Mac Mini Mid 2011 Hard Drive Cable 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
Hard Drive
6 steps
Hard Drive Cable
1 step

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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.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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brussell21 - Dec 19, 2017

Where do you get the hard drive replacement cable? Thanks

Where can I get the hard drive replacement cable?

Lantrix - Oct 10, 2019

@brussell21 over here Mac mini A1347 (Mid 2011-Late 2012) Lower SATA Cable

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need