Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
How hard is it to swap out the old hard drive for a new one? Well, that depends on which version of MacBook
Air you're using: a third-generation MacBook Air (which came out in late 2010) or later, or an earlier version.
The next two sections explain the differences.
It's worth noting here that that opening the case technically voids your MacBook Air warranty, if it's still in effect.
Working with a third-, fourth-, or fifth-generation MacBook Air
As I explain in Chapter 9, doing
anything
inside the case of a third-, fourth-, or fifth-generation MacBook Air is
problematic because Apple now uses tamperproof Torx screws to secure the case. Because screwdrivers that
work with tamperproof Torx screws (particularly the teensy T5 screws used in the third-, fourth-, and fifth-gen-
eration MacBook Air) are often hard to find, and because (as I write this) the flash storage that Apple uses for
these hard drives isn't readily available, I won't go into all the details about replacing the hard drive in third-
generation and later MacBook Airs.
Toshiba recently released a new series of flash storage modules called Blade X-gale, which should fit third-, fourth-,
and fifth-generation MacBook Airs. These modules come in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions.
Besides a T5 tamperproof screwdriver or bit to remove the ten screws that secure the back of the third-, fourth-,
or fifth-generation case, and a regular T5 Torx screwdriver or bit to remove the drive, you also need a hard
drive that meets the following specifications:
Drive type.
Solid-state flash storage module.
Interface.
Mini Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (mSATA).
Dimensions.
Width: 24mm; length: 108.9mm; height: 2.2mm.
Follow these steps to install the replacement drive:
1. Unplug the power cable and anything else connected to MacBook Air.
2. Turn MacBook Air upside down and place it on a flat, clean surface.
3. Touch something metal to ground yourself.
It's vital to discharge your body's pent-up static electricity
by touching a metal object. Otherwise, the static electricity discharges into MacBook Air and could damage
one or more internal components.
