Mac mini Late 2018 Disassembly

Before you begin, I encourage you to use an antistatic wristband, but wear it around your ankle instead. This approach allows for greater freedom of movement, making it more convenient to work on your hardware without being tethered by a wristband. Although this guide doesn’t specifically advise antistatic precautions, it’s wise to ensure you’re not a source of static that could transfer to sensitive components, potentially causing damage. Taking this small precaution can help protect your hardware from unintended static discharge.

I had to use a T7 torx for all 6 of these. All other screws were the size specified in this guide.

Nein, passt nicht, weil es in der Mitte der Schraube noch ein Stift steht. Es muss TR6 mit Loch!

Images showing the location of the 4 screws would have been helpful

In the middle picture, the rubber tube and screw are shown as a single unit. In my case, when I removed the screw, the rubber tube stayed attached to the fan. There’s no need to remove the rubber tube from the fan to match what’s shown in the picture—it can remain inserted in the fan housing.

A word of warning about taking the fan out. The fan cable snaps easily in and out of its socket on the motherboard, but there’s not much holding the socket to the motherboard. No solder, no glue that I could see. After taking the fan out and replacing it repeatedly one day, I managed to bring the socket out with the cable plug. I don’t know at the moment what I can do about it, but I’m not about to plug the computer in and find out what happens.

You may want to unplug the power supply first, as the two T10 screws help secure the motherboard while disconnecting the power cable. Check the next step to see if this approach works for you. If you decide to remove the screws, keep one finger on the screw hole closest to the power cable to hold the motherboard in place as you unplug it.

The power supply should probably be unplugged before the previous step.

Reinserting the logic board is a straightforward process. Ensure that you orient it correctly, as it should be inserted in the same direction as it was removed. I found it helpful to position the machine vertically during this step. As you gently push the board toward the back until it's nearly flush, apply slight pressure on both the left and right sides of the logic board assembly. This will help push the tabs inward, creating enough clearance for the board to slide all the way back in securely.

Tip: When removing the rubber slips, start by loosening the bottom first, then slide them away from the RAM, similar to how you would remove the RAM shield. This method helps prevent any unnecessary strain on the RAM and ensures a smoother removal process.

The statement "These rubber parts will be a pain to put back on later" is misleading. In reality, reattaching the rubber side covers after installing the new RAM is quite straightforward. Each cover has two short arms or fingers that easily slide into corresponding holes on the metal edge surrounding the RAM. Once the fingers are properly aligned and inserted, you simply press the base of the rubber cover toward the RAM to secure it in place. This process is typically quick and hassle-free.

When inserting new RAM, begin with the slot farthest from the edge of the logic board. Slide the memory into the slot at a slight angle, greater than the angle at which it will settle. This allows you to press inward gradually. As you do this, you’ll notice the RAM may bump against two tabs. Gently spread these tabs away from the RAM to facilitate its insertion without applying excessive pressure. Take your time and carefully analyze each step of the process to ensure proper installation.