Why buy one on eBay ? They're being thrown into the trash by the dozen if RUclips is to be believed, so just pick up 20 or 30 of them for free from the local dump.
Check your local electronic recycling depot or school system to they have cheap or free 2012 MBPs available. Also freecycle or Nextdoor might have low cost options or good thrift stores. Good luck finding a couple good work horse computers
As someone who refurbishes Macs for a living I applaud this video! That said, it is a lot of work but the unibody machines are some of the best Macs out there and they definitely deserve to live! They're also much easier to work on than any of the machines that came after.
Hi Eugene which model of unibody would you suggest in particular? What would be the minimal specs and the oldest OSX version still usable? I desperately need to buy a cheap but capable Mac for translation jobs. Thanks.
@@HubertEtAlice It depends on what you need. But the basic advice is this - get the 2012 models whether it's 13in or 15in. They're by far the most capable of the bunch, don't have any GPU issues (on 15in models) and feature proper USB 3.0. Hope that helps.
@@HubertEtAlice 2012 MacBook Pro is the best. USB 3.0. The latest OS Catalina. AirDrop. iMessage. You can place 2 new large SSD drives. Intel HD 4000 graphics card. Total computability with the last 27" Thunderbolt display 2560x1440, or higher resolution monitors. Dual display. 720 HD face camera.
Yeah, we humans create a fucking mountain of E waste because of shit companies pull like built in obselescence, making computers and phones increasingly harder for third parties and end users to repair and the fact that people are conditioned to desire the newest/best machines. Its so fucked
@@willm5032 it’s not only computers and phones. Even house appliances and audio devices are made in a way that it’s way harder and sometimes impossible to repair for third parties. I know this because I work in a repair shop. Most of the time parts aren’t even available. But most times it is repairable and that saves a device from being thrown away.
Same man.. All Ive been able to do for money since last March... its just slowwwwww right now. Buyers aint buying right now. Last week things were NUTS I sold 5 2012 Pros
Instead of just tightening the hinge screws you might want to consider removing them, put a little fingernail polish on the threads, and then screw them back in. The fingernail polish will act like LocTite, but still allows the screws to be removed without damaging them. That also works on Eyeglass screws. It's a little trick I learned from an Optometrist about 40 years ago.
@@cgi2173 Fingernail Polish is cheaper and if you have a female in the house you probably already have some available. The smallest tube of LocTite Blue is $6.00 US while a bottle of Fingernail Polish is about $1.00 from the Dollar Store. The difference in holding power between the two is so minimal you'll never be able to notice the difference. Plus you can get it in a variety of colors.
Been doing that sort of thing since the 1970's. If there is a woman within shouting distance, there will usually be an unwanted bottle of nail varnish awaiting repurposing. I've never bought Loctite.
Luke's restoration videos really soothe me. I have them playing in the background when I'm working. Keep up the good work! Good for environment, good for community, and good RUclips content!
As someone in a country that these machines are too expensive, a video like this is just wonderful. I love new tech, but we must appreciate what we have and make the most out of it and remember that there are many people who wish to have it. Great video, Luke, as always. It was one of your best videos yet for me. It keeps getting better. Wish you all the success!
Reach out to Louis Rossmann who's trying to get a movement going in the Right to Repair on his RUclips channel so that more things can be repaired and not only recycled.
@@Jkirk3279 He dislikes the direction MacBooks and Apple in general is moving. He rarely has an issue with older mac's. .. He still repairs them nonetheless
Luke: "I'm going to repair them for free, using nothing but a screwdriver." Also Luke: "I have a bag full of spare parts and I bought this specialist tool that cost $250 but I think it'll be worth it in the long run!"
This en masse repair video and your finding good homes for the repaired units is GREAT! I hope you'll do something this charitable every year and post videos showing who they are going to.
Had fun watching this video with my kids (8 and 9 years old). My daughter said, "man, we could have totally used one of those this past year with online schooling." Computers like these could definitely go all over the world to help kids.
I've refurbished dozens of computers over the years. I live in an area where there is great need and it's not hard to find a good home for a working computer. It's a satisfying hobby.
I liked your remarks on how the increased security measures may prevent recycling and reuse of old machines! Very important to raise awareness! Keep on repairing!
What I value most on this video is you are teaching me a lot about Macs ,recycling and the differences between old and new hardware. Thanks for sharing.
What a great video. I really love your effort refurbishing those machines. Imagine how many people are in need of a laptop because of Covid and don't have the opportunity. Love you Luke!
Pro tip: Mr Clean magic erasers can work miracles on restoring the surface of Apple hardware. Great video. I agree. So much waste. I'm a tech director at a school and I fix as many computers as I can. When I send my surplus out, it's absolutely worn out gear. lol
holy shit Luke, that's exactly the type of content that was the missing part of your channel keep up the good work, love the vids! cheers from Russia btw
Nice work, man. As a user of iFixit tools and tutorials, I can attest to the skill that went into the work you did making this. Glad to see the pay it forward by finding homes for these units. Seriously, well done.
