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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

37

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

9

  • Bottom Cover
  • 2 steps
  • Fan
  • 3 steps
  • Cowling
  • 2 steps
  • Antenna Plate
  • 4 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 9 steps
  • Power Supply
  • 4 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 7 steps
  • Dual Hard Drive
  • 3 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Bottom Cover
  • Place your thumbs in the depressions cut into the bottom cover.
  • Rotate the bottom cover counter-clockwise until the white dot painted on the bottom cover is aligned with the ring inscribed on the outer case.

Place your thumbs in the depressions cut into the bottom cover.

Rotate the bottom cover counter-clockwise until the white dot painted on the bottom cover is aligned with the ring inscribed on the outer case.

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Step 2

  • Tilt the mini enough to allow the bottom cover to fall away from the outer case.
  • Remove the bottom cover and set it aside.

Tilt the mini enough to allow the bottom cover to fall away from the outer case.

Remove the bottom cover and set it aside.

Step 3

              Fan
  • Remove the two 11.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing the fan to the logic board near the antenna plate.

Remove the two 11.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing the fan to the logic board near the antenna plate.

Step 4

  • Lift the ear of the fan nearest the RAM up off the standoff secured to the outer case.
  • If the fan doesn’t separate from the standoff screw with a moderate amount of force, you can use a T6 Torx driver to simply remove this screw.

Lift the ear of the fan nearest the RAM up off the standoff secured to the outer case.

If the fan doesn’t separate from the standoff screw with a moderate amount of force, you can use a T6 Torx driver to simply remove this screw.

Step 5

  • Lift the fan out of the mini for enough clearance to access its connector.
  • Carefully pull the fan cables upward to lift the fan connector up out of its socket on the logic board.
  • Remove the fan.

Lift the fan out of the mini for enough clearance to access its connector.

Carefully pull the fan cables upward to lift the fan connector up out of its socket on the logic board.

Remove the fan.

Step 6

              Cowling
  • Remove the single 3.5 mm T6 Torx screw securing the cowling to the heat sink.

Remove the single 3.5 mm T6 Torx screw securing the cowling to the heat sink.

Step 7

  • Lift the cowling from the end nearest the antenna plate.
  • Rotate the cowling away from the outer case and remove it from the mini.

Lift the cowling from the end nearest the antenna plate.

Rotate the cowling away from the outer case and remove it from the mini.

Step 8

              Antenna Plate
  • Remove the following screws securing the antenna plate to the mini:
  • Two 6.6 mm T8 or T9 Torx screws
  • Two 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screws (either will work)

Remove the following screws securing the antenna plate to the mini:

Two 6.6 mm T8 or T9 Torx screws

Two 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screws (either will work)

Step 9

  • Slightly lift the antenna plate from the end closest to the RAM.
  • Carefully pull the antenna plate straight away from the circular rim of the outer case.
  • Do not remove the antenna plate yet. It is still attached to the AirPort/ Bluetooth board.

Slightly lift the antenna plate from the end closest to the RAM.

Carefully pull the antenna plate straight away from the circular rim of the outer case.

Do not remove the antenna plate yet. It is still attached to the AirPort/ Bluetooth board.

Step 10

  • Use the tip of a spudger to carefully pry the antenna connector up off the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully pry the antenna connector up off the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Step 11

  • Remove the antenna plate from the mini.

Remove the antenna plate from the mini.

Step 12

              Logic Board
  • Remove the following three screws:
  • One 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screw (either will work)
  • One 16.2 mm T6 Torx screw
  • One 26 mm T6 Torx standoff

Remove the following three screws:

One 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screw (either will work)

One 16.2 mm T6 Torx screw

One 26 mm T6 Torx standoff

Step 13

  • Carefully pull the wires for both hard drive thermal sensors upward to lift their connectors up and out of the sockets on the logic board.

Carefully pull the wires for both hard drive thermal sensors upward to lift their connectors up and out of the sockets on the logic board.

Step 14

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both the hard drive and optical drive connectors up out of their sockets on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both the hard drive and optical drive connectors up out of their sockets on the logic board.

Step 15

  • To disconnect the optical drive thermal sensor, pinch its cables between your thumb and a spudger and pry the spudger upward to lift the connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

To disconnect the optical drive thermal sensor, pinch its cables between your thumb and a spudger and pry the spudger upward to lift the connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 16

  • Use the tip of a spudger to lift the IR sensor connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to lift the IR sensor connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 17

  • To remove the logic board, two cylindrical rods must be inserted into the holes highlighted in red. Inserting instruments into any logic board holes other than the ones highlighted in red may destroy the logic board.
  • Insert a Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool into the two holes highlighted in red. Be sure it makes contact with the outer case below the logic board before proceeding.
  • If you don’t have a Logic Board Removal Tool handy, you can use two tools having a maximum diameter of 2.5 mm instead. Just insert one into each of the highlighted holes.
  • Carefully pull the tool toward the I/O board. The logic board and I/O board assembly should slightly slide out of the outer case.
  • Cease prying when the I/O board is visibly separated from the outer case. Remove the Mac mini Logic Board Removal tool.

To remove the logic board, two cylindrical rods must be inserted into the holes highlighted in red. Inserting instruments into any logic board holes other than the ones highlighted in red may destroy the logic board.

Insert a Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool into the two holes highlighted in red. Be sure it makes contact with the outer case below the logic board before proceeding.

If you don’t have a Logic Board Removal Tool handy, you can use two tools having a maximum diameter of 2.5 mm instead. Just insert one into each of the highlighted holes.

Carefully pull the tool toward the I/O board. The logic board and I/O board assembly should slightly slide out of the outer case.

