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MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement

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  1. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, Lower Case: crwdns2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0
    P5 Pentalobe Screwdriver Retina MacBook Pro and Air
    $5.99
    crwdns2942207:0crwdne2942207:0
    • Shut down and close your computer. Lay it on a soft surface top-side down.

    • Remove the following ten screws:

    • Two 8 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

    • Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws

    • The special screwdriver needed to remove the 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.

  2. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.

  3. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, Battery: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, Battery: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0
    • In this step you will disconnect the battery to help avoid shorting out any components during service.

    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both short sides of the battery connector upward to disconnect it from its socket on the logic board.

    • Bend the battery cable slightly away from the logic board so the connector will not accidentally contact its socket.

  4. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, Solid-State Drive: crwdns2935265:04crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD to the logic board.

  5. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0
    • Use a spudger to help lift the free end of the SSD just enough to grab it with your other hand.

    • Do not lift the end of the SSD excessively.

    • Pull the drive straight out of its socket and remove it from the logic board.

    • When reinstalling the SSD, be sure it is properly seated before reinstalling its retaining screw.

  6. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, I/O Board Cable: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable up from its socket on the I/O board.

  7. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Peel the I/O board cable up from the adhesive securing it to the fan.

  8. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the I/O board connector up and out of its socket on the logic board

    • Be sure to lift straight up on the connector as you disconnect it from its socket. The socket is very deep on the logic board and prying it from side to side may damage the logic board

    • Remove the I/O board cable.

  9. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, Fan: crwdns2935265:09crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.

    • Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.

  10. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:010crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:

    • Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws

    • One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw

  11. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:011crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.

  12. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, Battery: crwdns2935265:012crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Remove the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:

    • Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws

    • One 6 mm T5 Torx screw

    • Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws

  13. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:013crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Do not touch or squeeze the six lithium polymer cells when handling the battery.

    • Lift the battery from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

  14. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, I/O Board: crwdns2935265:014crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement, I/O Board: crwdns2935265:014crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0
    • Disconnect the I/O board by pulling the power cable away from its socket on the logic board.

    • Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the front edge of the Air.

  15. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:015crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:015crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0
    • Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the microphone cable ZIF socket.

    • Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

    • Pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

  16. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:016crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:016crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left speaker cable connector up and out of its socket on the I/O board.

    • Pry up from beneath the wires.

  17. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:017crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the I/O board toward the rear edge of the Air to disconnect it from its socket.

    • Do not lift upward on this cable as you disconnect it, as its socket may break off the logic board.

  18. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:018crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case nearest the I/O board.

  19. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:019crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Remove the single 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw securing the I/O board to the upper case.

  20. MacBook Air 11" Mid 2012 I/O Board Replacement: crwdns2935265:020crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0
    • Carefully lift the I/O board from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.

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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Andrew Optimus Goldheart

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Staff

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My computer doesn’t have any audio device whenever I look at the “device manager” (I don’t remember the Mac OS name). It started after I dropped it almost perpendicularly to the floor, so I wonder whether the problem is with this daughter board or the main one… 🤔 Any ideas? The USB and magsafe ports work, but not the embedded microphone, nor the output jack, nor the speakers. :(

Philippe Morin - crwdns2934203:0crwdne2934203:0

Replying to my past self:

The I/O board cable was not fully seated on the main board. I guess the shock made it move because the adhesive was already ripped and did not absorb the shock.

Hurray! I made a free repair job on my laptop! 😅

Philippe Morin -

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