Need your MacBook Pro 13-inch Unibody fixed in London? We repair every generation of Mac, and this is a model we see week in, week out.
The 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro (A1278) is one of the most repairable and long-lived Macs Apple ever made. It has a user-accessible hard drive and two RAM slots, a removable optical drive and a screwed-in battery. The 2012 model is famous for a fragile SATA hard drive cable that fails and causes a flashing folder at start-up. Most repairs are fast, and upgrades can make it genuinely useful today.
Common faults we fix
- Flashing question-mark folder (failed hard drive cable, especially 2012)
- Slow performance on the original hard drive
- Swollen battery pushing up the trackpad
- Cracked glass or failed LCD
- Keyboard damage after a spill
- MagSafe not charging
Services for this model
We have dedicated pages for the most common jobs:
- Ssd upgrade
- Ram upgrade
- Battery replacement
- Keyboard replacement
- Screen replacement
- Data recovery
- Logic board repair
- Liquid damage repair
We also handle fault diagnosis, macOS reinstallation, data migration (from £79 + VAT) and full cleaning and servicing (from £95 + VAT).
At a glance
| Years | 2009–2012 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo, then Core i5/i7 |
| Storage | Standard SATA drive |
| Memory | Socketed, upgradeable |
| Battery | Screwed in (no glue) |
| Power / charging | MagSafe 1 |
Before you bring it in
If it starts at all, back it up first. Then note the symptoms, any error messages and anything that happened just before, such as a drop, spill or update.
Which model do you have?
This page covers the MacBook Pro 13-inch Unibody (2009–2012) (MacBookPro5,5 / 7,1 / 8,1 / 9,2; A1278). Look under Apple menu > About This Mac, or check the small print on the bottom case for the A-number. Not sure? Bring it in and we’ll identify it for you.
Price
We give you a fixed quote after a free initial assessment, before any work starts. The initial assessment and advice are free, as long as we don't need to open your Mac. If a technician needs to open it and spend time diagnosing the fault, or you need a report for an insurance claim, it is booked in as a diagnostic at £45 + VAT (£54). All prices are subject to inspection, and nothing is done without your approval.
Questions we’re often asked
Is a Mac this age worth repairing?
It depends what you use it for. For recovering data, running legacy software or keeping a working studio setup, often yes. We give you the cost upfront and an honest view on whether it makes sense.
Can you upgrade the memory at the same time?
Usually, yes. This model uses socketed memory, and doing it while the Mac is already open saves you labour.
Is there a warranty?
Yes, our repairs come with a warranty on the work and parts. Ask us for the terms that apply to your repair.
Book a repair
Call 020 7394 2528 or email info@mac-repair.london with a short description of the fault and we’ll come back with a quote.