Screw size for MacBook Pro

I don't have the right pentalobe bit, but I find that a 1.4mm flat blade miniature screwdriver gets them undone ok. Ugly, but it works without mangling the screw, if you use a bit of downforce. Not kind to the driver, but those can be sharpened or replaced.

Clifford Heath.

Hi Clifford,

I don't want to risk mangling the screw head unless it's a last resort type of thing.

Thanks for your reply.

Try it. You'll find that the screwdriver is much more vulnerable than the screw, and even if something does yield, the pentalobe is still structurally intact. I've done it multiple times on my Macbook with no visible damage to any of the screws.

CH.

The sizes are not standard, really. So, usually pentalobe drivers are sold in sets of two or three sizes. 1.2mm pentalobe was the label on the one that fits my A1370 Air. Some come labeled "P2" "P5" "P6" or "0.8mm". "P5" and 1.2mm are the same.

I'd not recommend trying non-fitting drivers, those screws are stainless and generally soft enough that a steel driver can hurt them.

After some further research, this has all become moot because I found out the "hard drive" is merely a couple of chips *soldered* onto the logic board. Since this particular computer has a bad display, it could be connected to an external monitor and then data could be copied to an external drive.

Thanks for your reply.

Thanks for the detailed information on the tools. As it turns out, there is no hard drive in this model. There are memory chips soldered directly onto the logic board.

As you mentioned, the SSD and memory chips are all soldered to the motherboard. No user serviceable parts inside. However, if feel inspired to fix it, there are numerous teardown guides on iFixit.com. Unfortunately, I couldn't find much for your specific MacBook:

You might want to invest in a pentalobe screwdriver set:

or something that covers most of the weird fasteners that Apple uses to keep you out of your equipment:

You do well to recommend that, but in fact, two of the opposing lobes are only 18 degrees away from being opposite, and the vertical sides and depth of the lobes form an effective slot for a right-sized screwdriver. There is very little risk of damaging the screw, as it turns out. The flat screwdriver is considerably more secure than it would be in a normal screw slot. Not as strong as a pentalobe, but quite adequate.

There's an Apple (and other devices) knowledgebase, courtesy of Louis Rossmann and community efforts, where you may find all sorts of tips/hints ...

He also links a lot of the specific tools needed to open/service Macbooks etc. on most of his board-repair related YouTube videos :-

Thanks. I found that MacBook A1989 link at: <https://repair.wiki/w/A1989_2018_13%E2%80%9D_Touchbar_MacBook_Pro>However, no disassembly instructions or tool specs. Still, quite useful for troubleshooting and component level repairs.

From this detailed disassembly video,

The tools needed in order of disassembly are:

1)Pentalobe tool of unknown size for bottom panel screws 2)T4 3)T5 4)T6 5)Pentalobe 2

The problem here is that the video does not explicitly say which size pentalobe tool is used to remove the bottom panel screws. When it comes to removing the Wi-Fi screws, the video again says the screws are pentalobe 2. Does that mean P2 or PL2?

Another video gives more specific information when the size in millimeters is given along with the P(L) size. That is very helpful.

Wikipedia has a good chart which explains how the same sized screw can have *four* different names for one specific size.

After reading all the information about these disjointed standards for these pentalobe screws (and explained previously by whit3rd further back in this thread), what makes the most sense to me is to make sure you confirm the correct screw size with the measurement in millimeters of the screw. For example say, "Pentalobe screw size 1.2mm," not, "Pentalobe 5."

On a side note, there seems to have been a successful lawsuit against Apple for their faulty displays.

Thanks for your replies.

Tools :- If it wasn't linked on the description of the YT "board repair" video you looked at, some clues here -- lots of Torx and Triwing and Pentalobe to keep people out.

Looks like Pentalobe PL4 for MacBooks ...

They've been doing this crap since the days of the Apple Mac, needing a "special" long, thin Torx to reach the ridiculously deep-buried screws!

Of course, a standard 1/4" "bit set" won't work, because it's down a deep recess that is too narrow to get a "bit set" down. Real screwdriver, or go home! :(