2010 MacBook Pro A1278 - Replacement of OEM 2.33 GHz i5 Logic Board with a 2.9 GHz i7 Logic Board?

Tony-P wrote:

If the 2 boards' sizes and layouts are exact matches (i5 / 2.33 GHz 2010 versus i7 2.9 GHz 2012) and assuming that I connected all the cables properly (which I think I did) shouldn't I at least seen a charge indicator light (green / orange) on the tip of the MagSafe power cord, or have heard the fan humming or have seen the backlight on the keyboard illuminate? So my follow-up question is: Are you aware of any other component incompatibilities (2010 vs. 2012) that could cause any / all the above-noted issues?

If you don't get any LED on the Magsafe connector, then either the DC-In Board, or the Logic Board, or the battery is most likely bad. It is best to test a minimal configuration with everything disconnected except for the bare essentials as I mentioned in the previous reply.

Also, since I am (I think) still planning an upgrade, what is the latest generation / fastest processor (i5 vs, i7 / 2.3 vs. 2.5 vs 2.7 vs. 2.9 GHz) that is compatible with my A1278 2010 MBPro?

The only guaranteed compatible MLB would be one for a 2010 MBPro. Everything else is just guesswork and trial and error.

Another equally important question is: Other than the date assigned to the logic board by a seller, is there a definite way (i.e., part number, bar code, etc.) to identify what I am shopping for and distinguish among the available logic boards to hopefully find the right one to enable an upgrade?

MLBs have an 820-xxxx number embossed on them which identifies them. I've never looked at how specific this number is, but I think it goes by specific models like (early-2011, late-2011, mid-2012, etc.). Plus the Logic Board may have a system serial number sticker (usually on the base of the memory slot) containing the original system serial number and possibly a part serial number which contains a code which identifies similar system specifications (I don't recall where this part serial number is located since it can vary between boards -- may be a sticker, barcode, or QR code).

Final question: In your opinion and given your knowledge of what logic boards are compatible, is the maximum jump (e.g. 0.4 GHz) in processor speed worth the cost (part price of $150 to $250 and about an hour of my time) to perform the upgrade we have been discussing?

Once upon a time many years ago a 400MHz speed increase would have been significant, but today (or even 2012) it isn't that significant a change as you are unlikely to notice the difference during normal use for most workloads.

Yes and no. Maybe.

It will not be a drop in replacement because the mounting posts in the Top Case and the mounting holes in the Logic Board will most likely not line up. If you are willing to cut out a mounting post it may be possible to make the 2012 MLB work assuming only a single post needs to be removed. You need to have posts for support and proper grounding. You have to be absolutely sure that nothing on the Top Case will touch any of the electronic components on the MLB.

Most likely you will need to replace the center mounting bracket that sits in the center of the Top Case Assembly between the optical drive and MLB.

I performed a similar repair for a co-worker's personal laptop where he purchased the incorrect Top Case/Keyboard Assembly for his laptop. He had intended to do the swap himself, but changed his mind when he realized how much work was involved. I discovered the Top Case Assembly was not the correct one for his laptop, but when I test fit his MLB into the Top Case I discovered the center mounting bracket and one mounting post was incorrect. Luckily the replacement case had the center bracket which fit his case and I cut off one mounting post so it did not hit the electronics on the MLB. I don't recall which model he had and I never knew which Top Case he had purchased.

I don't know for sure if you will be able to use a 2012 MLB in a 2010 case. You will need to be extremely careful. Plus you do need to be careful purchasing a Mac MLB. If the MLB doesn't work you won't know if it was due to receiving a defective MLB or whether you accidentally damaged it when attempting to fit it into a 2010 case. Plus you need to make sure the Logic Board does not have a firmware password lock, is not being managed by a school or business MDM, or still associated with a previous owner's AppleID where they could lock and erase the laptop at any time. To determine if a firmware lock is enabled you need to Option Boot the laptop to see if a padlock appears on the screen. To see if a Mac is being managed by a school or business you need to perform a clean install of macOS to see if Setup Assistant shows a message about the laptop being managed (unfortunately sometimes this message won't be shown if an SMC Reset and PRAM Reset have been performed although sooner or perhaps much later you may see a macOS notification about having the laptop managed). I think the only way to tell if an AppleID is associated with the MLB is by associating your AppleID with the Logic Board (I would hope only one AppleID can manage a single device).

Edit: Added the "maybe" at the beginning since I don't know if the 2012 MLB will physically fit even given the items I already mentioned.

Tony-P wrote:

The replacement logic board’s fit was identical to the OEM logic board’s fit. All 7 holes on the board lined up perfectly with the mounting points on the computer chassis. As mentioned in my original post, all the connectors and cables also lined up perfectly and every plug or connector fit into the replacement logic board just like they did into the OEM logic board.

Make sure there are no other extra mounting posts or any other parts of the Top Case that may touch any part of the Logic Board.

I got a completely black screen, no backlight, no sound and no indicator light (green or orange) on the MagSafe charging cord. Nothing, period.

Ideally you should have tested the Logic Board before installing it into the Top Case to make sure it was functional. It is best to connect the fan and an external display to make sure the laptop powers on. The fan is useful to see if it spins indicating the board is at least powering on in case nothing appears on the display.

As I was typing this I just realized that the Display Assembly from a 2010 laptop won't work with a 2012 Logic Board. You will need to use a Display Assembly from a 2012 laptop. Sometimes it is hard to remember things unless I'm actually doing them myself since so much is just "muscle memory". In fact this is true for most MBPro models. The Display Assembly from another similar, but different model series may not be compatible. Even a 2011 Display won't work on a 2012 Logic Board. IIRC even an early 2011 MBPro display won't work on a late 2011 MBPro laptop.

The only difference was that the replacement logic board in that upgrade came from a mid-2012 A1278 MacBook Pro and I installed it into a mid-2012 A1278 MacBook Pro.

The only difference in those two boards is possibly just the CPU. Those boards are from the same board series so no problems would be expected.

Would a firmware lock prevent the laptop form booting up at all? I am completely puzzled, so any additional insight or advice you or anyone else in the Apple Community can provide would be greatly appreciated.

A firmware lock will only prevent booting from any external source or prevent any special boot keys from being used.