My Mac needs a new logic board but I am not sure whether its worth it to repair it or not! Its a Macbook Pro Mid-2014 (RETINA, 13-INCH) in good condition. What do you think I should do?
@@MrDeking10 I think you need to base decision that on how much it costs to get a logic board from someplace such as iFixit, how comfortable you are doing the work yourself and whether you're going to be happy with Big Sur as the last supported OS on that notebook. If you're in California, Apple will still support the model until March 2022; elsewhere, Apple no longer supports it. Apple only supports n+2 versions of its operating systems, generally speaking. For example, macOS versions getting bug fixes and security updates are limited to Monterey, Big Sur and Catalina. With every new OS release, the 2 of n+2 changes and the preceding straggler falls off the support wagon. So, that part of your decision tree is based on the combination of the cost of your logic board, but how much more OS support you can expect. On a Mid 2014 MBP, we expect that support to end in the latter months of 2023 when the new macOS release becomes available. I'm a freelancer in IT and I invariably carry sensitive client information on my notebook. In this scenario, I can't really afford to see my laptop ever lose OS support. As such, I wind up following my hardware upgrades alongside the supported operating systems. And while there are ways of running unsupported macOS versions on older hardware, because I am careful of client data, I run FileVault. That creates a deal-breaker for running unsupported macOS versions. Your use case may be quite different than mine, so use your own best judgment. Cost, comfort and security are all elements. I wish you all the best in coming to a decision. And all the best in 2022!
@@TraneFrancks That's a very helpful response, thank you so much. I might keep an eye online for a logic board and if I see one for cheap then I might try and fix it myself! I guess it would also be a learning opportunity in operating on computers which I have never done before! I was looking up the specs and it seems that my Macbook has an Intel Core i5 4th Gen processor. (Model A1502 EMC 2875). Does this mean I have to find that exact logic board? Or would a different gen work? In terms of the OS, I don't mind using an older OS if that would be possible. I am in Ireland if that matters! Thanks again
Your channel is one of the reasons I’ve kept an eye out for usable old tech. In the last six months I’ve found a white polycarb 2006 MacBook, a 2008 aluminum unibody MacBook, and a 30gb iPod classic. All told for less than $250, and they’ve been put to use. Gracias!
What a great video. I was given two dead mid-2014 MBP Retina 15 inch machines, Took the 2.2GHz i7 logic board from the beat up/dead looking one, swapped it into the well-kept body, worked perfectly. I use it daily for my studies, and all I paid for were a new genuine battery (replaced it myself) and a charger. One more machine out of landfill.
I’m In the electronics recycling industry as well. Excellent video Luke, very Informative. The whole T2 chip none sense will increase the e-waste problem ten fold which is very concerning. And In addition to being difficult to repair, part salvaging from newer MacBooks is almost nonexistent as you rightly pointed out. Love Apple and their products but in their quest to remain competitive and increase profits, they are loosing sight of the impacts their innovation is having and will continue to have on the environment.
Must admit or ADORE! I have never seen a refurbisher's room and desk this clean!!!! Please give yourself a big tap on the shoulder, then call your mom or dad or guardian and thank them for the good habits they passed into your mind and conduct. Really great.
As much as I enjoy drooling over new Macs, I really love watching old ones be given new life. Inspired by the stuff on your channel, I recently upgraded my sister’s 2013 iMac with an SSD and maxed-out RAM, then I saved my wife’s old 2012 Mac Mini and with some upgrades (and a USB audio interface) turned it into a podcasting machine. I’d love to see you do more upgrade videos!
I love seeing this. I work at an Itad company that process a lot of devices that come from schools and it always saddens me to see perfectly good iPads come thru that are locked and we can’t do anything about it.
Love this video! By the way, WD40 works great to take off the stickers, or Lemon Pledge furniture polish (leaves them smelling Lemony fresh too) You should donate them to poor kids who can’t afford a laptop to attend school from home. That would be cool. I do this whenever I have the opportunity.
Electronic restoration videos are my favorite videos to watch, by far. I would love to learn how to do the work myself, maybe one day I will! Great video, thank you for giving the Macbooks a second chance.
Congrats for your efforts in rescuing those machines. I really apreciate it because I try to teach my students the culture of re-using things to take care of our planet. Thank you so much. Regards from Republic of Panama.
Fantastic result getting 7 usable MacBook's out of that lot, I hope they go to a good home. Your speech at the end of the video was really informative and well presented. Thank you for your video.
It is a French Canadian Keyboard, This is the one I have on my Mac! And from the other computer with a McGill sticker, chances are some of these computers are from Canada.
Great job & great video Luke! As an old geezer who lives on the "trailing edge" of technology, I can truly appreciate their worth as functioning computer systems. Thanks for saving them and I hope you find good, appreciative homes for them!
I’ve had luck removing EFI locks on MacBooks with user-replaceable RAM by taking one of the sticks out (or adding a stick in if there’s only one), then powering on to reset the PRAM by holding Cmd + Opt + P + R for a bit, then powering off and putting the second RAM stick back in (or removing that other stick). Hope this helps!
