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The $39 Solution to a Fried MacBook Air Keyboard

Michael Simon — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:18:03 -0500

When you’re trying to convince an Apple Store Genius that your nine-month-old MacBook Air inexplicably stopped working and you most certainly did not pour a steaming cup of coffee all over it, there’s one question you definitely don’t want to hear: How come it smells like hazelnut?

So as I walked away with a $750 repair estimate and the world’s thinnest $1799 paperweight, I pondered my options: 1) toss it in the river and wait for all those tablet rumors to come true; 2) stab it repeatedly and buy a ThinkPad; or 3) try my hand at fixing it.

After some lengthy looks at my carving knife, the latter option won out.

It’s not as if I’m a complete stranger to do-it-yourself Mac repairs. Back when I owned a Power Mac G4, I upgraded the processor and hard drive, swapped out the graphics card for an NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti, modded the case with a blue led, and fixed a pesky buzzing speaker. And before I sold it to raise funds for my MBA purchase, I fitted my 17-inch PowerBook G4 with a speedier, larger hard drive.

But that’s bush league compared to a complete disassembly of one of the most expensive Macs I’ve ever owned. (Of course, the stress level is significantly lessened when the computer does little more than emit the not-so-faint aroma of flavored coffee, but it’s still pretty low on my list of would-be guinea pigs.) So I took a deep breath, armed myself with a Phillips #00 screwdriver, tiny flathead and T6 Torx, and went to work.

Really screwed

A few notes before we begin. As far as spills go, this one seemed particularly nasty. A near-full 12-ounce mug of very hot coffee (no milk or sugar) landed almost in its entirety on my laptop, and I did very little to stop its path of destruction. Not only did I not shut it down, my immediate reaction (after grabbing a boatload of paper towels and placing them unmethodically on the keyboard) was to to pull a bunch of important files over my network. When I finally shut it down a few minutes later, it performed the cycle as it should; but I didn’t turn it over or try to dry it any way until several hours later, when it was clearly too late.

The first thing I gathered (besides my trio of mini magnetic tools and a healthy disdain for Apple’s team of Geniuses) was a series of labeled cups, which I crudely fashioned from small bits of paper. Apple may have trimmed the girth from the newest member of its MacBook family, but there’s certainly no shortage of screws in the thing. Once the bottom case was unfastened (10 screws) and the powerful aroma of week-old coffee dissipated, I went to work at removing the giant battery.

Nine more screws later, I gave the cable a slight tug to disconnect it from the logic board and the battery easily pulled out. A few Handi Wipes took care of the streaks of coffee that peppered the underside, and I set it aside.

With the battery gone, the neat internal design became abundantly clear, with the logic board, hard drive, and a host of cables and ribbons all ripe for the picking. While there didn’t seem to be any definitive place to begin (though some pieces are obviously dependent on another’s removal), the hard drive (and, by extension, USB port and speaker) was the most logical.

I opted to tackle the most delicate pieces first and began to loosen the amber data ribbons--1) pulling up the largest’s black tab unsnapped it from the logic board; 2) GENTLY unsticking the smaller audio cable offshoot separated it from the case and allowed me to easily shimmy it out of its port; and 3) utilizing my flathead as a spudger popped up the hard drive ribbon (just below the fan).

Four screws held the drive in place (two in back, one in front, and one by the fan) and another four secured the USB hatch in place. Finally, one little guy next to the left hinge helped the mic cable stay clamped down.

Break it down

By now, the whole complicated arrangement should have pulled cleanly away from the case -- that is, if I had known there was a tiny screw hidden below a cover near the right rear corner of the drive. Presumably, it’s supposed to be delicately pried off its adhesive perch, giving way to the final peg. (But if that doesn’t work, you can always do what I did: Yank and twist the hard drive until the cover, screw and housing all snap off in one fell swoop.)

After logging my first broken piece, I removed the speaker (2 screws), gingerly unstuck the audio cable from the case and lifted out the whole contraption, including the attached ribbon and cable.

At this point of the disassembly--with the bottom case, battery, hard drive, port hatch, speaker, 31 screws and one useless broken tab all labeled and separated--I’d pretty much reached the point of no return. Save for the stains on the battery case, I hadn’t found anything to indicate my liquid enemy had inflicted damage of any kind, and my plight was quickly becoming personal. I wanted to prove the Genius wrong. (Or at least knock him down a peg.)

With nary a notion of how to actually go about fixing the thing, however, my teardown strategy consisted of little more than a reckless and gleeful disregard for Apple’s warranty. But I wasn’t about to let something as insignificant as a Core 2 Duo processor stand in my way.

