Anyone ever paid someone to upgrade RAM in the 2018 MM?

[MR_Boogy]

I've been looking at the RAM replacement guide (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2018+Memory+(RAM)+Replacement/115309) and while I am not unfamiliar installing RAM and PCI cards back in the day, I think this might be one step too far for me. Don't want to risk a brand new machine and my time is fairly scarce/valuable. But neither do I want to pay Apple £600 for extra RAM

Can you find people who will do this reputably? It's clearly something an experienced person can do safely and relatively quickly and I'm happy to pay someone reasonably for their time.

 

[pshufd]

I've been looking at the RAM replacement guide (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2018+Memory+(RAM)+Replacement/115309) and while I am not unfamiliar installing RAM and PCI cards back in the day, I think this might be one step too far for me. Don't want to risk a brand new machine and my time is fairly scarce/valuable. But neither do I want to pay Apple £600 for extra RAM

Can you find people who will do this reputably? It's clearly something an experienced person can do safely and relatively quickly and I'm happy to pay someone reasonably for their time.

One of my trading buddies (who's also an exec at a big semi company) did it himself and he was a bit surprised at the difficulty. You could just call up a few Mac shops in your area and ask them what they would charge to do it for you. I've done some really messy teardowns to do upgrades but I'm kind of lazy about it these days.

 

[njvm]

An authorised Apple repairer installed my previously purchased 2 x 32GB Kingston DDR4 memory modules into my 2018 Mac mini overnight for around $90, which I thought far outweighed the risks of doing it myself.

 

[MR_Boogy]

An authorised Apple repairer installed my previously purchased 2 x 32GB Kingston DDR4 memory modules into my 2018 Mac mini overnight for around $90, which I thought far outweighed the risks of doing it myself.

Good deal for them, good deal for you. I'm pretty sure I can DO it, but it would take me hours

 

[spooklog]

Getting a professional to install RAM in a Mac Mini is the way to go, especially if it's been awhile since you've worked with computer hardware.

Years ago I happily built my own PCs. But working with the internals of a Mac Mini is different matter -- perhaps more akin to surgery. Thankfully I'm ancient enough to not mind getting professional help, and last year I had a shop install 32 GB RAM in my Mini, for a bit under $100. The cost of the RAM itself (from Other World Computing) was relatively small, about $175.

No doubt I did a good thing. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Take care.

 

[lolOwO]

i did it myself. just carefully follow ifixits instructions and you will be fine

 

[frou]

I had to do the whole process twice because the first set of upgraded RAM had errors when tested with MemTest86. I got the impression that some of the internal cables/studs were quite fragile and was relieved not to have to do it yet again and put more wear on them.

 

[ejota13]

I did it myself following the Ifixt guide.
It was easier than I thought, less than an hour.
It is very important that you have the appropriate screwdrivers, if they are the correct ones the job is relatively easy.
Do it on a cloth, when you remove the screws you already have them all there.
Make sure the mac is cold, unused for a while so as not to damage the hard disk

Good luck!

 

[pshufd]

I did it myself following the Ifixt guide.
It was easier than I thought, less than an hour.
It is very important that you have the appropriate screwdrivers, if they are the correct ones the job is relatively easy.
Do it on a cloth, when you remove the screws you already have them all there.
Make sure the mac is cold, unused for a while so as not to damage the hard disk

Good luck!

It took my friend 30 minutes but he’s an Electrical Engineer. I have taken Macs apart and had to run to Home Depot for driver kits because a screwdriver had the wrong angle fins even though it was the right type and size.

I have two specific Mac toolkit sets and other electronics toolkits but I’m always careful as mistakes can be very expensive.

 

[watakoola]

A lot harder than upgrading RAM in my old Mac Pro...

I did mine as well in about an hour. It was stressful as those damned, tiny, flimsy cable connections are the biggest hurdle.

Glad I did it though.

 

[skodises]

I just did this on the used Mac Mini I'm building for my wife, upgrading her to 64GB. It took about 12 minutes, start to finish, believe it or not, and worked absolutely fine the first try.

A couple of tips that the guides don't mention are in order. First, having the right tools is absolutely key, and cannot be overemphasized. The tool kit I use was like $15 on eBay (brand name Kaladium) but came with all the tiny Torx screws and the prybar spudger that you will use several times. In this era of miniaturized *everything*, these kits are pretty much required issue. Mine even came with a little magnetic mat to keep all the screws sorted. It also was gently magnetized, which is key for keeping several of the screws from falling off the driver and disappearing into the guts of the machine. Second, patience and a gentle touch are very much in order. These were intended to be very robust, but those little connectors really don't take much force to mate and demate: don't force them.

I'm an EE who has been playing with Mac guts since the original toaster, and a working product designer who deals with these little connectors every day. They are the most daunting part of the job, but Apple has gone out of their way to make this easy (unlike, say, replacing the wifi module in a Mac Pro...). The power connector removes by pulling straight up, but the little U.fl coax connector for the antenna, the fan connector, and the LED connector all want to release by being lifted off at a very small angle applied from the wire end. The spudger will slip under the wire end and let you gently snap them off.

When reassembling, the genius of the Apple mechanical designers becomes apparent. The logic board seats beautifully flush with a quiet click. No click? It's probably because you have the LED connector trapped by the end of the board (as I did). Pull the board back out and untrap the cable. I would also recommend reconnecting the LED and fan connectors before screwing the logic board down, for this reason. Hindsight...

The fan and LED connectors want to go together at about a 30deg angle, and then snap down by pressing gently on the wire end.

