Mac Pro Late 2013 Speaker Replacement

Written By: Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Comments: 28

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

The Mac Pro includes a small speaker on the IO board. Use this guide to remove and replace this speaker.

Before beginning any work on your Mac Pro: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply's capacitors.

Be very careful not to touch the capacitor leads or any exposed solder joints on the back of the power supply. Only handle the board by the edges.

Tools

Step 1

Slide the lock switch to the right, to the unlocked position.

Step 2

Lift the outer case straight up off the Mac Pro.
It may help to push down on the center of the fan while lifting the case up.

Step 3

Remove five 5.1 mm T10 Torx screws from around the outer perimeter of the fan assembly.

You don't have to remove the fan assy to get to the wifi board & card. It can be done with the fan assy still attached.

Fat Mango - 18/05/17

Fat Mango is correct. That said. If you do pull the fan assembly note that the screws are all held in with blue Permatex and breaking them free takes a fair amount of effort. Getting a good set of Torx screwdrivers is a must.

Jim WIlson - 27/05/18

Hey guys, what would happen if you only replace one card.. I have a D300 but the plan is to upgrade to D500 or D600. So If I can afford and install one instead of the pair would it increase something? or will it cause any conflict? I guess I don’t understand if I the Mac Pro has 2 D300 graphic cards that means each has 1GB? Same as If I would Install 1 D600 that would increase 3GB only? Thanks.

marcotamayo - 05/05/19

D300 = 2GB each card. Very few apps uses two cards at the same time.

Gio Cas - 21/12/20

The (5) Screws are Apple part number 923-0713

Steven Gier - 27/12/19

Step 4

The fan assembly is attached to the rest of the computer by two cables on the IO board side.
Tilt the assembly up away from the IO board.
Do not try to remove the fan assembly yet, as it is still attached by two cables.

Step 5

While supporting the fan assembly with one hand, loosen the two T8 captive screws in the fan cable bracket.
These screws are captive in the Mac Pro. Do not try to remove these screws from your Mac Pro.

On my Mac Pro (assembled mid-2017) these are T8 screws. In fact, there were no T7 screws anywhere in my machine.

mark33 - 25/01/18

There was no bracket on top of the cable at all, so I got a bit confused, so I had to skip step 5 and 6.

Rakesh - 19/11/19

On my machine, a TR7 worked to remove them due to the weird angle.

Wilson Gaberino -

Step 6

Use a pair of tweezers to pull the fan cable bracket away from the fan assembly.

Step 7

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the fan assembly ribbon cable from the IO board.

Step 8

Disconnect the fan assembly antenna cable from the IO board.
Remove the fan assembly from the Mac Pro.

You don't have to remove the fan assy to do the steps below. They can be done with the fan assy still attached.

Fat Mango - 18/05/17

Step 9

Flip the Mac Pro upside down, 180 degrees.
Remove five 5.1 mm T10 Torx screws from the outer perimeter of the lower case.

Step 10

Carefully lift the lower case up and remove it from the Mac Pro.

Step 11

Use the flat end of a spudger and a twisting motion to gently separate one side of the graphics card data connection.

Step 12

Gently separate the other side as well.
Flip the connector up and out of the way of the graphics card.
Repeat this procedure on the other graphics card.

Step 13

Remove the two 6.0 mm T8 Torx screws securing the interconnect board to the heat sink.

These are actually 6.0mm T8 Torx Screws. 12/07/2016.

Todd - 08/12/16

Ended up being T9 screws for me.

Nathaniel Wilson - 25/01/18

On my Mac Pro (assembled mid-2017) these are T8 screws. In fact, there were no T7 screws anywhere in my machine.

mark33 - 25/01/18

These are T8 screws in my 2013 Mac Pro.

Sangers - 25/01/21

T8 screws for me, i did and edit to this step

Steve McGinn -

Ended up being T15 screws on my machine

Spencer Curtis -

Step 14

Gently walk the interconnect board straight up off the logic board's slot connection.
It is recommended to lift one side and then the other.
Do not try to remove the interconnect board from the Mac Pro yet, as it is still connected to the IO board.

Step 15

Flip the interconnect board up and over, exposing the IO board data cable.
Use the same sort of twisting and spreading motion with the flat end of a spudger to separate one side of the IO board data cable.

