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GodWhomIsMike

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 24, 2007
580
2
Anyone upgrade their hard drive in their new 2010 Mac Mini yet? What did you install? Any benchmarks and/or impressions?
 

Mr.T

macrumors member
Jun 13, 2010
42
0
Im interested in watching a guide on how to do this.
Although I feel it might be a touch more difficult compared to the older mac mini given how compact everything is!
 

i7QuadCoreMania

macrumors 6502
Nov 10, 2009
282
0
what are there so many threads asking the same questions????

just a look down and your answer is there.

ifixit and macminicolo have already done the tear down on these babies. The disassembly isn't that bad and IMHO, less chances of ruining the case like in the previous gen.
 

Beaverman3001

macrumors 6502a
May 20, 2010
554
55
what are there so many threads asking the same questions????

just a look down and your answer is there.

ifixit and macminicolo have already done the tear down on these babies. The disassembly isn't that bad and IMHO, less chances of ruining the case like in the previous gen.

Their tear down was far less intuitive then a guide for specific part replacement. There seems to still be a lot of confusion as to when exactly in the tear downs they have access to the drive for replacement.
 

i7QuadCoreMania

macrumors 6502
Nov 10, 2009
282
0
Their tear down was far less intuitive then a guide for specific part replacement. There seems to still be a lot of confusion as to when exactly in the tear downs they have access to the drive for replacement.

it was mentioned on both teardowns, that the motherboard needs to be removed. ;)
 

sdv5

macrumors member
Jun 15, 2010
36
1
The logic board was clearly not removed during server disassembly to access the first hard drive. The same should be true for the regular Mini to remove the only hard drive because the layout is identical. So if one can remove a handful of torx screws, access to hard drive should be very straightforward.
 

Beaverman3001

macrumors 6502a
May 20, 2010
554
55
it was mentioned on both teardowns, that the motherboard needs to be removed. ;)

The tear downs appear to conflict each other. The server model tear down suggests they could remove 1 of the 2 drives before moving the logic board. And pictures of the regular tear down appear to show the drive in the same spot as the first server models drive. There is no evidence to make a assumption the logic board must be removed to remove the drive, unless there is a post by someone who has done it stating so that I overlooked.

Either way, I think everyone just wants to see a video of it!
 

i7QuadCoreMania

macrumors 6502
Nov 10, 2009
282
0
The tear downs appear to conflict each other. The server model tear down suggests they could remove 1 of the 2 drives before moving the logic board. And pictures of the regular tear down appear to show the drive in the same spot as the first server models drive. There is no evidence to make a assumption the logic board must be removed to remove the drive, unless there is a post by someone who has done it stating so that I overlooked.

Either way, I think everyone just wants to see a video of it!

OK you got me there they do contradict each other, either way, I don't think this should stop people from upgrading their hard drives. People have done more with less info before and I think both of their teardowns are quite sufficient for any competent person to do. Though a video is of course nice.:rolleyes:

I originally was thinking of replacing the drive on the regular mini with a Seagate Momentus XT 500gb, but figured the server model was more worth the money for 2 500gb drives in raid 0 and the upgraded processor and 4gb ram to boot.;)
 

hitteam

macrumors member
Apr 27, 2010
75
8
Thousand Oaks, California
The server is nice, but I don't want to give up the super drive option either, and I like the performance increasement from the Seagate HD+SSD 500gb drive. So I picked the base model instead. That little speed bump won't make much different to me. Can't wait for the video lol
 

i7QuadCoreMania

macrumors 6502
Nov 10, 2009
282
0
The server is nice, but I don't want to give up the super drive option either, and I like the performance increasement from the Seagate HD+SSD 500gb drive. So I picked the base model instead. That little speed bump won't make much different to me. Can't wait for the video lol

that's cool, but for me, after I saw the benchmarks for RAID0 7200rpm I was convinced.

the seagate+SSD was kind of a disappointment for me, coming from a true SSD like the X25M G2. But I can agree it is great bang for the buck.

also, at that price point.

