Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

34

Time Required

                          20 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

8

  • Bottom Cover
  • 2 steps
  • Fan
  • 3 steps
  • Cowling
  • 2 steps
  • Antenna Plate
  • 4 steps
  • Logic Board
  • 9 steps
  • Power Supply
  • 4 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 7 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

              Power Supply
  • Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the power supply and optical drive to the outer case.

Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the power supply and optical drive to the outer case.

Step 22

  • Pull the silver metal AC-In socket retainer away from the side of the outer case and remove it from the mini.

Pull the silver metal AC-In socket retainer away from the side of the outer case and remove it from the mini.

Step 23

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

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

Step 24

  • 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 25

              Optical Drive
  • Remove the hard drive from the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Remove the hard drive from the mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 26

  • Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the optical drive to the outer case.

Remove the 7.9 mm T6 Torx screw securing the optical drive to the outer case.

Step 27

  • Slide the optical drive out of the outer case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Slide the optical drive out of the outer case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 28

              Optical Drive
  • Carefully de-route the IR sensor cables from the channel in the optical drive bracket.

Carefully de-route the IR sensor cables from the channel in the optical drive bracket.

Step 29

  • Remove the two 6.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing both sides of the optical drive bracket to the optical drive (four screws total).

Remove the two 6.3 mm T6 Torx screws securing both sides of the optical drive bracket to the optical drive (four screws total).

Step 30

  • Remove the optical drive bracket from the optical drive, minding any cables that may get caught.

Remove the optical drive bracket from the optical drive, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 31

  • Carefully peel the optical drive ribbon cable off the body of the optical drive.

Carefully peel the optical drive ribbon cable off the body of the optical drive.

Step 32

  • Disconnect the optical drive cable by pulling its connector away from the body of the optical drive.

Disconnect the optical drive cable by pulling its connector away from the body of the optical drive.

Step 33

  • Peel off the strip of black tape covering the optical drive thermal sensor.

Peel off the strip of black tape covering the optical drive thermal sensor.

Step 34

  • Carefully pry the optical drive thermal sensor off the adhesive securing it to the optical drive.
  • It may be necessary to use a strip of tape or rubber cement to attach the thermal sensor to your new optical drive.
  • If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

Carefully pry the optical drive thermal sensor off the adhesive securing it to the optical drive.

It may be necessary to use a strip of tape or rubber cement to attach the thermal sensor to your new optical drive.

If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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David Das - Dec 26, 2014

Reply

Question; I’ve got this model Mac Mini and the optical drive has a disc stuck in it. Does anyone know if there is an emergency release mechanism anywhere? (I searched in the usual obvious places but was unable to find it.) I’m trying to determine whether I will need to remove the entire optical drive or not. (And even if I do, will that give me any greater access to the stuck CD – assuming I don’t smash the old optical drive with a proverbial hammer?)

Kristian Meller - Apr 8, 2016

Reply

Is it possible to just remove the optical drive entirely? I accidentally tore the thermal sensor connector completely off the motherboard when replacing the harddrive with a bigger one, and now the optical drive fan is running at full speed constantly.

Philippe Mas - Jun 19, 2016

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The link for optical drive repair points to the wrong tutorial ( snow leopard installation) , at least on the french version.

Miguel Cartagenova - Jan 3, 2019

Reply

It Works!!!!, new SSD placed instead of dvd drive TKS