How to fix up an old MacBook to use in 2018!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.พ. 2025
- Many people have Unibody MacBook Pros sitting around gathering dust, but these used MacBooks still have a lot left to give. This video is a guide to my method for restoring Unibody MacBooks. For the purposes of this video, I’ll be demonstrating on a late 2011 13” MacBook Pro, but this method can be used on 13” and 15” MacBook Pros, as well as 13” MacBooks. This is NOT a step-by step tutorial, for more detailed how-tos with descriptions of the screwdrivers needed for your specific computer, head over to iFixit.com. This video is intended to show you my process, and some tips to look out for that you won’t find in most repair guides. When I refurbish older MacBooks, I upgrade the storage, RAM, replace the Thermal paste on the CPU/GPU, and clean out the fan, motherboard, and heatsink to improve airflow. Following these methods is very reliable, not too time consuming, and improves the performance and thermals of your older Apple MacBook Pro very significantly
SSD used in this video: www.amazon.com...
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These general steps (upgrading the RAM, putting in an SSD, cleaning out and replacing thermal paste) could really be done on any computer older than 3-4 years old. Thank you so much Luke!
Always unplug the battery first 🙏
Droobster SE Why tho
dB no point of potentially having power go to the board, better to be safe and just disconnect the battery
Carl Clark I’ve heard of people causing damage by using a metal screwdriver to unplug the battery and shorting out pins lmao.
Holden Burke Why do you think I’m talking about myself? I’ve got a spudger...
Got to love baiting.
MackBook Pro 13 inch, Mid 2012. Replaced the RAM (16GB), Took out the DVD drive put in two 250GB SSD drives. Just replaced the battery and cleaned it out. I love my old laptop as it run beautifully.
Was using a 2009 white MacBook as my main laptop until a few months ago, with an SSD and some extra RAM it performed like a champ! Upgraded to a 15 inch 2012 unibody 😁
How bout the os? Is it the latest?
@@nfearther2936 I currently have it running MacOS 10.15. Using the DosDude Patcher.
This is a wonderful, instructional video as are all of your videos. I have to mention that I love hearing your background music. Someone is playing a loop of a section of Thelonious Monk's, "Ruby My Dear". I have a 2012 15 inch MacBook Pro I upgraded in 2015 with an OWC kit. I put in a 250 SSD and removed the DVD drive and put a 1GB hard drive in the main bay. I then installed the operating system and programs on the SSD. I upgraded the ram to 16GB the day after my special order arrived from China in June of 2012.
I updated my post. I am a 65-year-old geek.
1gb hdd hahaha. I think you mean 1tb my friend
I upgraded my old 2011 15” MacBook Pro for my mom with a 256gb SSD, 8 GB ram, and a new battery. She loves it and it’s much faster than before. Feels like a new machine besides the screen and heat that it puts out.
Thank you for sharing this because my MacBook Pro is also 15.6 inches and I purchased it new in June 2011. I called Apple Support yesterday and the guy didn't even want to help me. He just repeated that my computer is no longer supported by Apple and they don't even carry parts for it. I've taken it to an Apple store in the mall and been told it's running great and is well cared for but I'm concerned that my ex-husband gained access to the computer while breaking in. I'm told I can reinstall macOS from macOS recovery. I'd like to upgrade as you've done for you mom.
@@JohnArmwood Hi John, I've become addicted to Luke's videos, and I'll be 70 at the end of this month. You give me hope! :-)
Mid-2012 MacBook Pro user here. I see newer macs/laptops, but know that after all these years, I’m still completely happy with my 100% functional keyboard. I might still have a diving board trackpad, but it’s better than any other laptop. It tracks so beautifully. I’ve removed the disk drive, and put the second hard drive there, installed windows, and threw an SSD for OS X. I also replaced a single 4 GB stick of RAM with an 8 GB stick of RAM for a total of 10. It still leaves me with 2 GB floating around. I would love to get matching SSD’s and run a RAID 0 set up.
you cant under high Sierra I have the 13" pro mid-2012 and am running dual 480 inland pros in it and wanted raid 0 you have to side load it from a external with a loader the same size as your raid volume or something to that effect because when you try to install the OS or upgrade it it will tell you you cant install it on apple raid just so you know going in to.
