Old MacBook Pro Bulging Trackpad

Is there any immediate danger? I have heard of old batteries "bulging". I don't know where the battery is but I thought it might be pressing the trackpad from the bottom. I put the computer into a Ziplock bag in case anything leaks. (I could be completely wrong, maybe it has nothing to do with the battery)

— Yes, that fits with a swelling battery and there can be a fire hazard. Best to remove the Ziploc bag and put the computer in a metal container on a non-flammable surface like concrete

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I had considered buying a new battery, more RAM, and a new hard drive for it and try installing it myself. I had seen some companies that sell the parts and saw some videos on how to do it. It looks pretty easy. Supposedly it will work like a MacBook that is about 4 or 5 years old. Is that now out of the question?

— I love doing that but, given the age of the computer, IMHO it is out of the question unless as hobby or learning experience only, and you can afford the parts and do the work yourself.

>Adding stuff cannot make it run any higher macOS than 10.13 "High Sierra."

>You cannot buy new apps that run on 10.13.

>it's even frustrating to find a High Sierra browser that reads modern web pages.

>Only an SSD would make the computer "feel" faster, but would still deliver 6X slower max data transfer than today's entry-level Macs.

👉🏻 NB: Apple no longer sells or services batteries for that model, and aftermarket batteries are poo.

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I have always wondered what is in my computer. Now that it is apparently trash is there any reason I cannot just unscrew the back and start taking it apart?

— You can do that. Wear safeyy glasses. We cannot link non-Apple take-apart articles here but you can web-search for "Macbook Pro 2011 disassembly."

When you open it, the absolute first thing is to disconnect the battery cable. Do not try to cut it. That could cause a spark. The battery in that model is held with just two screws, so easy to extract. Again, that battery is a potential firestarter so the "metal bucket on concrete" procedure still applies. I take suspicious batteries to our town's e-waste site; they know how to safely handle them.

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If I want to just discard it how do I get rid of it? I cannot turn it on at this point and erase the hard drive.

What do I do with it so that my information is not read by anyone? I have watched enough YouTube videos that I could probably take the back off, locate the hard drive, remove it, disassemble it and put it in the trash.

— The HD is also held with screws and comes out in seconds. Bare drives are hard to open, so simply drill a couple of of 1/4-inch holes into the platter area and take it to e-waste handlers like Staples along wih the rst of the computer. I do not put e-waste in the trash.

Or you can go all gansta on it with a hammer (and safety glasses). The "crumbles" hammering creates will have to go to your solid-waste facility separately, not someplace like a office store. Drilling is better.

If you want to keep and reuse the drive, you can get a bare drive adapter than will connect via USB ot your new computer. See: Bare Drive adapter on Amazon

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Emmett_1944 wrote:

Old MacBook Pro Bulging Trackpad

1. I have a 2011 MacBook Pro that served me well for 14 years. I recently got an M4 iMac and an M3 iPad Air.

take it in for hardware issue / swelling battery is a safety concern

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Outside the USA

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support