Mac Mini Late 2014 Heat Sink Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

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Sections

Bottom Cover
3 steps
Antenna Plate
6 steps
Fan Assembly
4 steps
Logic Board Assembly
12 steps
Heat Sink
2 steps

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Introduction

Don’t forget to apply a new layer of thermal compound before reassembling your Mac mini. Follow our thermal paste guide for instructions on cleaning and preparing the thermal surfaces and applying a new layer of thermal compound.

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

              Heat Sink

Remove the following screws securing the heat sink to the logic board:
Four 8.6 mm T8 Torx screws
One 2.9 mm T6 Torx screw
Be careful not to lose the springs held beneath each of the T8 heat sink screws, they may fall off of the screws as you remove them.
During reassembly, tighten these screws evenly to ensure the heat sink stays flat against the CPU.

Remove the following screws securing the heat sink to the logic board:

Four 8.6 mm T8 Torx screws

One 2.9 mm T6 Torx screw

Be careful not to lose the springs held beneath each of the T8 heat sink screws, they may fall off of the screws as you remove them.

During reassembly, tighten these screws evenly to ensure the heat sink stays flat against the CPU.

Step 27

Remove the heat sink from the logic board.
If the heat sink appears to be stuck to the logic board after removing all screws, it may be helpful to use a spudger to separate the two components.
Don’t reassemble your Mac mini without applying a new layer of thermal paste.We have a thermal paste guide to show you how.

Remove the heat sink from the logic board.

If the heat sink appears to be stuck to the logic board after removing all screws, it may be helpful to use a spudger to separate the two components.

Don’t reassemble your Mac mini without applying a new layer of thermal paste.We have a thermal paste guide to show you how.

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

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