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MPB 17" unibody -- screws...ARGH

R

rickeames

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 12, 2008
392
71
So I just took all the screws off the back, kept them in order, put my memory in, and then put the cover back on. All screws went in perfectly EXCEPT ONE. It sticks out a bit no matter what I do. I've removed the cover twice and tried it again -- nothing. It's making me nuts, it's going to be something I will feel every single day. And if I keep dinking with it, I know I'll strip the screw.

*sigh*
 
sorry to hear that. I can totally feel you, i ,too, am a bit OCD about my gadget if something is not right, I can live with it but it will keep bugging me in the back of my mind :D

I know that you arrange it in order but have you tried changing the order? maybe the problem screw might fit well somewhere else. Maybe you can bring to the apple store, they might be ble to do something for you. Good Luck anyway :)
 
Try swapping it with another screw of the same length. Sometimes the threading is just a little different, and another hole may let it go all the way in.
 
The best way to avoid that is to not tighten any of the screws all the way until all of them are in place and only semi-screwed in. Then tighten each one in turn a bit more, checking to make sure they are all dead straight and not leaning because of sideways pressure from the cover. If any are leaning slightly, jiggle the cover a little to ease any pressure from whichever side and when it comes to the final round of tightening, start with the one that's given problems. Let's hope you haven't already damaged the thread.
 
MACZ said:
sorry to hear that. I can totally feel you, i ,too, am a bit OCD about my gadget if something is not right, I can live with it but it will keep bugging me in the back of my mind :D

I know that you arrange it in order but have you tried changing the order? maybe the problem screw might fit well somewhere else. Maybe you can bring to the apple store, they might be ble to do something for you. Good Luck anyway :)
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the Apple Store frown on the OP opening the case of the 17"? Unless I'm reading something wrong, isn't the 17" parts non-replaceable by the user and everything done in-store?


EDIT: Hah, thanks Mac...I thought the whole enclosure was to remain closed unless it was an Apple Technician (iPod design is a dark, dark cloud...)
 
there's a diagram in the owners manual I seem to recall.

Tells you what scews go where. This is because the Ram and HD are user servicable.


Whatever you do, don't even try until your 100% sure.
 
The upperleft (not sure which orientation, so its ONE of the corners anyway) screw in the macbooks is shorter for some reason, are you sure you didnt put a full length one in there?
 
NT1440 said:
The upperleft (not sure which orientation, so its ONE of the corners anyway) screw in the macbooks is shorter for some reason, are you sure you didnt put a full length one in there?
Click to expand...

I will take it all apart again. Leave it to Apple to make this difficult. 4 different screw sizes for 1 back. Nuts.
 
rickeames said:
So I just took all the screws off the back, kept them in order, put my memory in, and then put the cover back on. All screws went in perfectly EXCEPT ONE. It sticks out a bit no matter what I do. I've removed the cover twice and tried it again -- nothing. It's making me nuts, it's going to be something I will feel every single day. And if I keep dinking with it, I know I'll strip the screw.

*sigh*
Click to expand...

I've had the same issue when replacing the HDD. All but two go in perfectly, and I know the order of the screws is 100% correct. Tried several times myself and just left it as is now. By the way, whats this damaged "thread" people are talking about?
 
The best way to deal with those screws is, while unscrewing them, line them all up in order and put them back in the exact same order.

That will prevent the problem (mentioned a few posts back) of slightly different screw threadings/tolerances causing issues.

To be clear: replacement procedures for the HD and RAM are in the manual, and (correctly) opening/closing the bottom to do those things will not invalidate the warranty. However the manual also explicitly warns that Apple recommends an "Apple Certified technician" do the work, and that damage caused by replacing HD/RAM is not covered in the warranty.
 
iLog.Genius said:
Wouldn't the Apple Store frown on the OP opening the case of the 17"? Unless I'm reading something wrong, isn't the 17" parts non-replaceable by the user and everything done in-store?


EDIT: Hah, thanks Mac...I thought the whole enclosure was to remain closed unless it was an Apple Technician (iPod design is a dark, dark cloud...)
Click to expand...

Oh i didn't mean that OP should go to claim or exchange anything. It's just that sometime when you ask the people who work there nicely, they might have some left over part in the back or something that you might be able to use.

I mean, you can just give it a try, who knows, you might get lucky right? :D
 
From ifixit.com:

"Apple's user manual for this computer has instructions to remove the lower case. But they got the length of one of the screws wrong. We promise to get them right in our repair guide".
 
EJ031041.jpg
:D
 
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