Cease prying when the I/O board is visibly separated from the outer case. Remove the Mac mini Logic Board Removal tool.

Step 18

  • Simultaneously push the two plastic clips on the far left and right sides of the I/O board toward the middle of the I/O board and pull the I/O board away from the outer case.

Simultaneously push the two plastic clips on the far left and right sides of the I/O board toward the middle of the I/O board and pull the I/O board away from the outer case.

Step 19

  • Pull the I/O board/logic board assembly out of the outer case enough to access the power connector.
  • Use a pair of tweezers to disconnect the power cable from the logic board.
  • Pull the power cable connector toward the optical drive opening.

Pull the I/O board/logic board assembly out of the outer case enough to access the power connector.

Use a pair of tweezers to disconnect the power cable from the logic board.

Pull the power cable connector toward the optical drive opening.

Step 20

  • Carefully slide the logic board assembly out of the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Carefully slide the logic board assembly out of the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 21

              Power Supply
  • Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the power supply and optical drive to the outer case.

Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the power supply and optical drive to the outer case.

Step 22

  • Pull the silver metal AC-In socket retainer away from the side of the outer case and remove it from the mini.

Pull the silver metal AC-In socket retainer away from the side of the outer case and remove it from the mini.

Step 23

  • Rotate the AC-In connector 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

Rotate the AC-In connector 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

Step 24

  • Slide the power supply out of the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Slide the power supply out of the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 25

              Optical Drive
  • Remove the hard drive from the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Remove the hard drive from the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 26

  • Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the optical drive to the outer case.

Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the optical drive to the outer case.

Step 27

  • Slide the optical drive out of the outer case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Slide the optical drive out of the outer case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 28

              Optical Drive
  • Carefully de-route the IR sensor cables from the channel in the optical drive bracket.

Carefully de-route the IR sensor cables from the channel in the optical drive bracket.

Step 29

  • Remove the two 6.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing both sides of the optical drive bracket to the optical drive (four screws total).

Remove the two 6.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing both sides of the optical drive bracket to the optical drive (four screws total).

Step 30

  • Remove the optical drive bracket from the optical drive, minding any cables that may get caught.

Remove the optical drive bracket from the optical drive, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 31

  • Carefully peel the optical drive ribbon cable off the body of the optical drive.

Carefully peel the optical drive ribbon cable off the body of the optical drive.

Step 32

  • Disconnect the optical drive cable by pulling its connector away from the body of the optical drive.

Disconnect the optical drive cable by pulling its connector away from the body of the optical drive.

Step 33

  • Peel off the strip of black tape covering the optical drive thermal sensor.

Peel off the strip of black tape covering the optical drive thermal sensor.

Step 34

  • Carefully pry the optical drive thermal sensor off the adhesive securing it to the optical drive.
  • It may be necessary to use a strip of tape or rubber cement to attach the thermal sensor to your new optical drive.
  • If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

Carefully pry the optical drive thermal sensor off the adhesive securing it to the optical drive.

It may be necessary to use a strip of tape or rubber cement to attach the thermal sensor to your new optical drive.

If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

Step 35

              Dual Hard Drive
  • Remove the plastic positioner from the optical bay hard drive enclosure by pressing in on one of the clips on either side and lifting it up and out of the enclosure.

Remove the plastic positioner from the optical bay hard drive enclosure by pressing in on one of the clips on either side and lifting it up and out of the enclosure.

Step 36

  • Make sure that the hard drive connectors are facing down before placing it into the enclosure.
  • Gently place the hard drive into the enclosure’s hard drive slot.
  • While firmly holding the enclosure in place with one hand, use your other hand to press the hard drive into the enclosure connectors.

Make sure that the hard drive connectors are facing down before placing it into the enclosure.

Gently place the hard drive into the enclosure’s hard drive slot.

While firmly holding the enclosure in place with one hand, use your other hand to press the hard drive into the enclosure connectors.

Step 37

  • Once the hard drive is snug, reinsert the plastic positioner while holding the hard drive against the bottom of the enclosure.
  • Reconnect any cables you have removed from the original optical drive onto the optical bay enclosure.

Once the hard drive is snug, reinsert the plastic positioner while holding the hard drive against the bottom of the enclosure.

Reconnect any cables you have removed from the original optical drive onto the optical bay enclosure.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Brittany McCrigler

Member since: 03/05/2012

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Josh G - Dec 13, 2013

Reply

I’ve run through this tutorial twice. First time I switched our the HDD for a 1tb, and the DVD drive for an SSD. The HDD works but the machine didn’t find the SSD. I then swapped them - it now finds the SSD but not in the HDD which is now in what used to be the optical drive slot.

Do I need to buy a new cable for the optical drive? As it appears that’s what it’s not reading, or is there something I’ve missed?

Thanks

  • PS5iscool - - Jul 14, 2021

You need to go to Disk Utility and format the SSD/Hard Drive.

Simon Martin - Jan 14, 2014

Reply

Amazingly, system booted first time and it sees the 2nd HDD (SSD actually), now to try setting up a Fusion drive :-)

kmvbconover - Jan 27, 2015

Reply

I did it! With lots of help from my friends who work at an apple repair store… perhaps that is cheating?

I too am having trouble now with the disk utility recognizing the newly installed hard drive. Did I miss something? I followed the instructions perfectly. And my repair friends helped me with the “why won’t this fit back together you tiny unibody you!”

Any suggestions for how to get the disk utility to recognize my drive I just worked so hard to put in there would be greatly appreciated!

dirkmutik - Feb 24, 2015

Reply

achtet auf die Bauhöhe der Festplatte! Man bekommt zwar eine 12,1 mm hohe Platte rein, aber es wird alles mehr als eng