On the late-2014 Mini, I successfully swapped the existing 1TB HDD (HGST 5K1000) with a 500GB Crucial SSD. Before I did so, I installed BigSur on the then external SSD.

Only when opening the device I realized that there was a M.2 drive installed. I left it in after the swap.

Everything works but the M.2 SSD seems not to be used. Partitions on it are not recognized. The device shows with it’s hardware name only in Disk Utility, with 120GB), therefore I assume that together with the HDD, it formed a Volume Group (“Fusion Drive”?) which is broken now. Can anybody confirm this?

My understanding is that with the Crucial SSD, it is no longer of any use otherwise. Now my Question: is it save to remove the SSD or just reformat it as a second drive?

Thanks…

⟐ Commented marzo 28, 2021 at 13:55 GMT-7

This is my very first post on the forum.

I always wanted to have an Apple computer and I like fixing stuff, so I went on Ebay and bought a 2011 Apple Mac Mini that chimes, but won’t post.

Being a Windows guy I struggled to troubleshoot what was wrong but still decided to give it a go.

I reset the SMC and PRAM, as advised with no success.

After this, I opened it up and removed the hard drive, to see if at least would show on the screen the famous folder with the question mark. Nothing showed up.

I changed the RAM, and while changing it, I powered on the Mac mini with no RAM and it gave me that mono beep complaining of no RAM was detected. That’s why I still believe there’s some live in this thing because it can detected if there’s RAM, it chimes and it powers on my keyboard and mouse.

I replaced the PRAM battery (but used one) but still no video output.

At this point I ran out of ideas…

Also, I noticed that as soon as I power it on, the motherboard gets weirdly hot. Not crazy hot, but too hot for something that it’s not under load.

Is there anything else I could try that I am missing?

Thank you very much in advance or your help.

Regards,

John

⟐ Answer accepted marzo 25, 2021 at 9:25 GMT-7

⟐ Answer accepted marzo 02, 2021 at 9:00 GMT-7

⟐ Commented febrero 25, 2021 at 9:24 GMT-7

I have a Samsung mz-jpu512t/0a6 SSD from a dead MacBook Pro 15” medio 2014, which I would like to put in a Mac mini late 2012. The SSD in NOT in a case or such - just a bare circuit board.

The Mac mini is equipped with a standard SATA disc, where the SSD obvious doesn’t fit.

I would prefer adding the SSD to the Mac mini, giving two discs, but replacing the SATA drive would also be OK.

My question - what kind of cable/adaptor/kit do I need for either solutions - if possible. I have searched this - and a lot other forums, but not found a clear solution.

Thanks in advance,

Jens

⟐ Answered febrero 22, 2021 at 16:08 GMT-7

⟐ Answer accepted febrero 17, 2021 at 15:51 GMT-7

I want to use handoff or airdrop in my mac mini, do I need a new airport card?

If necessary, please provide us with a compatible list.

I've already tried Bluetooth dongle, but it's not activated.

⟐ Commented febrero 17, 2021 at 5:43 GMT-7

⟐ Answered febrero 11, 2021 at 9:42 GMT-7

I was going to post this in the microsoldering area but realize I nether know how to do that nor write to a specific member who might know.

⟐ Commented febrero 09, 2021 at 7:09 GMT-7

Does it Use Thermal Paste or Thermal Glue.?

If it uses Thermal Glue, is it worth replacing it with Thermal Paste since it is very old?

If it is a yes to replacing the Glue/Paste then what is the safest way to do so.

Video or Picture tutorial Links would be greatly appreciated because i have found no teardowns showing how to safely remove the heatsinks.

I have only found ones that show how to replace the RAM or HDD.

⟐ Answer accepted febrero 06, 2021 at 21:31 GMT-7

HDMI still works fine. But I’d really like to continue using the display port.

I’m not sure how exactly to diagnose the problem and if it’s a hardware issue, is it repairable?

⟐ Commented enero 28, 2021 at 18:40 GMT-7

Solder isn’t holding to the nubs of the two wires that went into the traces. Plus it’s almost mcro-micro-soldering. I’m hoping my post here will get some comments about how it might be done.

before

after (now)

⟐ Commented enero 27, 2021 at 17:51 GMT-7

I have checked that the power supply gives 11.8V on all 4 pairs as of this guide so it appears to not be the problem. Complete Dead - How To Check Power Supply Vs Logic Board

So now I am rightly of wrongly looking at the logic board. I have read in a few other forums of failing capacitors near the power supply on Macs. Can someone point out where in the photos these might be? Other ideas of where/what to check and how are also appreciated.

⟐ Commented enero 26, 2021 at 8:10 GMT-7

So I bought this kit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SNM...

The issue is the following. When I put a 8GB module on the bottom slot. I get the 3 beeps 5 seconds pause error. When I put it on the top module it works.

So now I have the original 2 GB stick on the bottom slot and a 8GB module on the top slot. The computer is working and it says it has 10GB of Ram.

Nonetheless I don’t understand why the bottom slot doesn’t work with the 8GB module?

⟐ Answered enero 25, 2021 at 1:53 GMT-7

The sensor should be no longer relevant, but the system now thinks it is a Nuclear Power Plant core and turns the fans to a zillion RPM.

So my question is: how to fool OSX to think this sensor IS NOT THERE in the first place, and taken out of the equition to calculate the fan speed. No problem to Hex Edit some kext files.

Options I consider no solution are:

Installing MacFanControl. I did that, it helps a tiny bit, but only from 10 seconds after boot.

Connecting the 2 pins on the SATA board with some conducting material. It does not work.

⟐ Answered enero 16, 2021 at 6:22 GMT-7

In `15 I got the iFixit kit to add a second drive SSD to my 1TB HDD. I configured as boot drive/Yosemite and used HDD as storage volume (kept Mavericks on HDD) put SSD in bottom/boot slot.

Worked great til Safari issue led me to reinstall Yosemite which somehow merged both drives into a logical Fusion booting from HDD with endless performance struggles. DU reports find no issues so wiped/reformatted SSD: GUID/Journaled file system as before, but OS Installer still says Yosemite can’t be installed, plus HDD can’t be updated.

I then removed the SSD and wiped/reformatted it on MacBook Air (using a USB/SATA cable) but it still rejects OS Installation.

Put back in the Mac mini but now SSD doesn’t mount/show up at all including Disk Warrior?!

Wiped/reformatted HDD and finally got Mavericks online install & Yosemite from DVD but won’t allow any further updates; El Capitan, High Sierra, etc. SSD still MIA.

How do I wipe/reset Mac mini BIOS/EFI. Same re the HDD & SSD to exorcise demons preventing normal op? How about Terminal command drive utility that will return drives to original status? How does ‘bless’ work can I do it if I have command set & syntax?

Thanks much.

⟐ Answered enero 15, 2021 at 12:03 GMT-7

⟐ Answer edited enero 15, 2021 at 5:57 GMT-7

⟐ Answer deleted enero 14, 2021 at 6:43 GMT-7

How do I get rid of the Boot Manager Ubuntu installed so I can put Apple OS on that disk ? Now if I had a drive enclosure then I’d put it in there and use Disk Utility, but I don’t. Nor do I have a two disk system except an older Mac Pro that might run OS 9.

⟐ Answered enero 14, 2021 at 5:50 GMT-7

Any ideas on why this is happening? Is it the Dell monitor?

⟐ Answered diciembre 29, 2020 at 7:33 GMT-7