Mac Mini Mid 2010 Airport Bluetooth Board Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Sections

Bottom Cover
2 steps
Fan
3 steps
Cowling
2 steps
Antenna Plate
4 steps
Logic Board
9 steps
Speaker
2 steps
AirPort/Bluetooth Board
4 steps

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BackMac mini Mid 2010
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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

              Speaker

Remove the following two screws securing the speaker to the logic board assembly:
One 4.2 mm T6 Torx
One 3.7 mm T6 Torx

Remove the following two screws securing the speaker to the logic board assembly:

One 4.2 mm T6 Torx

One 3.7 mm T6 Torx

Step 22

Carefully lift the speaker wires upward to lift the speaker connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Carefully lift the speaker wires upward to lift the speaker connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 23

              AirPort/Bluetooth Board

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Step 24

Use your spudger to help disconnect the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable from its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Use your spudger to help disconnect the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable from its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Step 25

Remove the three 2.6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth board to the logic board.

Remove the three 2.6 mm T6 Torx screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth board to the logic board.

Step 26

Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from the logic board.

Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from the logic board.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need