That method works for 2009 and older models but for 2010 and newer models that method doesn't work. For models 2010 to 2017 you need a special device such as EFI BIOS Master as used in this video: www.macunlocks.com/product/apple-mac-efi-bios-password-icloud-lock-remover-and-unlocker-in-seconds/
I know Louise Rossman hates Macbooks but I have to say, I see more of these 2010-2012 13 Inch Macbooks still kicking around then any 2010-12 PC laptops. I've upgraded so many of these things over the years and they work fantastic for people who don't need the grunt of a newer Macbook
I’ve been a huge fan of this channel since it’s very beginning and I’ve never seen someone so into this. Hopefully this channel will end up being something great. Congrats
Scratched into the metal on the inside of each one is a word, and together they form a sentence instructing him to be at a certain public place near him at a given time, he follows the instructions and goes, and at the foot of a monument there he notices a large box with LUKE written on the side, he opens the top and sees it's 100 more busted Macbooks.
Always love the fix-it videos. I have a mini Apple museum full of working laptops, Newton Message Pads and the like. I just have a really hard time letting go of my old Mac hardware. I used to go tot he local Goodwill computer store just to rescue old Macs and clean and restore them. It was very satisfying.
@@Hephasto yeah some people dont appreciate it. i bought a 25 iphone 11 lot last week and i tested them guess what EVERYSINGLE ONE WAS ICLOUD LOCKED!!! this is the problem. i hope that the EU puts a ban on electronics companies and give them a MUST to put out repairability score and a repair guide on how to fix it.
France isnt the only country in Europe. Most of Europe (Ireland, UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Malta, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland etc) uses the QWERTY keyboard with an upside down L enter key.
Great work! i wish we had computer recyclers around me. It's so hard to find macbooks to restore around me without paying top dollar. Keep up the videos. We live vicariously through them.
Hey Luke, thank you for telling about being conscious of reusing what's working or could be reused. Great content. You speak clearly and at perfect speed.
A Big Thank You, Luke, for these great ideas of resuscitating Apple devices from TRASH and make them usable again! Please, do post a repair video-guide for the "DUMMY" as to how rescue Apple macBooks and iPads... Cheers.
A fantastic video! Great content and really important points raised about the future of tech recycling. In the era of throwaway tech it easy to forget that despite their age, these are really nicely made machines which could be life changing for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access them.
You are so true! Manufacturers must be able to restore locked devices someway! It´s really frustrating looking at that pile of locked ipads that can´t be reused. Just imagine how many lifes could be changed by just accessing to a simple ipad 2 or 3 that are currently useless.
people who recycle e-waste. hit up your local e-waste manager and ask them if the would give it for free or if they give a price always go lower as the cost of recycling is lower.
This was an amazing effort and vid Luke. Properly recycling/reusing old technology should be a bigger priority. Big tech doesn't care, but imagine these computers in the hands of children who can't afford them, learning to code, or make digital art. Great job!
Great to see all of these go from potential scrap to a beginner laptop for someone in the future! I’m in need of a laptop for work so I’ve been looking into doing the same thing in refurbishing an older laptop that was going to be sent out to recycling!
There's a reason it's reduce, reuse, recycle in that order. Instead of covering the latest and greatest products, more tech channels should make videos like this to encourage people to reuse or refurbish their old electronics. Great content bro, keep it up! Cheers from Malaysia =)
Great video, Luke! I 100% agree with recycling older devices. I've bought and refurbished quite a few unibody MBPs in the past year because they're so easy to work on and with a simple SSD and RAM upgrade still competent machines.
But here our web software keeps progressing so fast due to security issues, the machines can't keep up. Unless you are just net surfing, not banking or buying with it. That's the whole issue. It's not like Europe where everything is all right around you in walking distance and people aren't afraid to walk. Here it's a much different story, no matter what you see on tv. Most can't afford to keep replacing every 3-5 yrs like many single workers can. Apple has been forcing industry-wide changes that vastly affect what remains "useable", and has disrupted the software development arena. That's why it's been so hard getting really good mac software the last 5 yrs other than the large developers. Now they want to try and get rid of Rosetta which would mess up all the compiled x64 programs we have. I dislike PC, but may have to go back just to have decent programs to keep functioning. And no - I am not even talking about photography or vids, not my niche.
Great video!!! I really hate throwing out things just because something is not working. I usually end up fixing whatever the problem is. It would be great if talented people can take care of the usable laptops, tablets and phones and repairing them. Selling these can give them a new chance to "live", but also, for kids and schools (especially nowadays) could be a really good thing to get even older hardware as a donation!
Sorry for the "automated" French comment, Luke. I follow you for about a year now, and your message about recycling is nice. Thanks for your great work, and 50 bucks for you. Best regards. Cédric, French
I appreciate your efforts and John for thinking about the environment and making good use of the thrown away electronic. Please continue the good work. As you mentioned the thing that were done to some of them at recycling center are just inexcusable. There are millions of people around the world who can use and appreciate that we throw away in trash per say...
