2010 Mac Mini tear down

[bearcatrp]

Trying to take apart my old mini. Hung up on the 2 little holes that need a special tool. Posting a link of ifixit and step 13 that describes it. I know I took this apart many years ago to upgrade the hard drive but can't remember how I did it without the special tool. I put a small flat tip into the hole and it doesn't seem there is anything on the bottom. Appreciate any help on this. Thanks.

https://ifixit-guide-pdfs.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/ifixit/guide_3094_zh.pdf

 

[EugW]

Trying to take apart my old mini. Hung up on the 2 little holes that need a special tool. Posting a link of ifixit and step 13 that describes it. I know I took this apart many years ago to upgrade the hard drive but can't remember how I did it without the special tool. I put a small flat tip into the hole and it doesn't seem there is anything on the bottom. Appreciate any help on this. Thanks.

https://ifixit-guide-pdfs.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/ifixit/guide_3094_zh.pdf

IIRC, there is nothing there. It's just used to pull out the motherboard.

 

[bearcatrp]

Am trying to pull the motherboard out but something is stopping it. Step 13 describes this.

 

[chabig]

Did you put a tool in both holes at the same time?

 

[bearcatrp]

I put a small flat head screwdriver in it to see if it would press in. Nothing on either.

 

[chabig]

I did this once to replace the hard drive with an SSD. I used an OWC kit that came with the tool. Unfortunately I don’t remember how it worked.

 

[arw]

Seems to be the same as the 2011 one.
The holes are simply to pull the motherboard out of the case. No special mechanism or trick.
Just check if all previous screws are removed.
For the 2011 one I think there was a screw for mounting the fan that is screwed into another screw below. If that second screw isn't removed, the motherboard remains stuck.

 

[bearcatrp]

I already removed the fan before step 13.

 

[sam_dean]

Are you cleaning your dozen old Mac mini with a die shrink that was introduced in 2007?

 

[for this]

The problem may be you didn't put two screwdrivers into both holes. The board needs to be slid out squarely and the u-shaped tool helps that.

This is from the 2012 mini's tutorial but it should be the same. You can see two hands are touching/forcing the board out at each side of the tool. The hands in the picture look too relaxed. In reality, it takes a bit of force to move it.

 

[bearcatrp]

Thanks for that pic.. Just tried inserting a small screwdriver in both but no luck. Here is a pic of mine. Bottom of pic is back of the mini.

 

[for this]

I see the same two holes as in my 2012 mini.

Have you try holding the two screwdrivers and move it out?
The board doesn't automatically move when you insert objects into the two holes.
Maybe you should re-read my previous comment in case it was updated before you replied.

 

[arw]

For the 2011 one I think there was a screw for mounting the fan that is screwed into another screw below. If that second screw isn't removed, the motherboard remains stuck.

I already removed the fan before step 13.

The right one is the screw/insert I mentioned.
But you'd definitely have to remove the left one. Otherwise you can pull as much as you want.
Both have been removed in the iFixit guide.

 

[for this]

I think arw is right. The screws are still there in the OP's pic. The step about removing them is missing in the PDF file.

 

[bearcatrp]

Finally got it. It was those 2 screws. Thanks for all the help.

 

[bearcatrp]

That piece that covers the chips, that’s the heat sink?