Step 16

Use the flat end of a spudger to separate the other side of the IO board data cable.
Bend the cable out of the way and remove the interconnect board from the Mac Pro.

Step 17

Flip the Mac Pro back over and set it gently on a flat surface.
We recommend laying the Mac Pro on the corner of the heat sink and the two standoff screw posts that attach to the interconnect board.

Step 18

Remove the two 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws from the sides of the power supply cage (one on each side).

those are t4 screws in my mac

Andrzej Kiryluk - 25/08/18

T4s on mine, as well

rwcinmsp -

Step 19

Remove the power supply cage from the top of the power supply.
By removing this cage, you are exposing internal components of the power supply. Be very careful not to touch any of the power supply components or circuitry.
Be careful not to drop any screws or tools into the power supply, as this may damage the power supply.

Step 20

Remove the four 5.5 mm T8 Torx screws securing the power supply assembly to the Mac Pro.

Step 21

Remove the power supply assembly from the Mac Pro.

Step 22

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the power supply DC-Out connector from its socket on the IO board.
Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the power supply data cable from its socket on the IO board.
For both cables, make sure to pry straight up on the connector, and not the socket.

Need to add T9 Torx Screwdriver to list of tools at the beginning of this article.

htiek nworb - 28/01/17

When I gently pried up on the power supply data cable, the entire socket came right off the board. Now what?

rwcinmsp -

Bought a new I/O board and got it back together. This little socket is held in only by 4 tiny solder joints. Suggest pressing down on the socket with a finger while gently prying up on the plug that snaps into it. (When reassembling, it presses in vertically.)

rwcinmsp -

Step 23

Remove the four 9.0 mm silver T10 Torx screws from the sides of the power supply.
The power supply overhangs these screws somewhat, so you'll need to use a fixed screwdriver at a bit of an angle.

I managed to untie the screws at an angle using the T9 screwdriver (instead of the T10) works well.

Rakesh - 19/11/19

awesome. thank you for the tip!!

samuel culper - 03/02/21

A T-10 tip used with a 4mm or 5/32” open-end wrench to loosen helps, too. (These really should be hex bolts…)

MotorMac -

Step 24

Gently shift the power supply to free the AC power inlet cable out of its plastic clip.
Be careful not to try to separate the power supply from the IO board assembly just yet, as it is still connected by the AC power inlet cable.

Step 25

Flip the power supply back to expose the AC power inlet cable.

Step 26

Squeeze the AC power inlet cable connector and pull it straight out of its socket in the power supply.

Step 27

Remove the two 9 mm silver T10 Torx screws securing the IO Board to the IO shield.

On reassembly, before tightening these 2 9.0mm T10s, make sure the other 4 holes line up. Otherwise you might be setting yourself up for cross threading the 4 remaining 9.0 mm T10 that are already in a bad spot for torquing.

Might not be a bad idea to put the other 4 halfway in to be sure no resistance, then tighten the 2 in this step, then remove the other 4.

is -

Step 28

Lift the IO board up from the IO shield from the end with the AC plug.
Do not attempt to completely separate the IO board from the IO shield, as there are still two cables connecting the two components.

Step 29

Set the assembly down on a flat surface to access the connectors on the IO board.
Use the tip of a spudger to flip the retaining flap on the IO shield ribbon cable ZIF connector.
Disconnect the IO shield ribbon cable.

This step is unnecessary as you can access the battery already.

Gary Sheppard -

Step 30

Squeeze and pull the audio jack ribbon cable connector from the IO board.

This step is unnecessary as you can access the battery already.

Gary Sheppard -

Step 31

Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the speaker cable from its socket on the IO board.
Be careful to pry up on the connector and not the socket.

Step 32

Remove the two 3.2 mm T4 Torx screws securing the speaker to the IO board.

Step 33

Remove the speaker from the IO board.

Conclusion

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

Author

Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Member since: 17/10/09

505446 Reputation

2 comments

Do you sell this speaker parts ?

Jimmy Leow -

Recommend to add at the top of the instructions…since this is a 10-year-old Mac, the BIOS battery is on the same board as the speaker and is not readily available in stores..the BR2032 (yes, with a “B”). Should order battery at same time as order a replacement speaker, since very involved to get to this board. (The common CR2032 would work, but not made to last as long or handle the heat inside the computer as well…and since so involved to replace it, do it right the first time with the correct part.)

hometech99 -