iFixit Offers Kit To Install 2nd Hard Drive in 2011 Mac Mini

MacRumors · Aug 12, 2011

During its teardown of the 2011 Mac Mini's released last month, iFixit discovered plenty of room inside to install a second hard drive. One of our readers discovered the proper process to install a second hard drive in his Mini, but now it's even easier.

iFixit has released the Mac Mini Dual Hard Drive Kit for $69.95 that includes all the necessary components to install a second hard drive in a 2011 Mac Mini.

Article Link: iFixit Offers Kit To Install 2nd Hard Drive in 2011 Mac Mini

adcx64 · Aug 12, 2011

Damn you get a lot in that package!

Heilage · Aug 12, 2011

Clever. They actually got an identical blackstick (and actual Apple part, I'm not kidding) and logic board removal thingy.

Even as a certified technician, I'd get this kit for private us if I had one of these Minis.

kiantech · Aug 12, 2011

I wonder if there will be heat issues having two hard drives

justinfreid · Aug 12, 2011

Heilage said:
Clever. They actually got an identical blackstick (and actual Apple part, I'm not kidding) and logic board removal thingy.

Even as a certified technician, I'd get this kit for private us if I had one of these Minis.

The logic board removal thingy, which looks like hanger wire bent into the proper shape and wrapped with blue tape, is iFixit's own take on the original.
They still want $20 for it: http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/Logic-Board-Removal-Tool-Mac-Mini-922-9588/IF145-159

Going through the teardown, I appreciated how Apple attached the logic board to the aluminum shell without screws using the slide in mechanism activated with this tool.

Rafterman · Aug 12, 2011

kiantech said:
I wonder if there will be heat issues having two hard drives

There aren't any heat issues in the Mac Mini server, which has two hard drives in it put in by Apple. So, I would guess"no".

justinfreid · Aug 12, 2011

Rafterman said:
There aren't any heat issues in the Mac Mini server, which has two hard drives in it put in by Apple. So, I would guess"no".

Actually, Cupertino provides a blessing of arctic refrigeration to MacMinis with Apple installed hard drives. Everyone else's devices will overheat.

SSDs, of course, and 2.5" drives in general don't generate a lot of heat. Plus, it'll be tucked snugly against the aluminum shell to dissipate heat.

FroMann · Aug 12, 2011

Little pricey, but still a better value compared to buying a bigger hard drive from Apple.

winston1236 · Aug 12, 2011

not a bad price either

Santabean2000 · Aug 12, 2011

And already sold out, damn it. Have to wait...

Def a good deal IMO.

macnisse · Aug 13, 2011

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Cudos

Dusky600 · Aug 13, 2011

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Wonder if they'll sell just the grommets and screws...

bizzle · Aug 13, 2011

justinfreid said:
The logic board removal thingy, which looks like hanger wire bent into the proper shape and wrapped with blue tape, is iFixit's own take on the original.
They still want $20 for it: http://www.ifixit.com/Tools/Logic-Board-Removal-Tool-Mac-Mini-922-9588/IF145-159

Going through the teardown, I appreciated how Apple attached the logic board to the aluminum shell without screws using the slide in mechanism activated with this tool.

You don't even need that tool. I had to replace a optical drive in one once and didn't have it so I just used two 00 screw drivers and it popped it loose with no issues.

hinchesk · Aug 13, 2011

Dusky600 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; pt-pt) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

Wonder if they'll sell just the grommets and screws...

Would make more sense to sell everything but the driver set... most people likely have their own screwdrivers but not likely to have the SATA cable, motherboard tool and the screws/grommets.

Dusky600 · Aug 13, 2011

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; pt-pt) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

hinchesk said:
Dusky600 said:

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; pt-pt) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

Wonder if they'll sell just the grommets and screws...

Click to expand...

Would make more sense to sell everything but the driver set... most people likely have their own screwdrivers but not likely to have the SATA cable, motherboard tool and the screws/grommets.

In my case I already have the cable ordered due to arrive any day now, grommets and proper mounting screws are a pain to run into. Already ordered the logic board removal tool because I'm OCD with tools , but would like a set of grommets and screws to mount the drive in the best possible way.

Surely · Aug 13, 2011

Good to know this is available. I'll probably pick one up once I buy my Mini in the next month or so.

It will definitely help to reduce the clutter to put a second HD in there instead of using an external.

FrankHahn · Aug 13, 2011

Dusky600 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; pt-pt) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

Wonder if they'll sell just the grommets and screws...

I also hope that they will sell them!

justinfreid · Aug 13, 2011

bizzle said:
You don't even need that tool. I had to replace a optical drive in one once and didn't have it so I just used two 00 screw drivers and it popped it loose with no issues.

Maybe chopsticks would do the trick.

FrankHahn · Aug 13, 2011

justinfreid said:
Maybe chopsticks would do the trick.

Great idea! Are common chopsticks too thick for this?

justinfreid · Aug 13, 2011

FrankHahn said:
Great idea! Are common chopsticks too thick for this?

Yes, almost certainly.

Torrijos · Aug 14, 2011

Rafterman said:
There aren't any heat issues in the Mac Mini server, which has two hard drives in it put in by Apple. So, I would guess"no".

The again the server doesn't have a graphic card like the high end non-server mini.

That mini + a second mechanical hard disk might be too much.
I don't know if a SSD would generate less heat in that case.

Gemütlichkeit · Aug 14, 2011

iFixit loves to mark up their products like 200% which is why I find my parts elsewhere. I don't mind using their guides though

scottsjack · Aug 14, 2011

The kit looks like everything you need to do it right.

jcbauerca · Aug 14, 2011

Gemütlichkeit said:
iFixit loves to mark up their products like 200% which is why I find my parts elsewhere. I don't mind using their guides though

Yeah but the markup pays for them to make the guides. They make it convenient and easy for everybody so why not support them?

Hmm getting something for free...sounds like a liberal to me.

Sjhonny · Aug 14, 2011

jcbauerca said:
Yeah but the markup pays for them to make the guides. They make it convenient and easy for everybody so why not support them?

Hmm getting something for free...sounds like a liberal to me.

Liberal free means: included in the price
Free means: I get my rocks off thanks to this

iFixit Offers Kit To Install 2nd Hard Drive in 2011 Mac Mini

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