Let Apple make putting the U.fl antenna connector back on easy for you. Install the screw back into the bracket with the connector loose, and only engage it one turn. You want it to hold the alignment, not to clamp it down yet. You can then feel the connector back into the perfect spot, and it will snap in with a straight push down. Then, you tighten the clamp screw down all the way.

The teeny connectors all snap together with the same, very light force. The Hirose power connector, on the other hand, is a beast, and requires more tugging and mashing. Just make sure that the force is perpendicular to the board.

It is worth doing for yourself, IMNSHO, if only to treat yourself by buying and keeping the tools. Just one nerd's opinion...

 

[pshufd]

I just did this on the used Mac Mini I'm building for my wife, upgrading her to 64GB. It took about 12 minutes, start to finish, believe it or not, and worked absolutely fine the first try.

A couple of tips that the guides don't mention are in order. First, having the right tools is absolutely key, and cannot be overemphasized. The tool kit I use was like $15 on eBay (brand name Kaladium) but came with all the tiny Torx screws and the prybar spudger that you will use several times. In this era of miniaturized *everything*, these kits are pretty much required issue. Mine even came with a little magnetic mat to keep all the screws sorted. It also was gently magnetized, which is key for keeping several of the screws from falling off the driver and disappearing into the guts of the machine. Second, patience and a gentle touch are very much in order. These were intended to be very robust, but those little connectors really don't take much force to mate and demate: don't force them.

I'm a EE who has been playing with Mac guts since the original toaster, and a working product designer who deals with these little connectors every day. They are the most daunting part of the job, but Apple has gone out of their way to make this easy (unlike, say, replacing the wifi module in a Mac Pro...). The power connector removes by pulling straight up, but the little U.fl coax connector for the antenna, the fan connector, and the LED connector all want to release by being lifted off at a very small angle applied from the wire end. The spudger will slip under the wire end and let you gently snap them off.

When reassembling, the genius of the Apple mechanical designers becomes apparent. The logic board seats beautifully flush with a quiet click. No click? It's probably because you have the LED connector trapped by the end of the board (as I did). Pull the board back out and untrap the cable. I would also recommend reconnecting the LED and fan connectors before screwing the logic board down, for this reason. Hindsight...

The fan and LED connectors want to go together at about a 30deg angle, and then snap down by pressing gently on the wire end.

Let Apple make putting the U.fl antenna connector back on easy for you. Install the screw back into the bracket with the connector loose, and only engage it one turn. You want it to hold the alignment, not to clamp it down yet. You can then feel the connector back into the perfect spot, and it will snap in with a straight push down. Then, you tighten the clamp screw down all the way.

The teeny connectors all snap together with the same, very light force. The Hirose power connector, on the other hand, is a beast, and requires more tugging and mashing. Just make sure that the force is perpendicular to the board.

It is worth doing for yourself, IMNSHO, if only to treat yourself by buying and keeping the tools. Just one nerd's opinion...

I did that sort of thing in my 40s and 50s (and I played with vacuum tube electronics when I was a teenager). My eyesight isn't what it used to be nor is the touch sensitivity in my fingers (side-effect of chemo). So I've given up on that sort of thing. It's easier to just hire someone that does it for a living.

It's much less of an issue with Apple Silicon - what you buy is what you live with. At least so far.

 

[AppliedMicro]

Took me quite a while and some sweat when I upgraded my first Intel Mac mini. After a couple of times, you get used to it. You do need the right tools on the 2018 model though (security crews!). Also, take your time and carefully follow the instructions, so you don't rip out cables.

Funny thing on the 2018 model: I had a certified Mac technician do the RAM upgrade on my 2018 Mac mini when these models were brand-new, and the thing would recognise just one of the two RAM modules installed, even though he tried reseating at least three times. I then had a go on it myself and got it working on the 2nd attempt. I then showed the technician how to seat them properly. Slots seemed a bit finicky mechanically but RAM has worked rock-solid ever since.

Probably the only time I "beat" that guy in repairing or upgrading anything Apple, cause he was extremely experienced and meticulous - but new at this particular model.

 

[skodises]

I did that sort of thing in my 40s and 50s (and I played with vacuum tube electronics when I was a teenager). My eyesight isn't what it used to be nor is the touch sensitivity in my fingers (side-effect of chemo). So I've given up on that sort of thing. It's easier to just hire someone that does it for a living.

It's much less of an issue with Apple Silicon - what you buy is what you live with. At least so far.

Boy, do I understand that! When I turned 40, my eyesight started going, and once I turned 60, even trifocals aren't enough for this work: I have some headworn jewelers' glasses that I use to get a +6 diopter magnification, and that's about right for those damned T40s on the memory shield... But I can still make a living designing this stuff for a couple more years, Gawd willing and the creek don't rise, and always I like to learn the lessons from other designers about how they do things better than I have ever been able to imagine. Apple has always been worth a study, while digging around in the guts of their machines.

I'd forgotten the security Torx screws- the T50 and T60 are indeed security heads. I stopped using anything other than security Torx drivers a while back, because I can't see that little peg and it flat-out pisses me off when the driver that I know is the right size won't engage... So I cheat, and simply assume that everything is a security head. Problem solved.

If I were a tech, I'd charge a minimum of $50 for this, and $100 is pretty reasonable as well if the shop is full and there's a lot of work. And this work certainly isn't for everyone.

All I ever wanted to do was to design tube amplifiers, so I hear you there as well. Sorry to hear about the chemo-fingers. Let's hear it for being over-60s who still play with these toys! Be well, and I hope these comments help someone...

 

[InuNacho]

I paid an independent repair shop $40 to upgrade the ram I brought in myself. Don't really trust myself doing that kind of opening and closing.