@@jonathonrosalia9345 if I upgraded y mid 2012 to a 1 tb SSD and 8gb ram will I have issues running Mojave?
@@popi2971 i have 16 Gb of ram In mine its Mac rated ram but I don't know if that matters and I think 8 Gb is more than enough I don't use near 16 Gb. the SSD size should be fine also if its one drive I wouldn't suggest the dual drive setup its not that great because raid 0 isn't supported anymore. I have dual 480s in mine here and use only one most of the time I have had Mojave since a week after it officially came out and haven't had any real issues besides it dismounting my second drive every now and then but it comes back after a reboot.
@@jonathonrosalia9345 OK thanks I was wondering about doing a raid 0 setup but I guess i'll save a few dollars and just do one SSD and the 8gb. Also did you bother with dusting your machine, i haven't been inside mine in two and I didn't clean it then either.
@@popi2971 i blew out the heat sink and fan while I had it apart and blew out any dust while I worked its actually 20 minutes or so to do everything make sure you have a good backup before you start it makes it easier some times it tries to start a fresh install from lion osx and that sucks to have to upgrade so do a full backup or make a OS Mojave boot usb which is really easy and gives you a copy to use for the future.
Older models are easy to do this, the newer ones are a nightmare....
Hanniffy Dinn hopefully, they’re not still using crappy thermal paste on the newer ones.
Yeah, that's what's really annoying. Upgradable > Thinness. :( I bought a brand new macbook pro at the end of 2014 and went with the mid -2012 model purely because I had the option to do stuff with it. Upgraded it myself then as I needed. I hope the retina ones have improved since though, they were awful.
I have a late 2008 one lol
Old ones were meant for stuff like that, unfortunately the newer ones are not
Actually when it comes to replacing thermal paste, unibodies are nightmare
It’s really NOT a wise idea to put the logic board on a micro fibre cloth, it’s an ESD (electro static discharge) sensitive device and micro fibre cloths tend to generate a lot of static. Get yourself a proper ESD protective mat and make sure it’s properly grounded, you should really be wearing an ESD wrist strap too, these things aren’t expensive. I love your videos by the way but I’ve got 18 years experience in electronic repair, this bit makes me cringe!
I agree, it might’ve been a slightly better idea to just set it directly onto the table..
ThatFurryFellow it definitely would, it won’t damage the table. The chance of damaging a logic board by placing it on a statically charged cloth is high. A grounded ESD mat is best, along with a wrist strap... you’ll get a complete kit for about $30.
Also he should have started by unplugging the battery
Right where I stopped the video. Don’t give advice for things you clearly don’t understand, someone’s going to listen to you and damage their hardware. You should annotate that you don’t know what the hell you’re doing or take the video down. Noob.
You Should also never blow on a Logic board, only use compressed air!
It might also be worth replacing the thermal paste on new machines, seeing how little they put on there.
Bibasik7 Best to only do that after the warranty has expired to be clear
Not in the US. Perfectly legal here.
Bibasik7 .jjjkkknm kkkkkkhhjjjj
its almost impossible to replace it in the newer models as its not very accessible. After 2015 you can not easily access the interior of the computer but that is a very good idea. but the manufacturers should add more the know what they are doing they just choose not to add more.
the amount of thermal paste dies not matter
How does your channel not have more subscribers? This is a very high quality video for a channel with 17K!
Well 2 months ago I had 9K, so hopefully we'll see that number increase :)
Well- welcome to the future!
Thanks! Just did the very same upgrade a month back (same MBP vintage, SSD & 8GB RAM). Wish I'd thought to replace the thermal paste at the same time...
Hey Luke, don't worry about the critics on their high horse. I have a 2010 Macbook, now with extra ram and an SSD thanks to you. I'm running Linux and it flies.
I have a mid-2010 MBP that is still running, but extremely slow. I use my iPad for most of my computer needs these days, but I’d love to get the Mac back for wp and Zoom use. Was thinking of just getting a cheap Chromebook to replace it, but would really like to stay in the Apple ecosystem and make use of my old Mac. This video gives me hope I can bring it back to real usability without spending a whole lot. Thank you!
