MacBook Air Models A1237 and A1304 Repair

Troubleshooting ¶ 

Track down a number of hardware problems using the MacBook Air troubleshooting page.

The two primary options for reading CDs and DVDs are to either purchase an external SuperDrive, or to use an Apple feature called Remote Disc. Remote Disc allows the optical drive of a nearby Mac to be borrowed for use in mounting discs on the MacBook Air.

If your MacBook Air died prematurely and you want to restore it, you can either reinstall software using Remote Install Mac OS X, or purchase a MacBook Air SuperDrive. The SuperDrive will enable you to run a Mac OS X restore disk on your MacBook Air.

Upgrades ¶ 

Unfortunately, the RAM and processor are not upgradeable in the MacBook Air. However, that does not mean the MacBook Air is completely non-upgradeable. The following major parts can be upgraded:

• Hard Drive: 80 or 120 GB hard drives came standard with the MacBook Air. You can replace your 120 GB drive if it ever fails.
• Battery: Replacing the battery requires the removal of ten screws. The battery can be replaced in less than 10 minutes.

Identification and Background ¶ 

The MacBook Air was introduced to the masses on January 15, 2008. It measures only 0.76" in thickness, a hair thicker than the diameter of a dime. However, Apple has managed to pack a 13.3-inch display, a full-size keyboard, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 802.11n Wi-Fi into a package that weighs 3 pounds.

Use the laptop identification system to help you identify your machine. MacBooks tend to look very similar, and it's important to know which machine you have before ordering any replacement parts.

There are a number of downsides to the portable nature of the MacBook Air. The RAM is soldered to the logic board, and there are no upgrade slots -- which means the user is stuck with 2 GB RAM. There is no built-in optical drive, preventing users from easily restoring their system. Worst of all (at least from a troubleshooting and repairing perspective), the lack of FireWire ports prevents utilization of the incredibly useful Target Disk Mode, limiting the ability to restore the Air's operating system and perform diagnostics without removing the hard drive.

Tech Specs ¶ 

Display: ¶ 

• 13.3-inch (diagonal) glossy widescreen TFT LED backlit display with support for millions of colors

Storage: ¶ 

• 80GB 1.8 inch Parallel ATA hard disk drive or 64GB ssd

Processor: ¶ 

• 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache

Memory: ¶ 

• 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM onboard

Wireless Connectivity: ¶ 

• 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
• Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 wireless technology

Graphics and video: ¶ 

• Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor
• Built-in iSight camera

Ports: ¶ 

• USB 2.0 port (up to 480 Mbps)
• Micro-DVI
• Headphone jack

Battery and power: ¶ 

• 37-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
• 45W MagSafe power adapter with cable management system
• MagSafe power adapter port

What’s in the box: ¶ 

• MacBook Air
• Micro-DVI to DVI adapter
• Micro-DVI to VGA adapter
• Cleaning/polishing cloth
• MagSafe power adapter
• Install/restore DVDs
• Printed documentation

Additional Information ¶ 

• iFixit: List of Troubleshooting Guides
• iFixit: Mac OS X HD Reinstallation Tips
• iFixit: DIY Laptop Upgrades
• Wikipedia: MacBook Air
• Mactracker: Application with Apple Product Specs
• EveryMac: Online Apple Product Specs
• Apple: MacBook Air Product Page
• apple MacBook Air 13.3 inch a1237 Battery
• apple MacBook Air 13.3 inch a1304 Battery