If you can’t stand the heat... (Click to embigen)

After an army of screws and ribbons, the next step was surprisingly light on the heavy lifting. After disconnecting the fan cable (by gently tugging on its cord) and unfastening the pair of visible screws along the edge of the heat sink, the only mildly tricky part came in the form of a silly plastic hunk that fit snugly along the fan’s top edge.

But this time I was wise to Apple’s random screw hunt. I pried the piece away using my trusty flathead and took care of the small screw was hiding underneath. The final fastener sat in the center of the heat sink, holding an L-shaped bar in place. (iFixit calls it a processor clamp, though it doesn’t appear to do a whole lot of clamping.)

A quick perusal of the logic board suggested a task that required my complete and undivided attention, so I took a break and sauntered to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. (And no, I don’t need to be made aware of the irony, so kindly keep your comments to yourself.)

Pry, pry again

With most of the case empty, the logic board lay out before me like a wounded albatross begging to be put out of its misery. A series of still-attached ribbons and cables stretched in every which way might have been daunting an hour ago, but by now I was no longer a novice.

First up was the microphone wire (found nestled under a piece of black electrical tape at the top left edge of the board), followed by the MagSafe cable on the right side. The display cable (top right) was slightly more difficult, requiring the removal of a screw clip to give it a little slack. Once I could grip the wire, it slid out after just a few jerks.

(Speaking of jerks, the coffee that the Apple Genius said had voided my warranty was still nowhere to be found. What I could see of the case was bone-dry and the logic board was clean and clear of any signs of nastiness.)

Two more pried-up ribbons and a small bracket (held by two small screws), and the logic board was ready to be lifted off its perch. Once it was out, removing the MagSafe connector was as easy as disconnecting another set of screws.

Coming up for Air

That left the two ribbons that ran down the bottom of the logic board; the first (Trackpad), connected to the right-center edge of the keyboard area, would prove to be trickiest. Rather than the usual snap-in connector, this piece locked into its slot by way of a teeny-tiny clamp. Using the edge of my flathead, I was able to flip up the microscopic clasp after only a few miscues; once it was raised, the cable easily slid out and peeled off the case.

The final tethered ribbon led to the Airport module, which sat obediently in its seat at the bottom right corner of the case. Two screws held the cover and board in place, and another sticky ribbon was added to my collection. While free from the case, however, the Airport unit remained attached to a lengthy cable that wound its way up the right side of the case, along its back edge and disappeared into the bezel.

And I was done. Or at least it seemed that way.

Once I was able to inspect the keyboard, the cause of my MBA’s downfall became painfully obvious. Underneath the keyboard insulation sheet (which the so-called Genius had sliced into, presumably to get a glimpse of the carnage) there lay sufficient evidence of trouble--or at least where said trouble began brewing. The LED plate was appropriately littered with coffee stains and clearly bore the brunt of the spill. Cleaning it seemed fruitless, so I hit the Internet to see what I could find in the way of parts.

All said, there are just 20 pieces (including the battery) that can be replaced via Apple’s parts list. With 19 of them seemingly in tip-top shape, I narrowed my problem down to just one: Top Case w/Keyboard (922-8315). Prices ran the gamut, from a high of $295 to a lows in the double-digits. (A quick plug for eBay seller e-magic, who offers a wide variety of Apple parts at very affordable prices, including the MacBook Air top case that I bought for less than $40.)

But, there was just one eensy-weensy, itsy-bitsy chore left while I waited my order to arrive.

Crunch time

With a pile of cables, boards and screws that used to be my MacBook Air, I was ready for the last step in “Operation: Genius.” Part #661-4590, better known as the Display Clamshell. If taking apart an $1800 computer is scary, dismantling a part that costs more than some PC laptops is downright terrifying.

So what’s the best way to tackle such a beast? I’d like to tell you, but I’m pretty sure breaking it into eight pieces isn’t it.
The process started out well enough. I followed the still-attached Airport module’s antennae and removed the six screws that held it in place. Once safely out of the way, seven clutch cover screws and four Torx hinge screws stood between my finishing of the job. I removed the hinge screws first, as they were easier to access.

With the hinges unsecured, the temptation to twist the case was oddly overwhelming, even after a bit of resistance that ought to have thrown up a caution flag. For whatever reason, I thought the case would slide out independent of the clutch, leaving the remaining screws ripe for the plucking.

Turns out they’re connected. And it just so happens they don’t like being separated.

Three twists, two jerks and a slight wretch later and the display promptly cracked seven times--once for each of the remaining screws. Crestfallen, the display easily slid away from the top case and I unscrewed the seven broken pieces of plastic, which I placed in the appropriate paper cup.

