I should have asked if they would do the upgrade using memory chips that I supplied, but decided not to go that route. The labor costs were fine, but they really rip you off on the cost of the memory chips. Well, when I saw what would be needed to do the upgrade myself, taking just about everything out of the case, I decided to have Apple do it. I had read that memory was user upgradeable. Where Apple really got me, though, was that I selected 8GB of memory, intending to upgrade the memory myself if I needed it. Very happy to have found these Samsung drives, runs at the speed of an internal drive.
They’re NVMe drives…When I got the Mac Mini with an internal 256GB SSD, I knew that I’d be adding an external drive. Lastly, place the cover back on the device and turn it clockwise to lock it in.įor step-by-step photos of the entire process, check out our gallery below.The Samsung X5 SSD’s connected via TB3 are very fast. Reconnect the fan to the motherboard, and secure it with the three T6 screws. Replace the four T8 screws and the antenna grill, followed by the plastic guard and the T6 screw that keeps it in place. After getting the drive in place, don't forget to reattach the connector to the motherboard. Try using a pair of tweezers or another small tool if you are having trouble. You want to make sure the screws are in the top two slots and not the bottom. You will notice that there are two slots for the screws to sit in. Getting the drive back into the Mac Mini can be tricky. Then, attach the hard drive connector to your new drive and replace the black protective cover. Gently peel the black protective cover off of the drive and remove the connector. Once it's out, remove the two T8 screws from the side of the drive and screw them into your new one. The drive connector must be disconnected from motherboard before you remove it from the case. Be careful, though, because it's attached to the case. Remove the screws and lift the grill out of the Mac Mini. The hard drive is located under the antenna grill, which is held in place with four T8 screws. This is held in with a T6 screw on the lower right-hand side remove the screw, then shimmy the cover out of the case. On the left-hand side, you will see a plastic cover.
Once done, gently lift the fan out of the case and remove the cable connecting it to the motherboard. To access the hard drive, you need to remove the three T6 screws that keep the fan in place. If you are only interested in replacing the computer's memory, simply spread the clips that keep the memory sticks in place and swap them out. The processįlip the Mac Mini over and remove the black cover by twisting it counterclockwise.
You should also transfer your old data to your new hard drive using a program such as Time Machine or Super Duper, which can be used to clone your old drive. You will need a 2.5-inch hard drive or solid-state drive with a height of no more than 9.5mm, and both a T6 and a T8 screwdriver.Īs always, be sure to work on a static-free surface, and to discharge any electrostatic build-up before handling any internal components.
To learn how to replace the hard drive in earlier Mac Mini models, check out CNET's how-to guide for models from 2005 to 2009.
This how-to guide is for Mac Mini models from 2010 to 2013. Here's what you need to know to get the job done: Newer models include a removable cover that gives quick and easy access to the internal components. Simply swap out the old components for newer ones.īelieve it or not, Apple actually made it a lot easier to swap out the hard drive, and even the memory when it redesigned the Mac Mini in 2010. Has the hard drive in your Mac Mini filled up, or even worse, died? Is it taking longer for programs to load? It may be time for an upgrade, but don't worry - there is no need to go out and buy a new computer.