This video raises the question as to Apple’s ‘Green’ credentials. When you see how an older MBP’s can be salvaged, and reused, newer models which with the way they’re built/pieces soldered and glued (even the batteries) will be treated as disposable.
Really good of you Luke! Hopefully you find them a nice home. Perhaps some public school computer lab or something like that. It’s nice to see actions like yours on this topic. On third world countries we don’t get to be so lucky as in the US to have school programs that give students devices like those. So I’m glad at least there are people who appreciate them like you do.
Love the video, I love taking old systems and giving them new life. One thing I noticed though, you said this cost you $0, but that EFI tool was quite expensive.
Fantastic result Luke... so many people feel when they can't get the latest OS they seem it useless and get another. Not many places that can offer a dosdude service. Always great to extend life in devices when clearly from a component level they are still capable. 👍
![I bought a huge PILE of 32 MacBooks for cheap. Can I fix them? [Part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DowXEdFiFWQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![I bought a huge PILE of 32 MacBooks for cheap. Can I fix them? [Part 1]](/img/tr.png)
Me trying to explain to my parents why I’m trying to buy a broke MacBook off of eBay: “Because a dude on the internet showed me how to” 😂
I'm looking on trash day for a few
@@rsprockets7846 what is trash day?
@@twinscrossing968 might want to check your local town spring or fall clean ups in areas....goodwill stores have pc too
Why buy one on eBay ? They're being thrown into the trash by the dozen if RUclips is to be believed, so just pick up 20 or 30 of them for free from the local dump.
Check your local electronic recycling depot or school system to they have cheap or free 2012 MBPs available. Also freecycle or Nextdoor might have low cost options or good thrift stores. Good luck finding a couple good work horse computers
As someone who refurbishes Macs for a living I applaud this video! That said, it is a lot of work but the unibody machines are some of the best Macs out there and they definitely deserve to live! They're also much easier to work on than any of the machines that came after.
Hi Eugene which model of unibody would you suggest in particular? What would be the minimal specs and the oldest OSX version still usable? I desperately need to buy a cheap but capable Mac for translation jobs. Thanks.
@@HubertEtAlice It depends on what you need. But the basic advice is this - get the 2012 models whether it's 13in or 15in. They're by far the most capable of the bunch, don't have any GPU issues (on 15in models) and feature proper USB 3.0. Hope that helps.
Eugene A. Thanks 🙏🏻
@@HubertEtAlice 2012 MacBook Pro is the best. USB 3.0. The latest OS Catalina. AirDrop. iMessage. You can place 2 new large SSD drives. Intel HD 4000 graphics card. Total computability with the last 27" Thunderbolt display 2560x1440, or higher resolution monitors. Dual display. 720 HD face camera.
@@SirSub77 OK thanks for the advice I’ll watch out for this model 😊
It’s so sad how much stuff gets thrown away in this country that can be reused re-purposed or just sold to make some extra money😢
Or can be given to charity
Yeah, we humans create a fucking mountain of E waste because of shit companies pull like built in obselescence, making computers and phones increasingly harder for third parties and end users to repair and the fact that people are conditioned to desire the newest/best machines. Its so fucked
Apple et al couldnt give a shit...all they want is you to keep buying new devices
@@bazwillrun yep and thats the problem
@@willm5032 it’s not only computers and phones. Even house appliances and audio devices are made in a way that it’s way harder and sometimes impossible to repair for third parties. I know this because I work in a repair shop. Most of the time parts aren’t even available. But most times it is repairable and that saves a device from being thrown away.
It’s been so addictive, frustrating and satisfying to resurrect MacBooks during lockdown. Thanks for inspiring me!
Lockdown!!! Which country u r at??
Same man.. All Ive been able to do for money since last March... its just slowwwwww right now. Buyers aint buying right now. Last week things were NUTS I sold 5 2012 Pros
@@AbdulAziz4CaNaDa UK. We’ve had 3...
@@benevamalc Oh wow.. May Allah protect all people from this pandemic. 💚
@@AbdulAziz4CaNaDa Alhamdulillah ✨
The effort that went into this video deserves a subscribe, well played Luke.
Instead of just tightening the hinge screws you might want to consider removing them, put a little fingernail polish on the threads, and then screw them back in. The fingernail polish will act like LocTite, but still allows the screws to be removed without damaging them. That also works on Eyeglass screws. It's a little trick I learned from an Optometrist about 40 years ago.
Just buy LocTite. 😀
@@cgi2173 Fingernail Polish is cheaper and if you have a female in the house you probably already have some available. The smallest tube of LocTite Blue is $6.00 US while a bottle of Fingernail Polish is about $1.00 from the Dollar Store. The difference in holding power between the two is so minimal you'll never be able to notice the difference.
Plus you can get it in a variety of colors.
@@cee128d Ah, cheers for that. I didn't know. 😀
Been doing that sort of thing since the 1970's. If there is a woman within shouting distance, there will usually be an unwanted bottle of nail varnish awaiting repurposing. I've never bought Loctite.