I think you should have first unplugged the battery connector before disconnecting anything from the motherboard. :) At least that's how I do it!
Krzysztof Starzecki Totally spot on. 👍
Even absolute noobs know the first thing to do in these cases is removing - or at least unplugging - the battery.
Im telling you, this channel will have a million subs very fast... you make interesting videos and you are very good at it...
Yarin sheiman agreed. He checks all the boxes for a solid channel.
Always good to have a person explain the basics on computer maintenance and upgrades. If you do not want to do it yourself at least you know what to ask for from a local indy shop. I would start though with a backup of the hard drive. It may also be a good idea to clean the insides of any computer once a year.
I followed similar instructions to clean out my 2011 MBP 15 inch. great video dude. you’ll get up to 1mil very fast
cool video! I just rehabbed my dad's 2009 MacBook Pro 15" just by wiping the hard drive and reinstalling a clean version of MacOS, but now I definitely want to clean up the logic board and definitely want to throw a cheap SSD in there
Luke, I'm enjoying all your videos - you are excellent! I have a recent 27" iMac, and I'm not really in need of another iMac or MacBook Pro, but I've become addicted to your videos. Who knows, maybe I'll get an old unibody MacBook Pro and follow in your tracks. Our son is all-Mac-all-the-time, and it would be fun, on one of our visits, to pull out an SSD-equipeed MacBook Pro and nonchalantly boot it up.
Doesn’t look like you unplugged the battery first, this is a must 😊 I can see your TH-cam channel growing though
i have the 2012 15inch maxed out and was a bit worse than this one, the thermal paste was dry asf, now runs as new
Can you run the latest os on it?
1) Don't use paper towel to clean off heatsinks as they leave lint behind, use a microfiber instead. 2) When cleaning heatsinks it's not actually clean until you use some iso. alcohol to clean off the residue before applying the new TIM. 3) You don't need to spread TIM because the mounting pressure from the heatsink with spread it out for you. Doing it yourself can introduce air bubbles.
@Holden Burke Thermal Interface Material, as it's not limited to paste, but can also be some more viscous liquids or solid pads.
I love how we just satisfyingly rips that battery out like a boss
nice desk setup. I just updated the ram to 8GB and its super fast now. I have a early 2011 MacBook Pro 13 inch that I use for my desktop now.
I bought a 2011 MBP 15" with the bad GPU on ebay for $78. I used the "bake the mobo in your oven 375 degrees for 8 minutes" method to reflow the solder and it works great now. Upped the RAM and installed an SSD to mke it a perfectly useable machine. Just so heavy, tho...
You could also take out that super drive and swap it for an SSD as well, then run them in raid! 😁
Or, pop in a huge mechanical drive and have it for storage.
All in all, great video!
For those of you with similar slowness in an older MacBook/Pro sometimes a failing HDD might be the cause, typically some people think when their HDD is failing that they can’t use their computer, however, if it is an Apple S.M.A.R.T. Status failure on the HDD, you might still be able to use it, but you’ll find that things load slowly.. one thing (and pretty much only one thing) that can fix that issue is to replace it.. sometimes you can get by, simply by wiping the HDD, however that is not always the case.. and you might even find that doing so could cause the Mac not to post at all, and what you’ll have to do then would be to replace the HDD and I recommend that if you are having some of these issues and it still turns on is to back up what you can in order to preserve what data you can, so when you get the HDD replaced, you can still use what programs and file you need to, so you don’t have to start fresh.. Sincerely, Your Neighborhood Mac Technician!
Thanks a bunch. Just picked up an ‘11 MBP for $130. Ordered optical drive, SSD, 8 gb of Ram and new battery as it doesn’t charge anymore
I needed a new HDD cable when I upgraded my 2011 MBP to SSD. The old cable just didn’t have the transfer rate to support the new SSD. I like the heat sink thermal paste idea. Will try that ! Cheers
Hey! Can you please include the link for the RAM and where you found the steps on Ifixit?
Would you please do a performance comparison after the upgrades installed?
I Love Your Vids. Seriously, I Love Them!
