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What is this wire?

P

papatient

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 2, 2011
3
0
I feel like I'm going to puke.

Today I was installing a second hdd instead of the optical drive in my unibody macbook pro 17", and while inserting the new hdd tray I managed to tear off a connection that was soldered to the logic board. To top it off one of the micro pins that was on the connector fell off and I lost it forever.

Now I'd like to know what exactly is this wire that connects to the board (isight?) and if the macbook can function properly without it. Let me know if more explanations or photos are needed. Thanks a lot for checking.

Here's an image:

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/4779/fmlmacbook.jpg
 
Looks like the camera connector to me. The display cable wouldn't be attached to 2 different places on the motherboard. The camera cord runs in the same plastic channel as the display cord, but as you can see in those ifixit pics, the display cord plugs in on the opposite side of the board.
 
mikeo007 said:
Looks like the camera connector to me. The display cable wouldn't be attached to 2 different places on the motherboard. The camera cord runs in the same plastic channel as the display cord, but as you can see in those ifixit pics, the display cord plugs in on the opposite side of the board.
Click to expand...

FYI lots of display cables have 2 attachment points. One usually goes to the backlight driver (whether it be CFL or LED) - the other carries the video source. Come to think of it, I think that's all I've seen thusfar.

Edit: To the OP - I can't really make out your pics too well - but with the number of pins visible - it's not likely video data - it looks more apt to be Isight / Mic or backlight driver. I also seem to recall some unibody macs route the Wifi / Bluetooth around the LCD (I think?) - but those usually have a mini/micro SMA connector - not that style.

All is not lost - I've broken some of these tiny connectors myself - and I work with electronics for a living - usually epoxy will fix them right up. (if the solder pads are still intact)
 
Last edited:
Intell said:
Look at step 13. I think its a speaker cable. http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/...7-Inch-Unibody-Logic-Board-Replacement/3447/5
Click to expand...

The speaker cable is pictured in the OP's original image, in the lower left corner of the image. It's fully intact.

Big-TDI-Guy: Truthfully, I haven't opened up many laptops. Older machines that I opened usually connected the display with a large ribbon cable and nothing else. I don't think the Macbook has 2 connection points, although I could be wrong, as I've never really gone so far as to pull my entire LCD off.

Also, you're correct about the bluetooth being routed with the display cable.
 
Thanks a whole lot for the help guys, much much appreciated.

Looking at page 4 of the guide that al2o3cr provided, I found the 2 connectors in the first 2 pics to be pretty similar to the ones I have on mine. (not in term of shape surprisingly, but in overall location) This kinda gave me the confidence to leave it unsoldered and boot the macbook, and it turned out to be the onboard camera cable indeed. (Photoboot detect no camera now)

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/...7-Inch-Unibody-Logic-Board-Replacement/3447/4

I must confess I fell FANTASTIC right now.


For the records, the camera cable, along with the large flat black display cable (must be it) that we see hanging in my first photo, are both routed together to the other side (upper right corner, see second pic) and connect to that "big diagonal one" al2o3cr pointed out. And I can confirm that the mic is still working, so it was really just for the iSight.

Big-TDI-Guy: The 2 sets of "pins" that I kinda linked in red were soldered together before I ripped them off accidentally. Now I just stuck it on the body with a bit of contact glue so it doesn't move around.

Again, thanks all!
 
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