I know this is an old thread but it's discussing the 1.83Ghz Mac Mini C2D which is exactly the computer I am about trying to get into to add another module of RAM to (I already have one 2gb in there in one of the slots)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
smee 
Lol, thats funny
I'm glad it went well for you!
Last night I took my mini completely apart (the motherboard, hd, optical drive and everything was out of the case), I wanted to see what kind of hard drive was in there.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Richard_H
...
* The gap in the case is pretty tight between the white base and the silver shell. I had to use a pretty slim putty knife (it'd been sharpened to a knife edge, actually, for a prior project); the first putty knife was too thick to wedge in the crack without marring the case getting it in. In a pinch, one could slide a flat chef's knife in the gap just to make the crack wide enough to get the putty knife started (don't pry with a knife).
* I used 2 putty knives - the first one to pry the base upward (i.e., outward on the shell, as the OP described), and a second putty knife following behind it, catching notches in the side of the base to keep it from dropping back down. A flat screwdriver would work for this 2nd tool too.
* On mine, screw #2 is an oddball with a wider head. The other 3 look interchangeable. You really need a small Philips head with these screws, and the screwdriver needs to be fairly skinny and long (a la pocket screwdriver style).
....
* Seating the memory DIMMs is a tight fit - while at a slight angle, they need to be pressed into the slot until the top edge of the gold contacts are barely visible; this can take a pretty firm hand. Once inserted, latch it down. If you haven't done this before, take note of how far inserted the old DIMMs are before you remove them.
* Check the Airport antenna connector before re-assembling - it'll try to come loose from the board (seen in the background of the OP's pic with the brown ribbon connector).
....
* Screw #1 was a challenge to get started back in the hole - I needed a magnet on the screwdriver to keep the screw attached to it. Hole #1 is an open bracket but this isn't obvious from the shadows (at least at my kitchen table, er... anti-static workbench); just dropping the screw in the "hole" won't work like it does on #3 and #4.
* Check that the Bluetooth antenna wire is back in the clips along the side of the drive, between screws 1 and 2.
....
A few things..
1) I just placed an order for two of these putty knives:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Devil-4824.../dp/B00004YNM8
solely based on the review that they worked great for the guy getting into his Mac Mini
2) If I'm already in there taking things apart for adding another RAM Module, how easy would it be to replace the Bluetooth/Airport Antenna? Apparently the previous owner of this mac mini damaged that bluetooth/airport antenna during the initial 2gb Crucial RAM install. (I think that explains why he wanted to sell it after 3 months).
3) I may also need to take the hard drive out and connect to a SATA-To-USB device to pull as much data as I can off. I think there's an issue with the Snow Leopard install right now in that I can't repair the disk and now I can't even set it as a Startup disk. If it won't go into Target mode and let me access all the files (I just ordered an 800 to 400 Firewire Adapter to connect to my macbook pro), the only thing I can think of left is taking out the hard drive and connecting to a SATA-To-USB Device and connecting to my MacBook Pro and seeing if it can read its contents.
tMac mini
After opening up the case again and attaching it - hey presto fan noise gone.
