Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
20
Time Required
30 - 45 minutes
Sections
7
- Bottom Cover
- 2 steps
- Fan
- 3 steps
- Cowling
- 2 steps
- Antenna Plate
- 4 steps
- Hard Drive
- 6 steps
- Hard Drive Cable
- 1 step
- Hard Drive
- 2 steps
Flags
0
BackMac mini Late 2012
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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.
- You do not need to apply much downward pressure while turning.
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.
You do not need to apply much downward pressure while turning.
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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.
- Removing the standoff screw is not necessary to remove the fan. You need only raise the fan enough to lift it off the standoff screw.
Lift the ear of the fan nearest the RAM up off the standoff secured to the outer case.
Removing the standoff screw is not necessary to remove the fan. You need only raise the fan enough to lift it off the standoff screw.
Step 5
- Lift the fan out of the mini for enough clearance to access its connector.
- Grab all the wires at once and gently pull straight up to disconnect the fan from the logic board.
- Do not pry at the socket, or you may rip it from the logic board.
- Remove the fan.
Lift the fan out of the mini for enough clearance to access its connector.
Grab all the wires at once and gently pull straight up to disconnect the fan from the logic board.
Do not pry at the socket, or you may rip it from 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 Torx screws
- Two 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screws (either screwdriver will work)
- When putting back together:
- It can be difficult to get the hard drive seated correctly such that the antenna plate fits in place correctly. If the screw holes don’t line up with those on the hard drive, make sure that the two pins that are in the back of the hard drive are properly seated in the holes at the back of the case, above the housing for the second hard drive.
- The antenna attaches directly to the hard drive (red markers), therefore attaching the antenna can move the hard drive around and loosen the connection of the hard drive cable to the logic board.
Remove the following screws securing the antenna plate to the mini:
Two 6.6 mm T8 Torx screws
Two 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screws (either screwdriver will work)
When putting back together:
It can be difficult to get the hard drive seated correctly such that the antenna plate fits in place correctly. If the screw holes don’t line up with those on the hard drive, make sure that the two pins that are in the back of the hard drive are properly seated in the holes at the back of the case, above the housing for the second hard drive.
The antenna attaches directly to the hard drive (red markers), therefore attaching the antenna can move the hard drive around and loosen the connection of the hard drive cable to the logic board.
Step 9
- Slightly lift the antenna plate from the end closest to the RAM.
- Carefully pull the antenna plate 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 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 from its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.
Use the tip of a spudger to carefully pry the antenna connector up from its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.
Step 11
- Remove the antenna plate from the mini.
Remove the antenna plate from the mini.
Step 12
Hard Drive
- Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive connector up from its socket on the logic board.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive connector up from its socket on the logic board.
Step 13
- Use the tip of a spudger to lift the IR sensor connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.
- This connector can be very fragile—lift gently and evenly.
Use the tip of a spudger to lift the IR sensor connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.
This connector can be very fragile—lift gently and evenly.
Step 14
- Remove the following three screws:
- One 5.0 mm T8 Torx or 2.0 mm Hex screw (either screwdriver 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 screwdriver will work)
One 16.2 mm T6 Torx screw
One 26 mm T6 Torx standoff
Step 15
- To remove the logic board, the two cylindrical rods of the Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool 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 the Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool into the two holes highlighted in red. Be sure it makes contact with the top side of outer case below the logic board before proceeding.
- 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, the two cylindrical rods of the Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool 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 the Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool into the two holes highlighted in red. Be sure it makes contact with the top side of outer case below the logic board before proceeding.
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 16
- 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.
- Only pull the logic board assembly out of the outer case until the edge of the I/O board is about .5" away from the edge of the aluminum 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.
Only pull the logic board assembly out of the outer case until the edge of the I/O board is about .5" away from the edge of the aluminum outer case.
Step 17
- Pull the hard drive away from the front edge of the mini and remove it from the outer case.
Pull the hard drive away from the front edge of the mini and remove it from the outer case.
Step 18
Hard Drive Cable
- Remove the strip of tape connecting the hard drive cable to the hard drive.
- Remove the hard drive cable by pulling its connector straight away from the hard drive.
Remove the strip of tape connecting the hard drive cable to the hard drive.
Remove the hard drive cable by pulling its connector straight away from the hard drive.
Step 19
Hard Drive
- Remove the hard drive cable.
- There may be a sticker connecting this cable to the hard drive. If so, remove the sticker before attempting to remove the cable!
- Remove the two 6.2 mm T8 Torx screws from the side of the hard drive.
Remove the hard drive cable.
There may be a sticker connecting this cable to the hard drive. If so, remove the sticker before attempting to remove the cable!
Remove the two 6.2 mm T8 Torx screws from the side of the hard drive.
Step 20
- Carefully peel the hard drive cover off the hard drive.
- Hard drive remains.
- If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.
Carefully peel the hard drive cover off the hard drive.
Hard drive remains.
If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Author
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Andrew Optimus Goldheart
Member since: 10/17/2009
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robert - Nov 30, 2012
Reply
no need to remove the logic board! the disk comes out after step 12.
Also you do not really need to disconnect the antenna. Just be carefull no to break the wire.
royl123 - Jan 29, 2013
i replaced 5400 rpm hdd with Samsung SSD 840 Pro
I did it Rober’s way - thanks - no disconnecting antenna in step 10
Stopping after step 12 and replacing hard drive there without removing logic board
I put the sheet that was around the old hard drive over the new one - not sure if its needed?
After it is all done i did Command + R to do internet recovery and get OS X mountain lion on the blank drive
Last thing to do is go here to enable trim: http://www.groths.org/?page_id=322
Hans Erik Hazelhorst - Feb 1, 2014
Very helpful guide, thanks! As many have said before, I would not detach the fan or antenna, just move it out of the way.
One very trivial tip: slide a piece of paper over the logic board as soon as you’ve removed the fan, as a protection against accidentally touching the components with your fingers or tools.
I did not reinstall the plastic cover on the HDD. This is only to protect the logic board of the HDD, which ofcourse is very well protected in SSD’s.
FinnCrisp888 - Dec 30, 2012
Reply
Dismantling the Mini was simple, but the two hardest steps when installing a new hard drive were sliding the drive back in aligned correctly, and replacing the antenna grill.
Even with the logic board pushed out, I found it difficult to line up the screws on the hard drive and get it seated properly. As for the grill, it would not line up with the screw holes. I had to use the Mac Mini tool hooked into a hole in the grill as a lever to lift it up and in towards the lip of the rim it was sitting on. There was an audible snap as it settled into place.
Daniel Cassel - Jan 29, 2017
That is an AMAZING tip!!!
I’ve done about a dozen mac mini to SSD upgrades over the past few years but I’ve only owned a logic board removal tool for my latest upgrade.
I was struggling to get the drive pegs into the grommet, and the usual ’turn it upside down and giggle it around’ trick just wasn’t working for me.
I tried getting a spudger underneath the drive to lift it up into the grommet holes but there wasn’t enough clearance to get any leverage.
I used the mini opening tool with one end underneath the drive, and the center portion sticking out perpendicular to the motherboard (I’ll add a picture) to lift the drive up and into place.
I too heard the satisfying click and it was glorious…
THANK you so much for the idea to use the logic board removal tool. It’s now a permanent fixture in my new iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit (which is TOTALLY worth the money btw).
