I have tried to reset PRAM and SMC but i cannot tell if they have actually reset, not sure if the sandy bridge based macs use something different.

I also ran the "d" diag utility and everything passes. The machine runs fine the fan is just stuck at 100% and its very annoying.

⟐ Commented Ağustos 28, 2021 at 0:22 GMT-7

When the computer restarts, it doesn't indicate a kernel panic.

No idea what to do, thank you for the help!

⟐ Commented Temmuz 12, 2025 at 12:03 GMT-7

Some background information may help some readers understand why I am asking this question.

On the 2010 Mac mini, a thermal sensor was taped to the hard drive. This was also done on the older iMacs. But the 2011 iMac switched to proprietary sensors internal to the hard drive itself, as noted the following article:

http://www.macgasm.net/2011/05/16/owc-in...

It starts out:

Other World Computing (OWC), supplier of many parts for new and old Macs, has gone in-depth into the reported restriction of Apple’s mid-2011 iMacs. The issue is that if a non-Apple hard drive is placed into the 2011 iMac, the fans will eventually spin at their maximum speed and the iMac will fail the Apple Hardware Test.

Apple is using custom firmware on their supplied hard drives to monitor the thermal properties of the hard drive while it is operating. In order to accomplish this task, Apple must use a special 7-pin SATA cable with the additional two pins being used for thermal monitoring.

__________________________________________

Was this change also made to the 2011 Mac mini? I thought that it might have since there is no longer a thermal sensor taped to the drive in the iFixit teardown.

The teardown is here:

Mac mini Mid 2011 Teardown

But some of the commentators hint that basically there are no thermal sensors for the hard drives at all! I would like to have a clear answer, if possible. If the drive were to fail after the warranty expires, I would want to install a non-Apple supplied “off the shelf” hard drive myself rather than pay apple to do the work to install their proprietary hard drive.

Thanks!

⟐ Answer edited Aralık 05, 2014 at 23:43 GMT-7

I have a Mid 2011 Mac Mini (2.5Ghz i5 model A1347) which I bought from the refurb store in 2013.

From mid 2013 to late 2016 it served as a media server, running XBMC/Kodi. Towards the end of that time it started to randomly shut down. I then stopped using it and since then it's been sat in a cupboard.

I was going to wipe it and set it up for my daughter, but I can't get it started. When I try to start it, the power light comes on and I can hear something (I think it's the HDD) and then about one second later it switches off.

Any guidance on troubleshooting this would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Barry

⟐ Commented Mart 27, 2025 at 10:57 GMT-7

My mini is still under warranty as it hasn't been out for very long. This is actually my 2nd mini as I exchanged the first one hoping the 2nd one would run cooler. But they run almost identical. This mini has the discrete gpu thus ~6W idle additional heat to dissipate.

I am irritated that I cannot enjoyably stream Netflix without the cpu die reporting 95C via iStat Menus and Hardware Monitor by Bresink, although it does settle out to ~90C. This i5's thermal limit is 100C. Thankfully the SMC is working as the fan runs at almost full and thus I can hardly even hear the movie. Now I know that the total amount of heat isn't going to change by reapplying thermal compound but I think it might greatly reduce the die temp and thus allow the fan to back off a bit.

The mini is on a metal wire shelf that allows airflow into the bottom intake and the rear cables come down from the top so as to not obstruct the exhaust vent. The room is at 26C (55%RH) and the mini idles (2% cpu) at 71C cpu diode and about 66C cpu proximity with ambient air sensor in mini at 56C.

I recently had Apple fix my MBP6,1 17" as it was also having thermal problems however it took almost a week of *arguing* with Apple to get them to make it right, but now it idles at 42C and never goes over like 86C and it used to hit like 103C. I know the mini won't be that cool but I want to know if it can do better than my current readings? I woud assume do this fix myself as the arguing with Apple is incredibly stressful. Oddly none of the reviewers seemed to mention temperature data? I would be curious to see a picture of the cpu die before you cleaned it off in your tear down if you have it? Oh and if these temps are like clearly showing a problem with my mini to the extent that Apple might listen then please tell me :)

Thanks for any advice / stats you can give. I admit I am a tad scared to tear the mini apart but the needing to know what the temp *could* be is killing me :D

Ryan

[update - AUG 29]

A friend of mine bought a new mac mini (base model) and it runs just as hot. Yet he found a mac mini in an Apple Store didn't run hot. Perhaps some cool units exist? I found that Netflix is just bearable with Plex as it uses slightly less cpu than chrome or safari. Probably will endup getting a ROKU or an Apple TV for the future as the mini just sucks at Netflix. Anyways last night I decided to point a fan at my mini. This drops the idle temp from 70C to ~60C (internal fan chills out too). Kinda annoying having the extra fan noise but helps a lot and makes the top of the mini touchable. So that is my temporary advice. I may try water cooling the top of the mini in the future just to avoid the extra fan noise.

