How-to: Mac mini Take-Apart
Replacing the Hard Drive
Prerequisites
Tools You Will Need
- #1 Phillips Screwdriver
Disassembly
The hard drive is secured to the frame by four screws, two on each side. One of these screws is concealed by the fan, necessitating its removal. With the screws removed, the hard drive can be detached from the connector board.
One screw can only be reached by a pass-through in the frame that is covered by a piece of Kapton tape. It’s difficult to see initially, but feel for it with your finger. The tape controls the airflow from the fan through the channel and should be carefully replaced; pull it back just enough to allow the screwdriver through. Start with this screw and work your way around the drive, counter-clockwise. The second screw is revealed upon removal of the fan; the remaining two are obvious on the opposite side.
After the screws are removed, the drive needs to be carefully pulled away from the connector board. Use your fingers to pry the drive smoothly back from the connector without pulling up or twisting—you don’t want to bend any of the pins.
Any new 2.5"; drive should work fine as a replacement. Keep in mind, the mini uses SMART drives which have an internal temperature sensor. The drive’s sensor appears to be the mini’s only temperature sensor, so an old 2.5"; drive may not provide the needed data. We imagine the lack of a temperature sensor would result in the fan being either always on, or never on.
Reassembly
Reinstalling the drive is as straighforward as its removal.
Pay very close attention to the pins when you reseat the drive to the connector board. If the drive is sitting flat against the optical drive, the pins will likely be one row off of where they should be. The drive needs to be lifted up about ⅛ inch to align correctly. (We find that a round wooden toothpick elevates the hard drive just enough.) Once aligned, carefully and evenly reseat the drive. Do not push from the far end of the drive, as this might cause the pins to bend.
Start by installing the most easily accessible screws (opposite of the fan) first to ensure that the drive doesn’t move any more than necessary. Once those two screws are installed, deal with the trickier ones in the fan’s air channel.
Make sure you replace the Kapton tape on the screw access hole. Otherwise, the fan may be noisier during operation, and the fan may run more often due to heat not venting properly.
You’re ready to reinstall the fan and reassemble your mini.