
Take Apart:
• Updated screws for right and left speakers
Updated 11 August 2009
Troubleshooting:
• Added Bluetooth card information to Startup and Power Issues Symptom Charts
• Added Bluetooth card information to Communications Symptom Charts 
Take Apart:
• Added Bluetooth card procedure (for anti-glare model with Bluetooth option)
• Added note to beginning of Camera Cable Guide procedure explaining that the procedure 
does not apply to the anti-glare model with Bluetooth card option
• Added information to Right Speaker/Subwoofer and Top Case procedures about foam on 
speaker and/or top case
Exploded View:
• Added Bluetooth card and anti-glare display
Updated 6 July 2009
General Information:
• Service Fixture graphics were changed.
• A link to the service fixture movie was added
Take Apart:
• Added battery as “First Step” to all procedures except memory removal.
• Display Assembly, Optical Drive, and the Logic Board chapters were updated with 
information about the shim located behind the camera cable connector. If the shim is not 
replaced during reassembly, the camera cable could work loose, resulting in no video. A 
replacement shim is now included with replacement logic boards. 
• Logic Board, Fan, and Heastsink chapters were updated with new service fixture graphics