Tips like this is why I use the internet, thank you for this.
I miss these old-mac repair videos. thanks for going back to your roots from time to time.
Luke's restoration videos really soothe me. I have them playing in the background when I'm working. Keep up the good work! Good for environment, good for community, and good RUclips content!
As someone in a country that these machines are too expensive, a video like this is just wonderful. I love new tech, but we must appreciate what we have and make the most out of it and remember that there are many people who wish to have it.
Great video, Luke, as always. It was one of your best videos yet for me. It keeps getting better. Wish you all the success!
Thank you. You encourage me to maintain my early 2015 MB Pro for a few more years.
That MB can easily last to 28.
@@wasdplayer as long as it’s on Catilina and a good battery yes it can
Recently revamped my mid 2014 MBP that had blown out speakers and a dead battery. Repasted and cleaned and is working fantastic again.
@@superrob1500 nice, mine needs a repaste it gets really toasty
@@superrob1500 funny that laptop is on Louis Rossmann recommended macbook list
Reach out to Louis Rossmann who's trying to get a movement going in the Right to Repair on his RUclips channel so that more things can be repaired and not only recycled.
You know he hates Apple and all Macs, right?
He can’t understand why people bring Macs to be repaired instead of buying a cheap PC.
@@Jkirk3279 bro he literally owns a *macbook* repair shop…
@@Jkirk3279 He dislikes the direction MacBooks and Apple in general is moving. He rarely has an issue with older mac's. .. He still repairs them nonetheless
Luke: "I'm going to repair them for free, using nothing but a screwdriver."
Also Luke: "I have a bag full of spare parts and I bought this specialist tool that cost $250 but I think it'll be worth it in the long run!"
I would like to know wehre i can get the flasher for the lockscreen by Minute 11:13
This en masse repair video and your finding good homes for the repaired units is GREAT! I hope you'll do something this charitable every year and post videos showing who they are going to.
Had fun watching this video with my kids (8 and 9 years old). My daughter said, "man, we could have totally used one of those this past year with online schooling." Computers like these could definitely go all over the world to help kids.
Right!? My 4 children could use them as well!
Legends are those who say the 27 minute video is nice after 4 minutes.
Hey another cuber!
@@AndrewTyberg aay
I literally know it’s great before watching it.
ayo cube gang gan rules
@@cubing5153 ay
Honestly I never really thought about how much better refurbishment is compared to recycling for devices like these! Good video!
I think you should make this a recurring series!!
I've refurbished dozens of computers over the years. I live in an area where there is great need and it's not hard to find a good home for a working computer. It's a satisfying hobby.
he said "25 to 30 minutes" and it ended up being almost perfectly between 25 and 30 minutes. nice.
the video in which he says 25 to 30 minutes was recorded afterwards
Noice
@@ProDriverz yep
He recorded the intro after he was finished....
He most likely spent a lot more time running around shipping them
I liked your remarks on how the increased security measures may prevent recycling and reuse of old machines! Very important to raise awareness! Keep on repairing!
right now there are people having struggle with their laptops for online classes and I think that you can help them with some of those.
I agree especially in third world countries
What I value most on this video is you are teaching me a lot about Macs ,recycling and the differences between old and new hardware. Thanks for sharing.
What a great video. I really love your effort refurbishing those machines. Imagine how many people are in need of a laptop because of Covid and don't have the opportunity. Love you Luke!
Pro tip: Mr Clean magic erasers can work miracles on restoring the surface of Apple hardware. Great video. I agree. So much waste. I'm a tech director at a school and I fix as many computers as I can. When I send my surplus out, it's absolutely worn out gear. lol
Who remembers when Luke bought a pile of MacBooks last time, he started the video with 'I bought a huge pile of MacBooks, because I'm an idiot'
Excellent job Luke. It's nice to know that 7 people in the world will get a great working computer thanks to your efforts.
holy shit Luke, that's exactly the type of content that was the missing part of your channel
keep up the good work, love the vids!
cheers from Russia btw
Nice work, man. As a user of iFixit tools and tutorials, I can attest to the skill that went into the work you did making this. Glad to see the pay it forward by finding homes for these units. Seriously, well done.
My Mac needs a new logic board but I am not sure whether its worth it to repair it or not! Its a Macbook Pro Mid-2014 (RETINA, 13-INCH) in good condition. What do you think I should do?
@@MrDeking10 I think you need to base decision that on how much it costs to get a logic board from someplace such as iFixit, how comfortable you are doing the work yourself and whether you're going to be happy with Big Sur as the last supported OS on that notebook. If you're in California, Apple will still support the model until March 2022; elsewhere, Apple no longer supports it.
Apple only supports n+2 versions of its operating systems, generally speaking. For example, macOS versions getting bug fixes and security updates are limited to Monterey, Big Sur and Catalina. With every new OS release, the 2 of n+2 changes and the preceding straggler falls off the support wagon. So, that part of your decision tree is based on the combination of the cost of your logic board, but how much more OS support you can expect. On a Mid 2014 MBP, we expect that support to end in the latter months of 2023 when the new macOS release becomes available.