And there you have it. It wasn’t the prettiest of disassemblies, but it was done.
Three days later, my $39 part arrived and I went back to work reassembling. My greatest fears were quickly allayed, as the display attached nearly as well with six clutch screws as it had with 13. (My mutilation was barely perceptible, in fact.) Things went back together slowly, but surprisingly smoothly, until I was left with 21 screws and a bottom case that took 10 of them.

Ah, well. Close enough.

Suffice to say, I wouldn’t have been given so much space on this Web site if my story didn’t have a happy ending. So yes, my MBA is up and running again, like the whole mess never happened. My self-repair saved $711 over Apple’s quote (though completely voided the remaining three months on the warranty), and left me feeling rather smug and not unlike the Genius that scorned me. Even if I had bought the most expensive case I found, the job still would have come in some 60 percent cheaper than I would have paid Apple.

I know auto mechanics who don’t charge that much of a premium--and they certainly don’t presume to call themselves geniuses. I've got half a mind to set up a Dunce Bar outside my mall's Apple Store and make a few bucks until I get served a cease-and-desist order.

Besides, these geniuses aren't all that smart anyway. It wasn't hazelnut coffee that fried my laptop. It was chocolate cappuccino.

MacBook Air Hinge Drama Ends

David W. Martin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:26:56 -0500

If you perform a quick Google search for "MacBook Air hinge" it will yield thousands of results that include testimonies, videos, etc. of people that have complained loudly about what Apple wouldn't acknowledge as a manufacturing defect with the MacBook Air.

After months of living in denial about what many called a serious flaw with the Macbook Air's design, Apple has finally come to their senses with the release of a recent support document.

The support document details symptoms that include: lid not closing completely, broken or cracked plastic near one or both hinges, more than an inch of free play when opening or closing the lid, or the lid falls freely closed from a 30-degree open position.

If your MacBook Air has any of these symptoms you should bring it to an Apple-Authorized Service Provider - even if it is out of warranty and even if you've already paid for these repairs since you might be eligible for a refund.

MacBook Air Price Chopped

Zack Stern — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:58:24 -0500

As a footnote to the WWDC MacBook Pro revamp, Phil Schiller also announced a major price cut on the MacBook Air. You can now get configurations with 1.86GHz processor, 2GB RAM, and 120GB drive for $1,499; and the 2.13GHz model with 128GB drive and 2GB RAM costs $1,799.

What will you do with the $700 you save on Apple's luxury laptop?

Moron With Knife Forgets About AppleCare - Gets Stabby with MacBook air

Roberto Baldwin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:15:11 -0500

So you bought a MacBook air and the hinge broke. You could just take it to Apple and point out that your six alleged friends have had the same issue and that apple needs to fix the problem.

Of course, if you did that, you couldn't show the world what an idiot you are, and that while people are losing their jobs and cutting back on expenses, you can afford to get all stabby on your Mac.

A few notes. It takes a few stabs to break the LCD, the IBM has a darker screen, and AppleCare is cheaper than a new laptop. Let's just hope this guy never gets a pet he doesn't like.

Via MacEnstein

MacBook Airs Could Be Suffering from Faulty Hinges

Florence Ion — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:34:17 -0600

Those of you reading this blog on your first generation MacBook Air should be forewarned that there could be a fundamental flaw with the hinges of your Apple notebook.

A number of Air owners claim that after several months of use the hinges became loose, enough that the notebook would close shut without help from the user. In some cases, the hinges broke entirely.

This problem may be critical as Apple Store Genius Bars purportedly refuse to honor warranties, regardless of AppleCare, since the damage done to the hinges is deemed “accidental”. People affected by the hardware flub may pay up to $900 for repairs. However, some Apple stores have stepped up to the plate, offering to cover the repairs under warranty.

The problem seems to be absent from the second-gen MacBook Airs. Apple has yet to release an official statement.

Apple delays NVIDIA MacBook Airs until after Thanksgiving

Florence Ion — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:54:31 -0600

Due to “unforeseen issues”, Apple has had to push back orders on its new entry-level NVIDIA-based MacBook Airs. The company sent out an email to pre-orders explaining that it will be unlikely the systems will be delivered before the Thanksgiving holiday, as previously promised.

The delays seem to only affect 1.6GHz models with 120GB SATA drives, while the 1.8GHz models arrived earlier than anticipated. Sources believe the delay is a direct result of component supply issues with the 120GB SATA hard drives.

Apple fanatics should keep in mind that the early bird doesn’t always get the worm, even if it is delivered with free shipping.

MacBooks Latest Cog in Apple's Green Machine

Carol Pinchefsky — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:45:22 -0500

Apple Inc. has overhauled the new MacBook family to make it environmentally sound. The new MacBook and MacBook Pro are energy efficient, free of mercury, arsenic, and other toxins, and made from glass and aluminum, which is attractive to recyclers. Steve Jobs calls his revamped MacBooks “the industry’s greenest notebooks.”