Very interesting. I'm using a very old (and very very slow) 13'' mid-2009 MacBook Pro. I can't even install the new OS X. I'm stuck with version 10.8.5. If I follow these instructions, will it solve all my problems? Will it be faster and will I be able to install the most recent OS X version? Or should I just buy a brand new Mac instead? Thanks!
u are a very smart and an innovative person. I really learn a lot from you. Please make a review on mac os Mojave beta 2
FOR THE LOVE OF FAN!
When you use compressed air on a computer fan, ALWAYS make sure to keep the fan still, you risk damaging it!
Also, when you put thermal paste, do not spread it around. The pressure on top of it will make it spread. It's not cooling the CPU, it's transferring the heat from the CPU to the pipe.
I did a cleaning of my main laptop a couple of months ago, I did a video of it but since I am guessing all links are blocked, I won't even try to link.
What's my point, well, the thermal paste and dust issue of the computer, any computer, is a huge issue if you plan on using or keeping alive a computer more than a couple of years.
I am very sorry to see, not just Apple, but other manufactures too to go to a non user repairable builds which makes these laptops having an expiration date on them, no matter what the usage or needs of user.
That's why I refuse to buy any computer which doesn't allow you to do these repairs.
Trusteft - Who allows these repairs?
You can wipe down the inside of the case and the motherboard with a microfiber towel as well. If you live in a low-humidity area (less than 30%), you can dampen the towel a little first. DAMPEN, not DRENCH - just get it a little wet to the touch and wring out any excess moisture. Regardless, if you do this, dry it off the best you can and leave it to sit for a few minutes while it dries. I tend to use MX-4 thermal paste as it's guaranteed to remain working as intended for 8 years.
Man I miss the old unibody design
When buying the RAM, make sure it matches the frequency of the old RAM. For a Core 2 Duo machine, you want 1067Mhz RAM.
You might think that 1333Mhz can just slow itself down and that's it, but... it's Apple, and RAM compatibility issues are very common, so for the best success rate, pick the right frequency.
Honestly, I have never had issues with that on Unibody MacBooks. They accept pretty much anything you throw at them - at least speed wise. Sure, some modules are incompatible in general, but I never saw an issue with the actual speed. They either just run at the slower speed, that the laptop is supposed have, or they might even run at speeds, Apple never specified. These are all intel machines, so the RAM is handled by the chipset or CPU itself. I put 1333 MHz RAM in Core2Duo machines and it either runs at 1333 or runs without at problem on 1067. When you install 1600 MHz into 2011, it runs fine at 1333 in the Early or lower specced 2011s but runs at 1600 in the Late or higher specced 2011. If you believe it or not: I am currently even running 1867 MHz Ram in a Late 2011 17".
I totally agree, that there are compatibility issues and not every RAM is gonna be accepted by a MacBook. However - at least in my experience - you don't need to care too much about the speed rating of the DIMMs. Keep in mind: The rating is just the MAXIMUM rating, the DIMM can run it. It can also run at every lower speed as well.
@@NebukadV A 2009 polycarbonate won't take 1600MHz DDR3, it can take 1333MHz and run it at 1067 though.
The 2010 model doesn't even take 1333MHz RAM.
Bro idk why, but I love this guy!
I love you too
Another reason the MacBooks run hot: the fan speed curve prioritizes silence HEAVILY.
You talk about breathing life... I’m rocking a Mid 2012 as my daily driver 😁
Me too!!! Have you upgraded any of it?
dB Sameee, I'm using a MacBook Pro Mid 2012 13" with 8GB Ram, 750GB and i7. I've never upgraded mg MacBook Pro tho
I'm still using my 2009 13" MBP for daily use for classes 😁 And it was the base model with the 2.26 Core 2 Duo with 2GB RAM. Put in an SSD, 8GB RAM And a new battery. Runs almost like new!
teefa teefa if you already have the 15" then just keep that and upgrade it. 16 GB of RAM might be Overkill for a laptop that old tho. Get just one 8 gig Save the extra money for something else.
same here! 17 mis 2012 rocking at my music studio.