I'm a freelancer in IT and I invariably carry sensitive client information on my notebook. In this scenario, I can't really afford to see my laptop ever lose OS support. As such, I wind up following my hardware upgrades alongside the supported operating systems. And while there are ways of running unsupported macOS versions on older hardware, because I am careful of client data, I run FileVault. That creates a deal-breaker for running unsupported macOS versions.
Your use case may be quite different than mine, so use your own best judgment. Cost, comfort and security are all elements. I wish you all the best in coming to a decision. And all the best in 2022!
@@TraneFrancks That's a very helpful response, thank you so much.
I might keep an eye online for a logic board and if I see one for cheap then I might try and fix it myself! I guess it would also be a learning opportunity in operating on computers which I have never done before!
I was looking up the specs and it seems that my Macbook has an Intel Core i5 4th Gen processor. (Model A1502 EMC 2875). Does this mean I have to find that exact logic board? Or would a different gen work?
In terms of the OS, I don't mind using an older OS if that would be possible. I am in Ireland if that matters! Thanks again
The restoration videos are the best!!! Making sure to watch all of the ads 😂
Your channel is one of the reasons I’ve kept an eye out for usable old tech. In the last six months I’ve found a white polycarb 2006 MacBook, a 2008 aluminum unibody MacBook, and a 30gb iPod classic. All told for less than $250, and they’ve been put to use. Gracias!
Thanks for the content, Luke! I repaired my own 2012 Unibody recently with the help of a couple other donor Macs. We love to see repair videos
What a great video. I was given two dead mid-2014 MBP Retina 15 inch machines, Took the 2.2GHz i7 logic board from the beat up/dead looking one, swapped it into the well-kept body, worked perfectly. I use it daily for my studies, and all I paid for were a new genuine battery (replaced it myself) and a charger. One more machine out of landfill.
For those people looking to upgrade an old MacBook, perhaps you can do a review of the various m.2 to mac ssd adapters.
These Macs use sata cables so no need, retinas can however
@@Noaddedsalt01 Yeah. I was thinking a review of the tools would be interesting. Maybe the device used on the firmware in this video as well.
Very good and learning videos. I do this myself as a retired IT-consultant in Norway, Northern Europe. Thanks for videos and a lot of valuable tips.
AYYY a 27 min Vid from Luke Miani I’m all ready with my Popcorn
I was proud to watch you recycle these computers with care. Thank you for setting the example all of us who are capable of helping others!
I’m In the electronics recycling industry as well.
Excellent video Luke, very Informative. The whole T2 chip none sense will increase the e-waste problem ten fold which is very concerning. And In addition to being difficult to repair, part salvaging from newer MacBooks is almost nonexistent as you rightly pointed out. Love Apple and their products but in their quest to remain competitive and increase profits, they are loosing sight of the impacts their innovation is having and will continue to have on the environment.
Must admit or ADORE! I have never seen a refurbisher's room and desk this clean!!!!
Please give yourself a big tap on the shoulder, then call your mom or dad or guardian and thank them for the good habits they passed into your mind and conduct. Really great.
As much as I enjoy drooling over new Macs, I really love watching old ones be given new life. Inspired by the stuff on your channel, I recently upgraded my sister’s 2013 iMac with an SSD and maxed-out RAM, then I saved my wife’s old 2012 Mac Mini and with some upgrades (and a USB audio interface) turned it into a podcasting machine.
I’d love to see you do more upgrade videos!
I love seeing this. I work at an Itad company that process a lot of devices that come from schools and it always saddens me to see perfectly good iPads come thru that are locked and we can’t do anything about it.
Love this video! By the way, WD40 works great to take off the stickers, or Lemon Pledge furniture polish (leaves them smelling Lemony fresh too) You should donate them to poor kids who can’t afford a laptop to attend school from home. That would be cool. I do this whenever I have the opportunity.
Electronic restoration videos are my favorite videos to watch, by far. I would love to learn how to do the work myself, maybe one day I will!
Great video, thank you for giving the Macbooks a second chance.
This type of video made me discover your channel, never regret it! 💪🏻
Congrats for your efforts in rescuing those machines. I really apreciate it because I try to teach my students the culture of re-using things to take care of our planet. Thank you so much. Regards from Republic of Panama.
What better than coming home at 10 PM after work and take some food and see new video from Luke!
Fantastic result getting 7 usable MacBook's out of that lot, I hope they go to a good home. Your speech at the end of the video was really informative and well presented. Thank you for your video.
At 4:45 it's the French Canadian keyboard layout! In Europe they use AZERTY I think!
qwertz or qwerty in Europe(difference is in the buttons near the Enter(return) key.
Indeed the French keyboards are AZERTY, those are definitely French Canadian layout keyboards.
Most of Europe uses QWERTY. I believe it’s Germany that uses QWERTZ and France I know uses AZERTY.