The new design likely comes in response to pressure from environmental activist groups like Greenpeace, as well as consumers looking for a computer that is friendly to use and friendly on the environment.

In 2006, Greenpeace created a “report card” to score electronics companies on the toxicity and recyclability of their products. No company fared well, but Apple ranked 11th behind such companies as Dell, Nokia, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, and Sony-Ericsson.

Greenpeace continued to pressure Apple with its “Green My Apple” campaign. Jobs responded with a promise to phase out chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants in all of its products by the end of 2008.

It was a promise he kept.

The new MacBooks tell global warming to cool it: they eschew liquid crystal displays in favor of lower-powered LED backlighting, and the hard drives spin down when not in use. These adjustments add up. When on, the MacBooks use one third of the power of a lightbulb. Even the packaging has shrunk 37 percent.

Daniel Kessler, a press officer at Greenpeace US, said Greenpeace is hopeful that Apple’s green thumb will inspire other electronics companies to change their standards. “Apple is at the vanguard when it comes to design, and we’re really pleased they’re taking the right steps to make a more environmentally friendly product. It should be where the marketplace is going and what consumers are demanding.”

Still, Greenpeace won’t be completely satisfied until Apple operates recycling programs worldwide; currently, their own recycling program applies to North America only.

Although Apple had dropped to 13th place on Greenpeace’s most recent greener electronics ranking, Kessler says Apple’s new line will be re-evaulated during the next quarter.

With the new line of MacBooks that considers the environment, as well as its users, Apple is sure to earn a green thumbs-up.

Apple Picks Sides in Glossy vs. Matte Debate: The Pros and Cons of the Glossy Screen

Michelle Delio — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:11:51 -0500

Steve has spoken: No more matte. The new MacBook models all sport glossy screens. Why? Because consumers prefer them, according to Phil Schiller, who joined Jobs in the spotlight at Tuesday’s media briefing in Cupertino.

Well, some consumers are fond of them, Phil. Others are less than thrilled. Here’s why:

Yea!: Glossy screens make everything look fabulous -- colors pop, blacks are true blacks, contrast is crisp and images look sharper.

Nay!: Because everything looks so damn beautiful, glossy screens may complicate photo editing and other tasks where output accuracy is a critical issue. What looks swell on your glossy screen may look wimpy and weird when printed or shared.

Yea!: Glossy screens are more readable than matte displays in bright sunny conditions.

Nay!: Seriously, how often do you work outside?

Yea!: Screen glare can be eliminated simply by shifting the laptop’s position. And, as Phil Schiller told us at the event “One of the great things about a notebook is you can turn it however you want!” (Wow! Who knew?)

Nay!: Screen glare -- big bodacious chunks of glare -- can be a real problem on those glossy screens, Some prefer dealing with the overall, averaged-out glare of matte screens, others are happy to adjust the angle of their glossy displays as needed in order to find the glare-free sweet spot. Just remember that you may not always be able to find the right angle, depending on the lighting/window arrangement of the space you work in.

Yea!: The paranoid can now see over their own shoulders and monitor what’s happening behind them. Reflections are often crystal clear on glossy displays. No more worries about monsters and serial killers sneaking up on you.

Nay!: Those reflections are super annoying, especially for the easily-distracted (e.g.: anyone who is on deadline).

Yea!: Glossy screens are easier to clean, because you don’t need to worry about stripping the matte coating off the screen when wiping it down.

Nay!: Glossy screens highlight fingerprints, dust specks, streaks and other display grunge, so you’ll be wiping down the screen a lot.

Yea!: Everything is so bright and sharp.

Nay!: OMG, my eyes hurt and I have a headache. (Google it, even apparently non-emo, not allergic-to-everything-in-the-damn-world types of people are complaining of eye strain and brain pain after spending a couple of hours looking at a glossy screen.)

So, what to do if the Nays outweigh the Yeas for your particular situation? Obviously you can plug in a external display when working from a fixed location --assuming you have an external or the funding to purchase one. You can also see if one of those dorky-looking laptop hoods help cut down the glare when you’re on the move.

The biggest adjustment when working with the gleaming new screens will be training your eyes to compensate for the glories of your glossy display as compared to the real-world reality of the images you are creating/editing. This will take time with high-end color management systems and/or, lots of lousy print-outs.

The good news for non-glossy screen fans is that you don’t have to suffer through post-Apple event upgrade envy or buyer’s remorse, your older MacBook is better than the new ones -- hooray. The bad news is that eventually you are going to want to buy a new laptop, and it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to find a new MacBook with a matte screen -- unless Apple starts thinking differently and offers options for people who aren’t seduced by bright, shiny things.