Macbook (oct 2008, aluminium) Keyboard

Question

Level 1

8 points

Macbook (oct 2008, aluminium) Keyboard

Hi,

First time looking around here, and immediately a question pops to my mind.

I have an 'old' but still very usefull Macbook without backlit keyboard. I took it apart, and saw that the mainboard has all the connectors, and electronic parts fit for a backlight.

My question has two parts as follows

- Can I install a backlight on a Macbook 2008 (A1278 model, aluminium), has anybody tried this on this model?

- The backlight would be for a Norwegian keyboard, and the only available backlights I can find that would fit the key layout is a UK keyboard.

Think this would fit on the Norwegian layout? I can't find any differences in the layout, but having this confirmed would be great!

Thanks for helping out,

MacBook, OS X Mavericks (10.9), 2008 aluminium

Posted on May 27, 2015 6:12 AM

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Answer 1

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,022 points

May 27, 2015 1:50 PM in response to Arvanb

You may have to try & contact some of the Mac-centric parts and service companies who may know of these

intimately, since most visitors to these ASC discussions may not have enough technical knowledge or access

to a parts database. And trying to cross-match parts may or may not be problematic, even for experts.

Companies with sites and contact email, etc, such as powerbookmedic, wegenermedia, powermax, and others

who have a parts inventory and trained staff, may be able to help with less speculation.

Sorry to not be of much help, hopefully someone who has done these swaps may be able to help in this matter.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

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Answer 2

kaz-k

Level 9

51,108 points

May 27, 2015 6:56 PM in response to Arvanb

My late 2008 aluminium MacBook has keyboard backlight since I purchased it as second hand, so you can install backlight by yourself if you can get the backlight.

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Answer 3

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,022 points

May 28, 2015 2:09 AM in response to Arvanb

If you hadn't already looked into online or other sources for a repair guide

to help swap out or replace items in 13" MacBook unibody Late 2008 Alum:

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook_Unibody_Model_A1278

The MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) shipped in two configurations: 2.0 GHz/2 GB RAM/160 GB HD/

$1299 U.S., and 2.4GHz/backlit keyboard/2 GB RAM/250 GB HD/$1599 -- U.S. Built-to-order options included

a 320 GB hard drive, & a 128 GB solid-state drive. (an ordered MacBook optioned to 4GB RAM.) + Max is 8GB.

Good luck with your project...! 🙂

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Answer 4

Arvanb Author

Level 1

8 points

May 28, 2015 6:59 AM in response to K Shaffer

Thanks a lot! Hadn't even thought about going online and see if the same machine is available with backlight!

Now the only thing that remains is a good picture of a UK keyboard (the most similar to a Norwegian layout I could find).

I couldn't find any differences with mine, so the backlight should actually fit.

Really helpfull you guys, thanks again!

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