Mac Mini Powerpc Lower Case Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

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Sections

Top Housing
6 steps
Mass Storage Unit
5 steps
Lower Case
3 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Top Housing

Power down your Mac mini, disconnect all of the cables, and flip it over.
Insert the Jimmy into the crack between the aluminum top housing and the plastic lower housing.
The Jimmy should reach a stop about 3/8" down.

Power down your Mac mini, disconnect all of the cables, and flip it over.

Insert the Jimmy into the crack between the aluminum top housing and the plastic lower housing.

The Jimmy should reach a stop about 3/8" down.

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Step 2

Gently bend the Jimmy outwards to pry the crack open a little larger and lift the lower housing up a small amount.
There are several plastic clips on the lower housing that fit into a channel in the aluminum top housing. Your goal is to use the Jimmy to push these clips inward enough to free them from the channel, while gently pulling up on the lower housing.

Gently bend the Jimmy outwards to pry the crack open a little larger and lift the lower housing up a small amount.

There are several plastic clips on the lower housing that fit into a channel in the aluminum top housing. Your goal is to use the Jimmy to push these clips inward enough to free them from the channel, while gently pulling up on the lower housing.

Step 3

Once you have the first side free, rotate the Mac mini and start prying up on the front edge.
Use the same prying motion to both bend the clips inward and lift the lower housing up out of the top housing.

Once you have the first side free, rotate the Mac mini and start prying up on the front edge.

Use the same prying motion to both bend the clips inward and lift the lower housing up out of the top housing.

Step 4

You may need to move the Jimmy along the edge to pry up all of the clips. Be patient and do a little bit at a time.

You may need to move the Jimmy along the edge to pry up all of the clips. Be patient and do a little bit at a time.

Step 5

Keep working around the perimeter, freeing the clips along the final edge.

Keep working around the perimeter, freeing the clips along the final edge.

Step 6

Flip the Mac mini back over and lift the top housing off of the lower housing.

Flip the Mac mini back over and lift the top housing off of the lower housing.

Step 7

              Mass Storage Unit

If your mini does not have Airport installed, then skip this step.
Grasp the Airport antenna board and lift it off of the two plastic posts holding it in place. You may need to push back the black plastic tab jutting through the lower left corner of the board.

If your mini does not have Airport installed, then skip this step.

Grasp the Airport antenna board and lift it off of the two plastic posts holding it in place. You may need to push back the black plastic tab jutting through the lower left corner of the board.

Step 8

Remove the yellow tape securing the power button cable to the black plastic framework.

Remove the yellow tape securing the power button cable to the black plastic framework.

Step 9

Remove the three black Phillips screws securing the plastic framework to the logic board and lower case.

Remove the three black Phillips screws securing the plastic framework to the logic board and lower case.

Step 10

Grasp the optical drive and mass storage unit in one hand and lift up enough so that you can see beneath it.

Grasp the optical drive and mass storage unit in one hand and lift up enough so that you can see beneath it.

Step 11

If your mini has neither an Airport card nor a Bluetooth board, you can simply lift the optical drive up and away. Otherwise, you need to disconnect the Airport and/or Bluetooth antenna cables first.
With your free hand, pull the Bluetooth cable up from Bluetooth board and unplug the Airport antenna cable from the right of the Airport card. Caution: both of these connections are very small. When re-assembling unit after repair, you may want to remove the two screws holding the airport card to the assembly and lift the card up and out to re-attach the cables.

If your mini has neither an Airport card nor a Bluetooth board, you can simply lift the optical drive up and away. Otherwise, you need to disconnect the Airport and/or Bluetooth antenna cables first.

With your free hand, pull the Bluetooth cable up from Bluetooth board and unplug the Airport antenna cable from the right of the Airport card. Caution: both of these connections are very small. When re-assembling unit after repair, you may want to remove the two screws holding the airport card to the assembly and lift the card up and out to re-attach the cables.

Step 12

              Lower Case

The cables you’re about to remove are very fragile - do not pull directly on the wires. Instead, try to pry up the connector directly, using your fingernails or a small flathead screwdriver if necessary.
Disconnect the power button and sleep light cables from the logic board.

The cables you’re about to remove are very fragile - do not pull directly on the wires. Instead, try to pry up the connector directly, using your fingernails or a small flathead screwdriver if necessary.

Disconnect the power button and sleep light cables from the logic board.

Step 13

Remove the single black Phillips screw from the front left corner of the logic board.

Remove the single black Phillips screw from the front left corner of the logic board.

Step 14

Use one hand to slide a spudger underneath the logic board and the other to pull back on the black sleep light unit. Lift up the with the spudger to free the logic board from the lower case and use both hands to slide the logic board toward you.

Use one hand to slide a spudger underneath the logic board and the other to pull back on the black sleep light unit. Lift up the with the spudger to free the logic board from the lower case and use both hands to slide the logic board toward you.

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

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Attached Documents

Mac-Mini-PowerPC-Screw-Guide.pdf
PDF - 234.52 kb
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Mac-Mini-PowerPC-Screw-Guide.pdf

PDF - 234.52 kb

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                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

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Introduction#

What you need#

Attached Documents#

Introduction

What you need

Attached Documents