As for repasting I will indeed hold off as that seems like the wise thing to do. Also it seems that the GPU either has hardware problems or is in serious need of better drivers. As youtube videos will get like weird green stuff going on and windows with transparency on my other monitor will get weird crosshatch patterns (concurrent). Thus I want to wait and see if Apple is gonna software update or if this unit has issues. Once all that is sorted out and my warranty is nearing the end I will reapply z paste.

[pictures of mini w/ fan xD]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2091843/ifixit/m...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2091843/ifixit/m...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2091843/ifixit/m...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2091843/ifixit/m...

⟐ Commented Ekim 16, 2015 at 18:14 GMT-7

Regardless of the cost, we still need an answer. As one person commented, some of us may have an existing case or 2010 mini. I noted a similar question posted recently as well.

⟐ Commented Ekim 14, 2024 at 4:42 GMT-7

I have a friend with a 2011 MacBook Pro. The idea is to clone a freshly installed SL onto the Mini. The two Macs seem to be identical, but I'm afraid that there is something that I'm overlooking. Any ideas or observations regarding this idea?

⟐ Answered Eylül 02, 2012 at 8:49 GMT-7

⟐ Commented Ağustos 05, 2019 at 18:39 GMT-7

I managed to disabled the discrete GPU (Radeon 6630M) and now it boots to desktop but the graphics are pretty awful using the integrated GPU.

My options seem to be:

1. Try to 'reflow' the chip. However, it seems this would only be a temporary fix. Or can anyone recommend a high quality repair service that could fix it in a more permanent way? (reball the chip?)

2. Replace logic board. Second hand logic board $150 to $200 on ebay. Some risk that it would fail again.

3. Buy a new system (most expensive, $800ish for comparable specs).

Anyone else faced this? Any other options to consider?

If you reflow/reballed, how long did it last?

⟐ Answered Mart 16, 2021 at 14:02 GMT-7

Everything works fine, but I'm not able to secure wi-fi antenna plate back, like it was before.

Antenna plate secured by 4 screws, but I can tighten only one of 2 5mm T8 torx screws - remained screw just doesn't fit to the hole. I tried to remove and reinstall antenna plate many times, but things doesn't change - it's impossible to align holes in antenna and in the case exactly

⟐ Commented Şubat 18, 2019 at 20:02 GMT-7

I had what seems to be a classic error while upgrading my Mid-2011 Mac Mini hard drive to an SSD and broke my IR connector. I unfortunately didn’t grab a picture and don’t especially want take it apart again.

What I did was attempt to pry up the clip and 3/5 of the connector bay came up with it. So part of the bay is still attached, although one pin came off entirely, and the rest is just floating there.

From what I gather thus far in my reading, I can live without the IR connector as I don’t use a remote and don’t care about the on light.

My question is, however: am I going to cause a short or any ill-fate to my computer by just leaving this connector hovering above the spot it’s supposed to attach to the logic board? Do I need to either fix it or remove it entirely?

Thanks for your help!

Graham

⟐ Commented Ağustos 26, 2024 at 16:54 GMT-7

I read that is possible to install 16GB ram (2x8) 1333 MHz and it works well, but is it possible to install 16GB kit (8GBx2), 204-pin SODIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800? Thanks

⟐ Answered Ekim 24, 2021 at 0:45 GMT-7

I think i did everything right but now i cannot initialize the SSD not formatted and I receive a "Unable to write to the last block of the device" error when i try to create a new partition.

Screenshots / Pictures :

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/12fcg738jzuxr...

Any idea here ?

Best

Alex

⟐ Answered Eylül 22, 2020 at 20:24 GMT-7

Oh--and is it SATA III or II?

And, if this were to be a "go," is a hardware Zero Striped RAID utterly out of the question? In countless benchmarks, Zero Striped RAIDs have shown a 90 - 100% increase in read/write bandwidth over single drives, and hard drives are the "weakest link" in feeding RAM to in turn feed the CPU (which is tapping its foot waiting).

I know there are software RAIDs, but parity calculations are performed by the CPU, and I don't know what kind of overall system performance hit this exacts. Do software RAIDs increase performance AT ALL? (Good RAID cards have high clock speed on-board I/O processors that takes care of all of this.)