You should tell us how to install MacOS after we put in a new HDD or SSD
Taylor Green you can download it to a flash drive when you put in the new drive and install it or connect the ssd to an enclosure before you open it and download it straight on the ssd
I got given a 9,2 MacBook Pro (i5 / 4GB / 500GB) base-model. I've just upgraded it to 16GB, installed a 480GB SSD and moved the 500GB hard drive into the CD Drive slot. It's like a completely different laptop now! On Mojave, no issues whatsoever :)
How did u install mojave on it I'm running el capitan can u make a video
... and as a Grande' cosmetic finale .. one additional rubber foot installation as well .. Cheers "great instructional video" thanks
Your thoughts on fixing up a 2009 13” MBP. “Hard drive/Ram upgrade” its my old old old Mac and I feel bad having my closet act as its coffin. Currently using a 2015 iMac and a 2015 MBP so no worries either way! Thanks for all you do!
You deserve way more subscribers!
Great video! Instead of buying 2 4gb sticks of ram I bought 1 8gb stick for the same price and used it along with one of the original 2gb sticks for a total of 10gb of ram.
Tanner Deal it’s best to have matching ram size, you’re not having issues?
Luke: "That is one dirty, DIRTY motherboard!"
Me: (shifts uncomfortably in my chair)
me too. lol
@@blackpassenger 😂😂
Two things...
1. you have really pink fingertips. Like really pink, it's weird.
2. Did anyone else laugh when he said "that is one dirty, *dirty* motherboard"
great vid. my 2011 just died. the screen is white when i power it up. I suspect its the mother board. are there new motherboards available for this machine? how do i test the motherboard?
I’d have preferred you to put the board directly on the table, secondly you could have used a q-tip and acetone to clean the board or a high percentage rubbing alcohol but don’t go over board it use a very light amount. Air duster only gets the loose dust off but that thing was caked with dust.
You the man, "Miami Luke"!
aspire better than blow. and later the isopropilic! thanks for sharing
Luke, well done mate. I love your videos. Your sub count is climbing daily... love that also. Rock on!
Great video. But I think I would definitely mention unplugging the battery first and blowing on that motherboard will just get spit on it
Do u have a video on how to installed a newer ios software on old MacBook pro
Dude, get yourself a small magnet to attach midway up your screwdriver, makes tremendous difference.
Looks like fun. Maybe I’ll give this a try. Great video. Thanks!
Can you do a review of this MacBook Pro? I got a early 2010 13". Will be upgrading it, if the performance is promising
I got a 2012 MacBook Pro and I put an SSD in it and it works just fine
Wait on what this video is about? I just saw Luke Miani and clicked on the video and before it started I liked!😀👍
my temps still are about 203f (95c) at full load after thermal paste change.
Luke ;)
I love the heck outta your videos - however . . . . . I am wondering* .... Are MOST of these MacBook pros :
I need to replace the keyboard & trackpad on my 15" 2011 . . . . * wondering if these keyboards and trackpads - are they a universal - fit ? thanks again for all of the very detailed info ;). .... Tim
IMO, the stock fan profiles are crap too. I got iStat Menus and changed all my fan profiles, and my 2012 MBP runs pretty cool now, if a little louder than Steve Jobs would've liked.
im fixing my late 2011 mack book pro now. I told that my unit is obsolete. If I do upgrade as shown does this also or is there a fix that will allow me to upgrade OS to Mojave/catalina? Or should I still be shopping 2012 and newer? Thanks for all help. good vids!
Two things I noticed when doing this - you never disconnected the battery from the board? And you don’t want to put a logic board on a microfibre cloth
You seem to own pretty many macbook gathering dust :).. BTW what camera do you use, the image quality is bit soft in my opinion
Man I love your videos, quick question. Would you recommend me getting a MacBook Retina (2015) with 16gb of ram or getting a cheaper unibody MacBook and upgrade it like you usually do? Can’t decide if the “retina” is worth it
My experience on mac Mini- nightmare to work on. If Macbook Pro is as fiddly, suggest you rather wait a few months for a new, affordable mac.
You should also remove the optical drive and get a second SSD in RAID 0. These days 500 GB SSD can be had for $115. Does the computer run cooler now? Will need to see before and after temps with a laser measuring tool.
