If you’ve bought a MacBook Pro in the past few years then you may not even know that MacBook Pro’s used to come with disc drives as standard. However, this was all scrapped in 2016 and since then, only the MacBook Pro 13 inch models have disc drives. Perhaps it’s the rise of streaming or the lack of DVD and CD sales but Apple assumes that you are now less likely to use disc drives for entertainment and work.
However, Apple does sell its own Superdrive’s which can be connected to your MacBook via USB and act as a stand-alone disc drive for when you need it. There are still many perks to owning a MacBook Pro with a disc drive. These are just a few of them;
- burn CD’s to iTunes
- convert your DVD’s into MP4s
- back up your mac onto a disc
There’s definitely something nicely nostalgic about owning a computer with a disc drive.
However, owning a disk drive comes with its own set of all too well-known issues which is probably another reason Apple is phasing them out. Common disc drive issues include;
- ejecting discs for no apparent reason
- unable to read discs
- unable to play encrypted discs
- dirt build up on disc drive laser
- disc drive jam – disc won’t eject at all
Not to mention the fact you have to keep your discs somewhere safe so they don’t become scratched. Having a disc drive-free MacBook Pro starts to look like the better option when you mount up all of the problems with disc drives.
However, if you do own a MacBook Pro with a disc drive and you’re having issues with it, we’ll look at how much it will cost to get your disc drive repaired or whether you can do it yourself to save money.
How much It Costs to have a MacBook Pro Disc Drive Replacement
Replacing a MacBook Pro is exactly going to be cheap, but it’s also not going to break the bank if you find a good repairman who will do the basic job.
You will likely need to spend between $250-$500 to get a MacBook Pro disc drive repaired by a professional who knows what he or she is doing. Your repairman will need to buy the right parts and then add their mark-up onto the final cost of the job.
Only you will know if it’s worth getting it repaired. On the flip side, if you’re feeling brave enough and you have a steady hand, you could always try doing it yourself. It is certainly possible to repair and replace a MacBook Pro disc drive yourself but it is not the safest option if you don’t know what you’re doing.
How to Replace a MacBook Pro Disc Drive Yourself (DIY)
*Warning: Doing the following could lead to irreversible damage on your MacBook Pro.*
If you want to go ahead and try repairing your MacBook Pro yourself, you’re going to need the right tools first. Repairing the disc drive yourself will rely on you being able to diagnose the issue once you have removed the disc drive. If you can’t diagnose the issue yourself, it’s probably going to be much cheaper for you just to replace the whole disc drive. There are many on eBay at reasonable prices.
Here’s what you’ll need;
- a spudger
- Phillips #00 screwdriver
- something to put your screws in
- new disc drive
How to Remove Your MacBook Pro Disc Drive
Step 1
Unplug your MacBook Pro and turn it upside down. There are 10 screws that you’ll need to remove;
- 3 x 14.4 mm
- 3 x 3.5 mm
- 4 x 3.5 mm shouldered
Make sure you lay your screws out in the shape of their placements so you don’t forget where they go when you put them back in. Alternatively, if you’re confident, pop them into a tub so you don’t lose them.
Step 2
Use your fingertips to pry open the MacBook Pro near the vest side. The whole bottom of the computer should pop right off easily if you have undone all the screws properly.
Step 3
Use your spudger to pry the battery away from its connector. It’s important that there’s no electrical current when removing the disc drive.
Step 4
Use the flat end of the spudger to pry the Airport ribbon cable away from its socket on the logic board
Step 5
Now carefully pull the camera cable out of its socket on the logic board. It’s important that you pull it in parallel not upwards.
Step 6
Pull the Airport ribbon out of the way as you peel the camera cable off the adhesive securing it to the subwoofer and the Airport bracket.
De-route the camera cable out from under the retaining finger moulded into the Airport bracket.
Step 7
Use your spudger again to pry the antenna connector closest to the logic board up from its socket on the Airport board.
De-route the antenna cable from under the finger moulded into the Airport bracket.
Step 8
Remove the following screws;
- 2 x 10.3mm
- 2 x 3.1mm
- 1 x 5mm
Step 9
Pull the Airport assembly and the subwoofer upwards near the centre of the side of the optical drive until they clear each other.
Move the Airport assembly and the subwoofer away from the top of the optical drive.
Step 10
Pull the right speaker / subwoofer cable out from under the retaining near the side of the optical drive.
Pull the right speaker / subwoofer upward to disconnect it from the logic board.
Step 11
Use the flat end of your spudger to pry the hard drive cable connector up from its socket.
Bend the hard drive cable away from the optical drive.
Step 12
Now, use the flat end of your spudger to pry the optical drive connector up from its socket.
Step 13
Remove the 3 x 2.7mm screws securing the optical drive to the upper case.
Pull the optical drive upward from its edge closet to the display and remove it from the upper case. It should pop right out.
Actually removing the MacBook Pro’s disc drive is a simple enough process with the right tools. The main thing you need to remember to do is to be gentle and don’t force and components out. If they won’t come out of their connectors, just leave them.
It’s not worth damaging any other parts of your MacBook Pro.
That’s everything you need to know if you want to replace MacBook Pro Disc Drive. If you got any issues during the process, let us know in the comments section.