The benchmarks that are coming out show that the "Server" mini is the fastest (like 33% faster than the best configured dual-core mini). For a little more, the server model gives you two 500GB hard drives and a quad-core i7 with 6MB L3 cache.

But it accomplishes this impressive speed while equipped with only the effete Intel integrated graphics (which suggests to me that Grand Central Dispatch and libdispatch have advanced far more than OpenCL and any other GPGPU considerations -- as the AMD/ATI discrete graphics doesn't seem to be helping much over the Server mini's Intel integrated graphics, no?).

Finally (I lied. I've asked more than one question, but at the outset, I had only one -- I SWEAR!), what's with IR?

Why not Bluetooth for remote control? In my living room, when someone is relaxing in the recliner near the TV, I have to stand up, raise the remote over my head every time I want to change channels, operate the DVD player, or DVR. I see no excuse to sort of "deprecate" IR on computers, TVs and all other consumer electronics in favor of Bluetooth.

Finally (I mean it this time) what's with "Near Field Communications"? Again, why not Bluetooth?

Thanks and sorry,

Michael Donahue

⟐ Answered Eylül 21, 2024 at 13:43 GMT-7

⟐ Commented Haziran 17, 2018 at 4:24 GMT-7

When I insert a screwdriver or whatever into these blind holes, I can touch the ground of the case on the other side, but I don't feel they can move anything.

How should this work exactly?

⟐ Edited Temmuz 18, 2020 at 5:33 GMT-7

I lifted these off using a plastic prying tool, but I can't them back on...are these pins that stick into holes? Because all I see are the metal parts but there are no pins, leading me to believe that I snapped off the pins and the four metal things that I see on the logic board are the snapped off halves?

⟐ Commented Mart 13, 2016 at 19:35 GMT-7

⟐ Commented Ağustos 04, 2015 at 19:42 GMT-7

even though I told him it was working each time I booted with Pram reset by comm and + option + p +r he snubbed!

HE simply connected a Mac air through the same Thunder bolt to via and say see this laptop display is picked up by the v7 monitor yours is blank because the display is dead. I told him I was using a hdmi to a Visio 26"tv at 1360x768 resolution at 60 hz and never uused any adapters he won't listen.

I did contest him how he can expect a Mac mini to adjust to a new external display like that of a laptop, as laptops do adapt since they need to plug to any projection output. He simply joked what difference both are computers!

i Also reasoned why they don't change the pram battery as it is 3 years old and apple puts in only a regular CR2032 battery! He again snubbed " no in your case it doesn't seem to be the problem". You see the logic board I'd dead, it's the most expensive of this least expensive Mac mini either pay $300for the board and $90 for the labour total $390 and you will get it in 7 days as I have to order it, Alternatively buy a new 2014 Mac mini for $499 only, only thing is you can't put RAM into it as it's not removable! Consider your options and let me know!".

At this moment I decided to try the battery replacement myself told him I will think over and come back in 1-3 days. I headed straight to L street Walmart picked up TS99818A ultra tough ultra steel 44 piece precision screwdriver bits set $6.97 and energizer 2 pack CR2032 batteries $4.97 so with taxes for less than $12, I wanted to fix it myself!

Mac mini Mid 2011 I used the instructions and in 1hour as I was over cautious, I got it done! Plugged in and switched on not even the lights came on! Then I opened again to know I forgot to plug the fan connector. So did that and finally closed the box and plugged hdmi and power cord, well I say the white screen then the Normal Mac boot it was fixed!

I did login and play a few itunes videos, then you tube, rebooted, shutdown multiple times in various intervals to be very sure.

Waited over night and tried today morning 2/15 and it is working just as normal!

I just would say Apple check your Genius's IQ please we can't be paying for their dumb brains!

All who face this problem of pink and white vertical stripes, pink and white bars, pink and white lines with AHT no problem, change your PRAM batteries! 2011 models the PRAM dies in 2014-2015 that is all you need fixing, if apple can't help you can do it yourself!

Thanks and Regards,

Shankar Raj.J

⟐ Answer accepted Mayıs 27, 2017 at 6:56 GMT-7

I'd like to put two enterprise class 2.5" 1TB SATA drives. The specs on the drive is as follows:

Seagate Constellation.2 ST91000640NS 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache 2.5": 15mm z-height

If not, can someone suggest another 7200RPM 2.5" SATA drive w/ 1TB of capacity? I am not seeing any. Thanks!

⟐ Answered Nisan 08, 2013 at 11:56 GMT-7