$699 base price + 150 Seagate Momentus XT 500gb + 90 4gb upgrade + 150 2.66gb upgrade (if taken) = $1100 or $950 without the proc upgrade.

the Server costs $999, already includes the 2.66ghz 4gb ram and 2x 500gb 7200rpm. The superdrive option can be easily fixed with a macbook air drive or a cheaper external DVD option.:D
 

Bitgod

macrumors regular
Oct 25, 2003
190
1
For the non-server, the logic board is required to be partially removed to access the drive. Basically you have to pull it out slightly to allow the HDD to come out, it can be done without removing the power cable connection to the logic board.
 

BobbyCarbn

macrumors regular
Jun 21, 2009
155
0
Why are mac folks so intimidated pulling their machines apart? Big deal, so you have to pull power from the logic (mother) board.... If you are that worried about forgetting where something goes or how it fits together, just throw your video camera on a tripod and record the whole disassembly. These are just computers, its not brain surgery :)
 

DewGuy1999

macrumors 68040
Jan 25, 2009
3,194
6
So has someone figured out how to deal with the thermal blanket/sensors and specifically the drive brand specific internal thermal sensor connector?
 

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,924
3,800
Seattle
that's cool, but for me, after I saw the benchmarks for RAID0 7200rpm I was convinced.

the seagate+SSD was kind of a disappointment for me, coming from a true SSD like the X25M G2. But I can agree it is great bang for the buck.

also, at that price point.

$699 base price + 150 Seagate Momentus XT 500gb + 90 4gb upgrade + 150 2.66gb upgrade (if taken) = $1100 or $950 without the proc upgrade.

the Server costs $999, already includes the 2.66ghz 4gb ram and 2x 500gb 7200rpm. The superdrive option can be easily fixed with a macbook air drive or a cheaper external DVD option.:D

If I were going to drape a DVD drive outside my mini, I wouldn't have gotten a mini in the first place...
 

i7QuadCoreMania

macrumors 6502
Nov 10, 2009
282
0
If I were going to drape a DVD drive outside my mini, I wouldn't have gotten a mini in the first place...

same can be said for spending 300+ for a quality SSD on a 700 dollar base mini and lose all that practical storage space.;)

don't get me wrong, I like the flexibility of the DVDrom drive, though I'd trade up for a RAID setup, processor upgrade and more ram anyday.:D
 

krravi

macrumors 65816
Nov 30, 2010
1,173
0
I got a mac mini 2010, hours ago. The hard drive is slow as molasses.

So i am going to repeat drew's question again...

"So has someone figured out how to deal with the thermal blanket/sensors and specifically the drive brand specific internal thermal sensor connector?"

Do we have to replace it with the same brand hard drive for the thermal sensors?
 

tom29786

macrumors member
I am a new member and have the new mini. I have changed 3 hard drives in the new mini. Two times my own and one for a friend. What is misleading about the tear downs is just that, they are tear downs. First you do NOT have to remove the logic board on the regular mini, although you can remove the screw and pull the board back about one inch, I have done it both ways. You do not even have to pull the wires out of the board, you can leave everything connected. You must have the the correct drivers, I got mine at radio shack. You need to go slow, you need to remove the 2 pieces of black tape that are on the hard drive, one holds the connector to the hard drive, the one on the rear {bottom} holds one of the heat sensors on, remove them CAREFULLY. Also it will be easier if you remove the memory, gives you more clearance to get the hard drive out. The hard drive is not held in with screws like the other style mini, it just sits in there, however there are 2 set screws on the side of the hard drive which need to be transferred to the new hard drive. They seem to stop it from sliding in its little area. The heat sensors are not specific to any brand hard drive, I put a WD 320 7200 in mine first, then changed it to a Hitachi 500 7200, for a friend a ssd, all with no problem. You may have to tape the end sensor on the bottom of the hard drive there is very little adhesive on it. The tape that Apple uses is flimsy, hard to reuse, the black paper on the hard drive will tear easy so be careful. Watch the ifixit tear down, and look at the extra photos. Good luck, it is not that hard to do, did I saw go careful?
 
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