Leaked MacBook Schematics Have Aided Independent Technicians Performing Complicated Repairs

Independent technicians have reportedly been able to use leaked MacBook schematics to aid repairs (via Vice).

ifixit m1 macbook teardown
Last month, Apple supplier Quanta Computer was hit with an attack by the ransomware group known as "REvil," leading to a large quantity of internal Apple documents about both released and unreleased devices being exposed. The leaked PDFs, available on a number of forums and online marketplaces, have apparently helped technicians understand how some MacBook components fit together.

Repair advocate and owner of the Rossmann Repair Group, Louis Rossmann, told Vice:

Our business relies on stuff like this leaking. This is going to help me recover someone's data. Someone is going to get their data back today because of this.

You can't go to Apple and say "I will give you $800,000 to give me this data." When we fix the board, most of the time we preserve the data.

I'm not saying I'm in favor of people hacking into computers to get this information. I would prefer to get this by going to Apple and giving them $1,000 every year to get this information.

Although basic repairs, such as battery replacements, are possible with guides and tools from the likes of iFixit, logic board repairs are considerably more complex and can involve minute adjustments to circuitry and chips, and often risk data loss. Such repairs also have very little margin for error.

Apple does not provide detailed repair manuals and schematics for its hardware, forcing third-party repair technicians to look elsewhere. Simple trial and error can help repair technicians understand how a device's circuitry works, but can be very time-consuming and risk the complete breakage of multiple components.

Reverse-engineered blueprints put together by third parties are often shared online, but the REvil leak has presented a new opportunity for technicians to get specific information to help the repair process.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
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Top Rated Comments

mrat93 Avatar
58 months ago
Rossmann is a funny and brilliant dude. Highly recommend checking out his youtube channel.


Edit: also an arrogant jackass at times.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SnakeEater1993 Avatar
58 months ago
Louis Rossmann remember that name! You will be thankful to him in the future! Right to repair is HERE .
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
58 months ago

Rossmann is a funny and brilliant dude. Highly recommend checking out his youtube channel.
I don’t consider the guy funny. He seems like a negative miserable person. I still watch his YT channel from time to time because I support the Right to Repair.

I don’t care if it’s Apple or John Deer, I have schematics, wiring diagrams, body shop repair, engine rebuilding specifications and more for my Mazda RX8 and Merc S500

I have service guides and schematics for all of my audio gear from the 70s-2000s

Apple should at least release schematics for products they no longer support. What harm would it cause to release a schematic and board layout for someone wanting to repair and fix an iPod HiFi from 2007 or a Mac from 2014?

I might be in the minority, but I’m happy these were leaked. Hopefully they are accurate, but if I want to diagnose and repair my equipment down the the component level, I should be able to do so.

I have no issues with soldered ram as I’ve had to reseat the ram modules in a lot of laptops at school, but storage should be removable. It can’t be due to security of the T2 chip or M1 chip. The Mac Pro uses socketed storage.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
liketom Avatar
58 months ago
Big fan of Rossmann on YouTube, what we really need is a law saying the data on the HDD/SSD is the owner's and the hardware manufacturer needs to find a better way for the consumer to extract this info in a hardware fault/planned obsolescence event.

Dam I'd be happy for a removable HD/SSD, what a good idea that'll be!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sasparilla Avatar
58 months ago
Well, I guess a tiny silver lining from the hack.

Great video where Rossmann is interviewed regarding right to repair stuff, is good to hear his take on things.

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blazerunner Avatar
58 months ago

Apple will never do this because then regular consumers might start to wonder why Apple charges $400 for 1tb on a Mac and $700 for 1tb on an iPad.
GREED. That's why. And Apple's consumers are too ignorant to realize they're being badly swindled;

Here's a fairly high end 1TB Samsung SSD for $130: https://www.newegg.com/samsung-1tb-980/p/N82E16820147804?Description=1tb%20ssd&cm_re=1tb_ssd-_-20-147-804-_-Product

Keep in mind, Apple charges $400 for 1TB when you upgrade from the base model... which should be deducted from the $400 upgrade. In reality, you're paying more than $400.

Again: GREED.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)