Mac Mini Late 2014 Drive Tray Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

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Sections

Bottom Cover
3 steps
Antenna Plate
6 steps
Fan Assembly
4 steps
Logic Board Assembly
12 steps
Power Supply
5 steps
Drive Tray Assembly
2 steps
Hard Drive Assembly
2 steps
Drive Tray
4 steps

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Introduction

This guide was made with a Fusion Drive Mac mini, and may have more connectors and components than your model. Don’t be alarmed if you’re missing a hard drive or SSD connector!

What you need

Step 1

              Bottom Cover

The bottom cover is clipped onto three screw posts.
Pry near, but not right on the screw posts.

The bottom cover is clipped onto three screw posts.

Pry near, but not right on the screw posts.

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Step 2

Use the plastic opening tool to pry the bottom cover up off of the Mac mini.

Use the plastic opening tool to pry the bottom cover up off of the Mac mini.

Step 3

Lift and remove the bottom cover.

Lift and remove the bottom cover.

Step 4

              Antenna Plate

Remove the following TR6 screws from the antenna plate:
Three 4.1 mm screws
Three 1.9 mm screws

Remove the following TR6 screws from the antenna plate:

Three 4.1 mm screws

Three 1.9 mm screws

Step 5

Do not completely remove the antenna plate; it is still connected to the Mac mini by an antenna cable.
With the I/O ports facing you, flip the antenna plate to the right to allow access to the antenna cable connector.

Do not completely remove the antenna plate; it is still connected to the Mac mini by an antenna cable.

With the I/O ports facing you, flip the antenna plate to the right to allow access to the antenna cable connector.

Step 6

Remove the single 3.4 mm T6 screw and washer from the antenna cable.
Be careful not to lose the washer when removing the screw.

Remove the single 3.4 mm T6 screw and washer from the antenna cable.

Be careful not to lose the washer when removing the screw.

Step 7

Use the point of a spudger to lift the antenna connector straight up off its socket on the airport card.

Use the point of a spudger to lift the antenna connector straight up off its socket on the airport card.

Step 8

Carefully pull the antenna cable out from the gap between the power supply and case.

Carefully pull the antenna cable out from the gap between the power supply and case.

Step 9

Remove the antenna plate from the Mac mini.

Remove the antenna plate from the Mac mini.

Step 10

              Fan Assembly

Remove the two 12 mm T6 screws from the fan.
Loosen the 27 mm T6 captive screw–it will get removed with the fan assembly.

Remove the two 12 mm T6 screws from the fan.

Loosen the 27 mm T6 captive screw–it will get removed with the fan assembly.

Step 11

The fan connector is trapped under the edge of the fan and cannot be disconnected until the fan is moved.
Do not attempt to remove the fan entirely.
Lift the fan straight up to free the captive screw from its hole in the logic board.
Pull the fan away from the SSD until you can easily access the fan connector.

The fan connector is trapped under the edge of the fan and cannot be disconnected until the fan is moved.

Do not attempt to remove the fan entirely.

Lift the fan straight up to free the captive screw from its hole in the logic board.

Pull the fan away from the SSD until you can easily access the fan connector.

Step 12

Use the point of a spudger to lift the fan connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the point of a spudger to lift the fan connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 13

Remove the fan from the Mac mini.

Remove the fan from the Mac mini.

Step 14

              Logic Board Assembly

Remove the 2.6 mm T6 screw securing the SATA cable connector bracket.

Remove the 2.6 mm T6 screw securing the SATA cable connector bracket.

Step 15

Remove the SATA cable connector bracket.

Remove the SATA cable connector bracket.

Step 16

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the SATA cable connector up off of its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the SATA cable connector up off of its socket on the logic board.

Step 17

Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the IR sensor cable connector by prying it straight up from its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the IR sensor cable connector by prying it straight up from its socket.

Step 18

The following three steps only apply to Mac minis equipped with a PCIe SSD. Skip the next three steps if your Mac mini only has a hard drive.
Remove the two 2.6 mm T6 screws securing the PCIe SSD cable bracket.

The following three steps only apply to Mac minis equipped with a PCIe SSD. Skip the next three steps if your Mac mini only has a hard drive.

Remove the two 2.6 mm T6 screws securing the PCIe SSD cable bracket.

Step 19

Remove the PCIe SSD cable bracket.

Remove the PCIe SSD cable bracket.

Step 20

Lift the PCIe SSD connector up off its socket.

Lift the PCIe SSD connector up off its socket.

Step 21

Remove the single 16 mm T6 screw securing the logic board.

Remove the single 16 mm T6 screw securing the logic board.

Step 22

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 the rods make contact with the case under the logic board before proceeding.

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 the rods make contact with the case under the logic board before proceeding.

Step 23

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 removal tool makes contact with the opening in the rear case.
Remove the Mac mini Logic Board Removal tool.

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 removal tool makes contact with the opening in the rear case.

Remove the Mac mini Logic Board Removal tool.

Step 24

Pull the DC-In cable connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Pull the DC-In cable connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 25

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

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

Step 26

              Power Supply

The AC-in socket is secured with a small metal retaining clip.
Use tweezers or your fingers to pull the clip away from the AC-in socket, and remove it from the Mac mini.
When replacing the clip, push it in until it stops—it should be secure even if there is no audible click.

The AC-in socket is secured with a small metal retaining clip.

Use tweezers or your fingers to pull the clip away from the AC-in socket, and remove it from the Mac mini.

When replacing the clip, push it in until it stops—it should be secure even if there is no audible click.

Step 27

To free the power supply from the case, grab the AC-In connector, which acts like a latch.
Rotate the AC-In connector 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

To free the power supply from the case, grab the AC-In connector, which acts like a latch.

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

Step 28

The AC-In latch should fit into the groove above it in the case.
During reassembly ensure the power supply is inserted far enough into the case that the latch will engage with the groove.

The AC-In latch should fit into the groove above it in the case.

During reassembly ensure the power supply is inserted far enough into the case that the latch will engage with the groove.

Step 29

Remove the 8 mm T6 screw securing the power supply.

Remove the 8 mm T6 screw securing the power supply.

Step 30

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 31

              Drive Tray Assembly

Remove the single 8 mm T6 screw securing the drive tray.

Remove the single 8 mm T6 screw securing the drive tray.

Step 32

Lift the drive tray up out of the Mac mini.

Lift the drive tray up out of the Mac mini.

Step 33

              Hard Drive Assembly

Remove the four (two on each side) 6.5 mm T8 screws securing the hard drive to the drive tray.

Remove the four (two on each side) 6.5 mm T8 screws securing the hard drive to the drive tray.

Step 34

Lift the hard drive up and remove it from the drive tray.
During reassembly, be sure to thread the hard drive cable through the slot in the drive tray.

Lift the hard drive up and remove it from the drive tray.

During reassembly, be sure to thread the hard drive cable through the slot in the drive tray.

Step 35

              Drive Tray

Remove the 5 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD.

Remove the 5 mm T5 Torx screw securing the SSD.

Step 36

Lift the free end of the SSD up slightly and pull it out of its socket.

Lift the free end of the SSD up slightly and pull it out of its socket.

Step 37

Slip the flat end of a spudger under the SSD cable to lift it off the adhesive holding it to the drive tray.

Slip the flat end of a spudger under the SSD cable to lift it off the adhesive holding it to the drive tray.

Step 38

Remove the PCIe SSD cable from the drive tray.

Remove the PCIe SSD cable from the drive tray.

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

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What you need#

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What you need

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