It is a French Canadian Keyboard, This is the one I have on my Mac! And from the other computer with a McGill sticker, chances are some of these computers are from Canada.
Great job & great video Luke! As an old geezer who lives on the "trailing edge" of technology, I can truly appreciate their worth as functioning computer systems. Thanks for saving them and I hope you find good, appreciative homes for them!
I’ve had luck removing EFI locks on MacBooks with user-replaceable RAM by taking one of the sticks out (or adding a stick in if there’s only one), then powering on to reset the PRAM by holding Cmd + Opt + P + R for a bit, then powering off and putting the second RAM stick back in (or removing that other stick). Hope this helps!
That method works for 2009 and older models but for 2010 and newer models that method doesn't work. For models 2010 to 2017 you need a special device such as EFI BIOS Master as used in this video: www.macunlocks.com/product/apple-mac-efi-bios-password-icloud-lock-remover-and-unlocker-in-seconds/
@@macunlocks Ahah! Now I know. Thank you for the information
I know Louise Rossman hates Macbooks but I have to say, I see more of these 2010-2012 13 Inch Macbooks still kicking around then any 2010-12 PC laptops. I've upgraded so many of these things over the years and they work fantastic for people who don't need the grunt of a newer Macbook
One of your better videos. Glad their going to new homes.
I’ve been a huge fan of this channel since it’s very beginning and I’ve never seen someone so into this. Hopefully this channel will end up being something great. Congrats
Scratched into the metal on the inside of each one is a word, and together they form a sentence instructing him to be at a certain public place near him at a given time, he follows the instructions and goes, and at the foot of a monument there he notices a large box with LUKE written on the side, he opens the top and sees it's 100 more busted Macbooks.
This reminds me of the good Old Days of Luke fixing up a bunch of MacBooks. Great to see again! Keep up the good Work :)
Luke, your professionalism and integrity are beyond measure. 🧡
Always love the fix-it videos. I have a mini Apple museum full of working laptops, Newton Message Pads and the like. I just have a really hard time letting go of my old Mac hardware. I used to go tot he local Goodwill computer store just to rescue old Macs and clean and restore them. It was very satisfying.
Imagine seeing your MacBook in this video and realising you was dumb for throwing it away
i think that this was really cool to see these older macs be fixed up and then new homes found for them
Seriously How tf even mac books end up like that those are expensive, you pay 1 to 2k for a new one and it's really sad to see it end up like this 😔.
I'm also wondering how people dare putting these disgusting stickers, like if the mac design wasn't good enough
just insane
@@Hephasto yeah some people dont appreciate it. i bought a 25 iphone 11 lot last week and i tested them guess what EVERYSINGLE ONE WAS ICLOUD LOCKED!!! this is the problem. i hope that the EU puts a ban on electronics companies and give them a MUST to put out repairability score and a repair guide on how to fix it.
The EFI unlock tool is awesome, so great for your channel
The “European style keyboard” is either a Canadian Multilingual or a French Canadian keyboard. In France they use the AZERTY keyboard layout.
France isnt the only country in Europe. Most of Europe (Ireland, UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Malta, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland etc) uses the QWERTY keyboard with an upside down L enter key.
@@fr0g907 that's why they said Canadian lol
Great work! i wish we had computer recyclers around me. It's so hard to find macbooks to restore around me without paying top dollar. Keep up the videos. We live vicariously through them.
🔥🔥🔥🚨
Hey Zone ^_^
@Jimmy Matthias We got a pair of hypnotoads on our hands XP
Hey 👋🏻 Daniel.. I’m also watching ur channel. Nice seeing you here 💚
You did really well getting 7 out of 10 MacBook working again
esti peste tot :))
I understand that you were helping the community, but what a relief you didn't catch COVID-19, @Luke Miani! 😅
Luke, would you be willing to have Louis Rossmann on your channel to discuss right to repair?
Hey Luke, thank you for telling about being conscious of reusing what's working or could be reused. Great content. You speak clearly and at perfect speed.
I love Hugh Jeffrey and Luke's restoration videos ♥️♥️
Hugh certainly needs that EFI flasher.
@@TheStanHill definitely
This is awesome. I also put together my own mac from bits. Hope a lot more people see the value of rebuilding and reusing these machines.
At 1’51’’ Luke finally decided to dump the shirts his ma bought him and to shop his clothes all by himself 😂🤣😂
The message at the end of this video is really great! Almost wish it was at the beginning for people to think about while watching the video.
noice morning coffee vid
A Big Thank You, Luke, for these great ideas of resuscitating Apple devices from TRASH and make them usable again!
Please, do post a repair video-guide for the "DUMMY" as to how rescue Apple macBooks and iPads...
Cheers.
I don't think you know how invaluable you are. Thank you.
A fantastic video! Great content and really important points raised about the future of tech recycling. In the era of throwaway tech it easy to forget that despite their age, these are really nicely made machines which could be life changing for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access them.
