Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

32

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

6

  • 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

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Introduction

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.

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

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                    Sam Goldheart                     

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