Load Cycle Count on Mac Mini 2011 HDD

[GDSGDS]

Hello all,

Last month I managed to snag a second-hand but in excellent condition Mac Mini 2011 for a bargain. It has the 6630m GPU and was upgraded from core i5 to i7. Came with a superdrive and official Mini DisplayPort cable as well. Got it all for £405.

Anyways, It has been working perfectly with no issues at all but after doing some check ups I noticed through SMART Utility the Hard Drive's Raw Value for the Load Cycle Count is at 238511. How good (or bad) is this number? How long would it be until I need to replace the HDD? How easy is it to replace the drive in the Mini 2011?

Also, can someone suggest any general cleaning hints for the Mac Mini? Not just for the exterior but also with regards to the fan and the rear vent. Thanks.

 

[paulrbeers]

Anyways, It has been working perfectly with no issues at all but after doing some check ups I noticed through SMART Utility the Hard Drive's Raw Value for the Load Cycle Count is at 238511. How good (or bad) is this number? How long would it be until I need to replace the HDD? How easy is it to replace the drive in the Mini 2011?

hard drives aren't like batteries. There is no magical number or time that they will die. I have 12 hard drives that run 24/7 for the last 3 years in my file server, but in that same time frame I have had 4 others die (one of which was a replacent for one that ha previously died). What I am getting at is that hard drives will fail when they feel like it. Don't fret over if/when. Your best bet is to buy an external and use time machine. As far as replacing the hard drive if/when it fails, ifixit.com is your friend ....