Is my late 2012 still safe?

[grandM]

Hi

I operated on my late 2012. I think I broke the IR.
What is worse is I doubt the device is still safe. Watching a small youtube the fan went crazy.
Speaking of the fan. Both the fan and wifi antenna are one screw short. The other screws simply refused to go in.

 

[Ploki]

sorry this was just such a rollercoaster to read.

Errm. have you consulted the iFixit guide?

 

[grandM]

sorry this was just such a rollercoaster to read.

Errm. have you consulted the iFixit guide?

I followed it step by step. Just noticed the machine no longer finds a bar of ram either. 16 became 8.

 

[Ploki]

I followed it step by step. Just noticed the machine no longer finds a bar of ram either. 16 became 8.

that could just be that it's not seated properly.

if some screws are left and they don't find you likely used wrong (shorter) screws where those longer ones should be? Or in what manner do they not fit?

What were you trying to do?

As far as i know, 2012 mini doesn't have IR?
yes it does.

still that shouldn't affect CPU and cooling

 

[grandM]

that could just be that it's not seated properly.

if some screws are left and they don't find you likely used wrong (shorter) screws where those longer ones should be? Or in what manner do they not fit?

What were you trying to do?

As far as i know, 2012 mini doesn't have IR?
yes it does.

still that shouldn't affect CPU and cooling

I carefully set the screws apart. One screw of the antenna is half in. The other one did not go in.
The longest screw of the fan just kept spinning.

 

[grandM]

that could just be that it's not seated properly.

if some screws are left and they don't find you likely used wrong (shorter) screws where those longer ones should be? Or in what manner do they not fit?

What were you trying to do?

As far as i know, 2012 mini doesn't have IR?
yes it does.

still that shouldn't affect CPU and cooling

I took some extra pictures. The wifi antenna cannot be aligned but it is solid fixed. The fan however I do not understand why the screw does not go in. I am beginning to suspect that space between the two circles of the screw should be in the middle of the fan holder instead of on top. But I would need pictures of some other device to confirm.

 

[Ploki]

I can see from the picture already that the top RAM stick is not seated properly! It sticks too far out, you should insert it at an angle.
https://tr.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2012+RAM+Replacement/11726

wifi antenna looks wrong too:
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/jmrJhFyI5F6YFGMB.huge
I'd first seat it, put on the SIDE SCREWS (the ones that protrude) then the flat screws that go into the long edge.

yes, that fan screw looks like the standoff screw:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2012+Fan+Replacement/11714
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/aHAOFJ1VrbZJSpuY.huge

I'd take it apart again and try to reassemble it more carefuly.

it doesn't look like you've broken anything, fans might have spun because of the RAM issues.
Try reseating RAM, then resetting SMC and PRAM

 

[grandM]

I can see from the picture already that the top RAM stick is not seated properly! It sticks too far out, you should insert it at an angle.
https://tr.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2012+RAM+Replacement/11726

wifi antenna looks wrong too:
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/jmrJhFyI5F6YFGMB.huge
I'd first seat it, put on the SIDE SCREWS (the ones that protrude) then the flat screws that go into the long edge.

yes, that fan screw looks like the standoff screw:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2012+Fan+Replacement/11714
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/aHAOFJ1VrbZJSpuY.huge

I'd take it apart again and try to reassemble it more carefuly.

it doesn't look like you've broken anything, fans might have spun because of the RAM issues.
Try reseating RAM, then resetting SMC and PRAM

I managed to get the ram working again. The wifi antenna I left as it is. I tried it three times or so. I however do not know why that fan screw does not go in. It worries me because I'd like to see the fan firmly attached.
[doublepost=1547140614][/doublepost]

I can see from the picture already that the top RAM stick is not seated properly! It sticks too far out, you should insert it at an angle.
https://tr.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2012+RAM+Replacement/11726

wifi antenna looks wrong too:
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/jmrJhFyI5F6YFGMB.huge
I'd first seat it, put on the SIDE SCREWS (the ones that protrude) then the flat screws that go into the long edge.

yes, that fan screw looks like the standoff screw:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+mini+Late+2012+Fan+Replacement/11714
https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/aHAOFJ1VrbZJSpuY.huge

I'd take it apart again and try to reassemble it more carefuly.

it doesn't look like you've broken anything, fans might have spun because of the RAM issues.
Try reseating RAM, then resetting SMC and PRAM

I just looked at that picture. That is the problem for sure. That screw was attached to the fan piece. In my case it is no longer attached to the fan. I do not see a way to reinsert it?

 

[mr.steevo]

I managed to get the ram working again. The wifi antenna I left as it is. I tried it three times or so. I however do not know why that fan screw does not go in. It worries me because I'd like to see the fan firmly attached.
[doublepost=1547140614][/doublepost]
I just looked at that picture. That is the problem for sure. That screw was attached to the fan piece. In my case it is no longer attached to the fan. I do not see a way to reinsert it?

Why did you take it apart in the first place? What did you need to do?

 

[Ploki]

you lift the fan, push the fan piece into the whole, push fan onto the thing that sticks out, put the rubber washer over

 

[grandM]

Why did you take it apart in the first place? What did you need to do?

put in a ssd
[doublepost=1547169935][/doublepost]

you lift the fan, push the fan piece into the whole, push fan onto the thing that sticks out, put the rubber washer over

hold on
do you mean I must remove the fan
put the screw in the hole in the board
force the fan over the screw

 

[mr.steevo]

I've done an SSD on my 2012 Mini. I had to take it all apart after as I missed something.

Open it up and retrace all your steps. The computer is likely fine. We all make mistakes and you just need to rebuild it properly.

 

[moongravy]

I can see from the photos that the WiFi shield isn’t fitting correctly. This is probably because the new SSD isn’t fitted correctly.

Make sure that the two screws you refitted to the SSD are correctly located in the two holes in the case.

The shield/antenna screws into the SSD. If the drive isn’t located correctly, the antenna won’t fit.

I find it easier to hold the mini in one hand with the access hole facing downwards at an angle and the set the drive in place with my other hand. Fit the connector first.

 

[grandM]

I can see from the photos that the WiFi shield isn’t fitting correctly. This is probably because the new SSD isn’t fitted correctly.

Make sure that the two screws you refitted to the SSD are correctly located in the two holes in the case.

The shield/antenna screws into the SSD. If the drive isn’t located correctly, the antenna won’t fit.

I find it easier to hold the mini in one hand with the access hole facing downwards at an angle and the set the drive in place with my other hand. Fit the connector first.

I did not attach the ssd to the wifi antenna. I wanted to but noticed the screws were not long enough. I did put in the screws in the ssd to put the ssd in the holes in the side. After this however the wifi antenna was like centimeters away from the ssd. I wanted to put the screws in and attach the wifi antenna to the ssd but noticed the screws were not long enough to cover the distance to the ssd. The ssd is a Crucial one. I do not know if all SSD drives are equally thick? The SSD works fine though. So does the wifi.
[doublepost=1547315847][/doublepost]

I've done an SSD on my 2012 Mini. I had to take it all apart after as I missed something.

Open it up and retrace all your steps. The computer is likely fine. We all make mistakes and you just need to rebuild it properly.

I have taken it apart three to four times already. I do not know what I'm doing wrong.