123abc I’m thinking about putting a second drive in and running raid
I still like having a DVD burner comes in handy with the occasional music CD I haven't ripped to itunes. Thing that sux now is I can't run Mojave without a hack. Runs high sierra well enough though and I can always switch to windows if I want to use this computer beyond 2020.
I wish Apple made this style of MacBook with modern hardware. Maybe call it the MacBook SE or MacBook classic or something. I think they would sell like hotcakes. Heck me as an avid PC user might even try one
I am a novice here how do I copy the old drive and also is it DDR2 to upgrade the ram ? By the way Great videos,this is the first time I get to suscribe, Keep it up !
Disclaimer: Don't actually blow on anything with your mouth.
Yeah you have compressed air why would you blow with your mouth with moist air!
Don’t tell her that
I know this is an older video but want to say this , it is ok if thermal paste is thin looking and can see the shine on the CPU a little because thermal compound is used to fill in tiny bits of uneven surfaces on CPU and heatsink that then allows much better contact.
If both surfaces were completely perfect flat and fitted against each other perfect there wouldn't really be a need for thermal paste though of course it should always be used
Great video, do you have a link to the iFixit tool kit? That looked very handy! Thank you!!!
I just got a 2009 Macbook Pro 17 and it’s crazy how much heat it generates. Any suggestions? I already cleaned the fans
Great video! I'd like to see a video about the RAID mod with 2 SSD. Thanks
Great video, Luke!
The intakes of the old unibodies are from the ports and the air vent under the display.
The sound of the compressed air is so satisfying. 😂😂😂😂
Another one watched....great video
Is there anywhere I can get this done on my old laptop? Everything I look it up it just shows me where I can buy a refurbished Mac but not where to get one refurbished
Ah yes...the days when macs were upgradeable.
I assume you sell these things online after upgrading and making videos out of them. Can you put a link of the site where you sell these? Some of your subs might be interested to buy these amazing newly revived Macs. Thanks!
Ever tried 16GIG RAM for these unibody? I read somewhere that they support 16gig unofficially
I have macbook pro late 2011 i7 . Can I upgrade it also same like what you've done to this video? thanks
Yep, it's a different procedure if it's 15", hence the link to iFixit for step-by-step instructions, but its a very similar process
It's 13".
My 2011 hard drive won't show up. Tried a new cable which I know works and still no joy. Any ideas what I can do?
Great content as always! Which macOS did you install? Can that 2011 13" run S/HS+?
I installed HS, Mojave isn't officially supported but we'll see
Luke Miani great vid! How is the unsupported Mojave performing?
Can you share how to installed and where to get it.
Thansk
I have a question, hope you can answer it. I have an early 2009 17" MacBook Pro, Can I upgrade to 2018/ 2019 specs, software, ram etc? and will it even be worth it, or should i just buy a new one?
My 2010 macbook pro burns thermal paste or some shit. Second time I've replaced it this year, was running at 80°C
Replace the battery?
Great stuff, really appreciate it! A question though, would it be a good idea to remove the CD reader? Lets assume we dont really use it anymore. Would that help in maybe cooling the MBP? Thanks again.
@Christoffer J yes it would greatly improve cooling
Worth a shot!
You should’ve used an hdd caddy to remove the cd drive and put a mass storage hdd in its place to further upgrade it
what screws did the motherboard use cos i think if(maybe next year when i save enough money) i can clean it out and prepare for the 'event'
Hi. I am looking for video editing machine on a budget. Should I buy my $600 secondhand mbp 2011 and upgrade it or buy new windows laptop? Another thing is I need portable device, so desktop will not suits my need. Please give me some advice
you forgot to disconnect the battery first
Awesome Video my friend, Thanks!
I have a 2011 MacBook Pro that has been upgraded with 8GBs of ram and a 480GB SATA SSD around 2015. It has a 2.4ghz Intel core i5 with 2 cores. Even with an SSD and 8GBs of ram it’s super super slow. I haven’t ever done a cpu repaste nor cleaned out the fans though. Any tips on how to make it run faster. (It still will run basic apps but anything even medium performance like low end games and video editors it runs mega slow.)
You remind me to Parker from Vehicle Virgins but the MAC Version lol oddly enough both are too interesting to watch