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Broken MacBook iSight - fixed!

Posted on May 09, 2007

A few months ago the iSight in my MacBook suddenly stopped working. iChat just told me that I didn't have a camera attached and the iSight was no longer listed as being on the USB bus in System Profiler. I'd borrowed my old PowerBook from my sister and was all set to send my MacBook in for repair (along with it's orignal crashed hard disk) when i thought i'd have a go at fixing the problem myself in case it was just a loose connector. I had thought that I'd have to practically dismantle the whole machine to get at the wires but you can at least get to one connector by just unscrewing and lifting back the screen. I found this posting on removing a MacBook iSight and this article from ifixit.com that better explains how to remove the bezel. After I removed the bezel and unscrewed the screen I found the connector and, to my delight, it *was* loose. The USB cable zigzags up the back of the screen and is taped down in several places. It looks as though it is just a few millimeters too short to be taped to the surface 100% flat. I adjusted it a little and connected it properly.

Powered up my machine, and low and behold my iSight is back! This is excellent as it was certainly going to be a little painful to lose this machine for a week.

Comments
  1. Alan Van RyzinJune 18, 2007 @ 12:53 AM
    thanks so much for posting this!! I had the same problem and I opened my macbook up and fixed it because I saw this post.
  2. A happy macbook userNovember 13, 2007 @ 04:39 AM
    Thanks! This was really helpful - thanks for posting it.
  3. MZRNovember 28, 2007 @ 08:04 AM
    Thanks for this post! After months of retrying all the other "solutions", this one did the trick!
  4. Ben BerthNovember 29, 2007 @ 03:45 PM
    Great !! I had the same problem, it work just great and its not so difficult, Thanks for the tip.
  5. DaveDecember 05, 2007 @ 08:05 PM
    This really helped me a lot! It's nice to have my iSight camera back. Thank you!
  6. AndriDecember 18, 2007 @ 05:06 PM
    Been googling for weeks for a fix for my mysterious iSight problem without luck. Thanks.
  7. ChrisFebruary 07, 2008 @ 12:25 AM
    The links to n9th.org and ifixit.com don't seem to be working any more. Any chance you could summarise what you had to do to open up the MacBook? Many thanks!
  8. EvaMarch 11, 2008 @ 12:35 AM
    Seems to me I have found the right post!!! This problem is driving me crazy! But as Chris already said: the links are not working anymore... So, before start opening my mac... any advice? Thanx!!!
  9. EricMarch 11, 2008 @ 05:04 AM
    Eva and Chris, you're in luck. I'm having the same problem as you two, and I just found this website that shows how to replace a MacBook screen, and it includes the info we need. Happy fixing! http://www.screentekinc.com/lcd-removal-instructions_en,macbook.shtml
  10. iCarlosMarch 30, 2008 @ 01:19 AM
    I have the same problem but there is no longer exist the articule in ifixit about the isight, please send me the things u have done please please.
  11. JLApril 06, 2008 @ 12:40 AM
    Absolutely brilliant. sure enough, this was the fix that has eluded me for the past half year. absolutely brilliant
  12. MattApril 24, 2008 @ 08:28 PM
    My iSight went out a few weeks ago, and Apple said it would cost $200 to repair. After opening up the screen and making sure the connector was secure, I have a fully functional laptop again! Thanks!
  13. RizzSeptember 23, 2008 @ 08:55 PM
    You absolute star. Been trying to get to the Genius bar at my local MAC store for a week. If you need a great site that shows how to dismantle try here. http://www.screentekinc.com/lcd-removal-instructions_en,macbook,step4.shtml you don't need to remove the hinge cover though
  14. MarfilSeptember 28, 2008 @ 02:52 AM
    You save another macbook isight here. ;) Also it was funny to do (off course if you fixed it, if not i guess it will terribly frustrating).
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