Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Late 2008); MacBookPro4,1 Installation Guides and Specifications
Upgrading the RAM of the Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Late 2008) model is very easy. You can replace a faulty Hard Drive or just get a new one with a higher capacity. All You'll need is some simple tools, and the correct parts. We then urge you to follow the videos or the Apple manual provided on the links below.
Please see our Apple RAM Memory for Macbook Pro page to locate your Apple compatible RAM upgrade for your Mac, and we'll ship it fast from our warehouse in Victoria.
Please see our Hard Drive for Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007, 2.4 GHz) page to locate your Apple compatible Hard Drive upgrades for your Mac
Please see our MacBook Pro Battery Replacement for Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007, 2.4 GHz) page to locate your Replacement Battery for your Mac
Apple User Guides for the Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro: How to remove or install memory Learn how to remove or install memory in your MacBook Pro notebook computer on the Apple support page.
OWC Video Installation Guide for Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Late 2008) Models:
Memory Install Video
OWC Skill Level: "Easy" | Duration: 3:35 | Model ID: MacBookPro1,2, MacBookPro2,1, MacBookPro3,1 & MacBookPro4,1
Recommended Tools for the RAM upgrade:
- #00 Precision Philips Screwdriver - Economy
- Spudger - Apple Pry Tool Non-Marking - Nylon (Black Stick) - 922-5065
You will also find some of these tools plus more in the complete toolkit from Newertech under the following link: Newer Technology 14 Piece Tool Set
Here is how to fix or upgrade the main Hard Drive:
Hard Drive Install Video
Recommended Tools for the HDD/SSD upgrade:
- #00 Precision Philips Screwdriver - Economy
- T6 Torx Screwdriver - Economy
- Spudger - Apple Pry Tool Non-Marking - Nylon (Black Stick) - 922-5065
You will also find some of these tools plus more in the complete toolkit from Newertech under the following link: Newer Technology 14 Piece Tool Set
You can also replace a dead battery with this NuPower Battery for MacBook Pro.
Here is some detailed specifications as well as direct link to available upgrades:
| Apple 17" MacBook Pro (Late 2008) | |
| OVERVIEW | |
| Introduced | October 2008 |
| Discontinued | January 2009 |
| Model Identifier | MacBookPro4,1 |
| Model Number | A1261 |
| EMC | |
| Order Number | MB766LL/A |
| PROCESSOR | |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo (T9300, T9500) ("Penryn") |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 or 2.6 GHz |
| Architecture | 64-bit |
| Number of Cores | 2 |
| Cache | 6 MB on chip shared L2 cache |
| System Bus | 800 MHz |
| STORAGE AND MEDIA | |
| Standard Storage | 320 GB (5400- or 7200-rpm SATA) or 128 GB (SSD) |
| Link to upgrade tool & kits | Tools for HDD and RAM installation |
| Link to internal HDD | Upgrade to a new 2.5” HDD |
| Link to internal SSD | Upgrade to a new 2.5” SSD |
| Media | 8x Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) |
| Link to external optical drive | Get an external burner here |
| KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD | |
| Trackpad | Solid-state trackpad with Multi-Touch gesture support |
| Keyboard | Full size (78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys incl. 12 function, 4 arrow, illuminated with ambient light sensor |
| RAM | |
| Built-in Memory | |
| Maximum Memory | 6.0 GB (Actual) 4.0 GB (Apple) |
| Memory Slots | 2 - 200-pin PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 SO-DIMM |
| Interleaving Support | Yes |
| Link to RAM upgrade | Upgrade your RAM here |
| DISPLAY | |
| Built-in Display | 17-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy, optional antiglare |
| Resolutions | 1920 by 1200 |
| GRAPHICS | |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT |
| Graphics Memory | 512 MB GDDR3 |
| Display Connection | 1 - Dual-link DVI (VGA, Composite and S-video with adapter) |
| Display Support | |
| Display Modes | Dual display extended and video mirroring |
| External Resolution | Up to 2560 by 1600 pixels |
| Camera | Built-in iSight |
| CONNECTIONS | |
| Wi-Fi | Built-in AirPort Extreme card (802.11a/b/g/n) |
| Bluetooth | Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR |
| Ethernet | 10/100/1000BASE-T (RJ-45) |
| Modem | |
| USB | 3 - 480 MBit/s |
| FireWire | 1 - 400 MBit/s, 1 - 800 MBit/s |
| Thunderbolt | |
| Display | 1 - Dual-link DVI (VGA, Composite and S-video with adapter) |
| Infrared | 1 - For Apple Remote only |
| Audio In | 1 - 3.5-mm analog/optical combo jack, 1 - Built-in microphone |
| Audio Out | 1 - 3.5-mm analog/optical combo jack, 4 - Built-in speakers |
| EXPANSION | |
| Slots | 1 - ExpressCard/34 |
| Hard Drive Interface | 1.5 Gbps Serial ATA (SATA) |
| Optical Drive Interface | Ultra ATA/100 (running at UATA/66) |
| POWER | |
| System Battery | 68-watt-hour lithium-polymer (MA458G/A) |
| Battery Life | Up to 4.5 - 5 hours |
| Standby Time | 300 |
| Maximum Battery Cycles | |
| Power Adapter | 85W MagSafe Power Adapter |
| Link ot replacement battery | Get a replacement battery here |
| Link to replacement charger | Get a replacement MagSafe here |