How-to: Mac mini Take-Apart
Getting Started
So how exactly do you open a computer with no visible screws or latches? In this series of articles, we’ll take you through the process of opening your mini, from cracking the lid to replacing any reasonably accessible component. These articles are modular; each one starts and ends with your mini in the same state.
A word to the wise: Apple didn’t intend for the end user to be digging inside the Mac mini, and doing so could void your warranty. Generally speaking, you should be okay so long as you don’t break anything. If you sprang for the 3 years of AppleCare, however, you might want to preserve your investment and leave the installations to the service techs.
Taking a mini apart is much less difficult than a laptop, but it does require attention to detail. Mechanically, this is a pretty simple process—one scary sounding step, a bunch of really tiny screws and some tape. Electrically, this is a still a computer; one good 10,000 volt electrostatic shock and you well may be need a trip back to the Apple store to buy a shiny new mini. So let’s be careful out there.
Recommended Tools
- ESD Wriststrap and Mat
- #0 Phillips Screwdriver
- #1 Phillips Screwdriver
- #2 Phillips Screwdriver
- Non-Conductive Nylon or Plastic Stick
- Needlenose Pliers
- Soft Cloth
- Screw Tray
- Putty Knife, 1.5 Inch Flexible Blade.
Not everybody has an ESD wriststrap, and it’ll only get you so far in this process; we do recommend one, but judicious use of anti-static bags and common sense should do in a pinch. Our electrostatic discharge primer can help you here.
If you’re going to remove the hard drive, make sure the #1 screwdriver has a shaft length of at least 2 inches—one screw requires a long reach. For the stick, wood will suffice instead of nylon or plastic; this tool is used to release the different connectors inside the case. The connectors are small and you don’t want to slip with a metal screwdriver and short across the leads. In a pinch you can carefully wrap a piece of electrical or Kapton tape around the end of a small slotted screwdriver—but be very careful that the metal tip doesn’t tear through your tape.
The soft cloth protects the shiny case when you are opening it. Just find a flat, clean surface like a desk or table and lay a towel on it. The screws are tiny and are easily lost but don’t use a magnetic tray—magnetized screws aren’t something we want to introduce back to our mini. Consider attaching a plastic sandwich container to your work surface using masking tape. The plastic won’t cause the screws to bounce around much and the tape keeps it from getting knocked over.
Apple’s preferred tool for opening the case is apparently the Stanley 28-241 flexible putty knife. Of course, any thin (emphasis on thin) flexible putty knife should do as well. Some suggest using sandpaper to further thin and sharpen the tip of the blade. If putty knives aren’t in your repertoire, try a thin metal kitchen or icing spatula.
Armed with these tools, we’re ready to take our mini apart, replace most any component and put it all back together. Each tutorial covers one specific operation—such as opening and closing the case. The tutorials are designed to be strung together, forming the complete process for a single operation, such as replacing a hard drive.
This structure will allow us to add more, ahem, interesting how-tos down the road.