You are so true! Manufacturers must be able to restore locked devices someway! It´s really frustrating looking at that pile of locked ipads that can´t be reused. Just imagine how many lifes could be changed by just accessing to a simple ipad 2 or 3 that are currently useless.
my question is, where do u find these boxes of macbooks
people who recycle e-waste. hit up your local e-waste manager and ask them if the would give it for free or if they give a price always go lower as the cost of recycling is lower.
Find someone that works at a trash and recycling center you would be amazed what they come across
This was an amazing effort and vid Luke. Properly recycling/reusing old technology should be a bigger priority. Big tech doesn't care, but imagine these computers in the hands of children who can't afford them, learning to code, or make digital art. Great job!
Why is Luke looking more than usual handsome today😏
Are you a man? Act like it. Find a woman.
@@davidthomas6949 I told a fact. What's the matter here. If he is looking I told he was. There's nothing wrong here
Hah gayyyyyy
@@davidthomas6949
Okay sheep
Bless you for rescuing these Macs and giving them a second life.
Warm greetings in the hope of more success for you
Great to see all of these go from potential scrap to a beginner laptop for someone in the future! I’m in need of a laptop for work so I’ve been looking into doing the same thing in refurbishing an older laptop that was going to be sent out to recycling!
so, how about a link for that EFI flash tool?
asking the right questions I see...
This is the one: www.macunlocks.com/product/apple-mac-efi-bios-password-icloud-lock-remover-and-unlocker-in-seconds/
@@macunlocks thanks!
There's a reason it's reduce, reuse, recycle in that order. Instead of covering the latest and greatest products, more tech channels should make videos like this to encourage people to reuse or refurbish their old electronics. Great content bro, keep it up! Cheers from Malaysia =)
Waiting for someone in the comments to recognize their Macbook in this video and tell us the story about it!
Great video, Luke! I 100% agree with recycling older devices. I've bought and refurbished quite a few unibody MBPs in the past year because they're so easy to work on and with a simple SSD and RAM upgrade still competent machines.
Unbelievable what people throw away, here in Czechia it would be worth at least $2000. BTW nice video👍
Just like in Slovakia...
But here our web software keeps progressing so fast due to security issues, the machines can't keep up. Unless you are just net surfing, not banking or buying with it. That's the whole issue. It's not like Europe where everything is all right around you in walking distance and people aren't afraid to walk. Here it's a much different story, no matter what you see on tv. Most can't afford to keep replacing every 3-5 yrs like many single workers can. Apple has been forcing industry-wide changes that vastly affect what remains "useable", and has disrupted the software development arena. That's why it's been so hard getting really good mac software the last 5 yrs other than the large developers. Now they want to try and get rid of Rosetta which would mess up all the compiled x64 programs we have. I dislike PC, but may have to go back just to have decent programs to keep functioning. And no - I am not even talking about photography or vids, not my niche.
Watching this on my 2012 MacBook Pro. Put in an SSD a couple years back and gave it some new life.
How dafaq do you end up with a box of free macbooks? Is there a secret society where these are redistributed? How do I get in on that list?
I am glad you got back to the roots of the channel (or maybe a throwback) .. and Fixing things... Great video!!!
Great video!!!
I really hate throwing out things just because something is not working. I usually end up fixing whatever the problem is. It would be great if talented people can take care of the usable laptops, tablets and phones and repairing them. Selling these can give them a new chance to "live", but also, for kids and schools (especially nowadays) could be a really good thing to get even older hardware as a donation!
I'm so glad you are going to find deserving people for these Macbooks. Keep up the good work!
Sorry for the "automated" French comment, Luke. I follow you for about a year now, and your message about recycling is nice. Thanks for your great work, and 50 bucks for you. Best regards. Cédric, French
I appreciate your efforts and John for thinking about the environment and making good use of the thrown away electronic. Please continue the good work. As you mentioned the thing that were done to some of them at recycling center are just inexcusable. There are millions of people around the world who can use and appreciate that we throw away in trash per say...
This video raises the question as to Apple’s ‘Green’ credentials.
When you see how an older MBP’s can be salvaged, and reused, newer models which with the way they’re built/pieces soldered and glued (even the batteries) will be treated as disposable.
Really good of you Luke!
Hopefully you find them a nice home. Perhaps some public school computer lab or something like that.
It’s nice to see actions like yours on this topic. On third world countries we don’t get to be so lucky as in the US to have school programs that give students devices like those. So I’m glad at least there are people who appreciate them like you do.
Need more of these videos luke. Ik its kinda difficult but once every two weeks would be very nice. If you have time that is.
Great. I have 25 Macbooks that I'm still working to restore. A lot of work!!!! I wish I knew about that device to unlock earlier!!!
Love the video, I love taking old systems and giving them new life. One thing I noticed though, you said this cost you $0, but that EFI tool was quite expensive.
Pretty cool project! I like that you are going to give these to people who need them!
I get lots of boxes, never like that one you got. They are fun to bring back to life.
Fantastic result Luke... so many people feel when they can't get the latest OS they seem it useless and get another.
Not many places that can offer a dosdude service. Always great to extend life in devices when clearly from a component level they are still capable. 👍