Mac mini server component identification

[vibraphone]

Hi
I recently bought a mac mini server and while installing an ssd I knocked a surface mount component off!!! The mac still works but the fan sensor is not working so I have permanent hair dryer mode.
Could one of you lovely people identify the component for me from a picture?
In the picture it's the SMD resistor? with the red arrow next to the fan connector. I'm so annoyed with myself and I don't know where I stand as far as returning it to my Apple store. A friend is a reflow specialist and says he can remount it if I can identify it.

 

[vibraphone]

I'm boned aren't I...

 

[rw3]

Is it under warranty?

 

[comatory]

Is it under warranty?

even if it was he voided the warranty by trying to replace the drives. this is not covered by warranty.

i wish you the best luck, i think you'll be able to identify the part eventually and your friend will fix it, so no sweat.

try to find someone who is computer engineer or get hold of blueprint for that motherboard (maybe someone from Apple?)

 

[rw3]

If it is under warranty, simply return it to stock and have Apple take a look at it. Just tell them the fan is running at full speed and don't mention anything else.

 

[Poki]

Put back the stock hard drive, be careful not to forget any screw and send it back to the retailer or to Apple for warranty.

 

[philipma1957]

If it is under warranty, simply return it to stock and have Apple take a look at it. Just tell them the fan is running at full speed and don't mention anything else.

Put back the stock hard drive, be careful not to forget any screw and send it back to the retailer or to Apple for warranty.

the above advice would be illegal if you were completely sure you knocked a part off.


If you purchased a machine opened it did the swap and never checked to see if the machine was good in the first place the above advice would not be wrong.

My point is yeah a smd part may be missing and you may think you knocked it off but maybe it was missing in the first place and the machine never worked correctly. I do mini upgrades for a small business. I now open the mini and boot it and test it for an hour to be sure i have a good machine in the first place. Then I mod.


Please do not let me know if you had a good machine and you are completely sure you broke it. I am just explaining that After doing 200 or more minis I know that some times they arrive new sealed and broken. 1 or 2 out of 200 since 2006.

 

[vibraphone]

Thanks to comatory, Rw3 and Poki all good advice and things Iv'e considered but I'm inclined to go with comatorys advice and find someone who can identify the component as returning it to apple will no doubt end in a large bill which I can't afford at the moment.
So if anyone can identify the component or tell me how to find out I would be incredibly grateful.
In my defence I've pulled apart some pretty complicated devices in the past and never knocked a SMD off before, I can only blame lead free solder and red wine.
Thanks guys.

 

[Poki]

Then take a close look at iFixIts images when they disassembled it. They put squares around all parts and connectors and named them - maybe you're lucky and find this exact part?

 

[vibraphone]

@ philipma1957

I didn't run the machine up before modding and it took me a while to work out the resistor was missing. My workspace is white melamine and there is no sign of the missing SMD which is odd. I suppose it's conceivable I had a dud to start with but as previously mentioned a hdd swap voids the warranty so I'm back to square one. I can't say in all honesty I didn't knock the thing off but if I did it was hanging on by the skin of its teeth already. I can only hope someone with the knowledge steps forward with a part code.
Thanks

 

[comatory]

There's no harm in contacting Apple directly.
Are the Mini boards custom? Maybe it has "PC" counterpart and some of the manufacturer could have part numbers on their webpages.

I guess the supply chain won't give out this information easily as they're probably under agreement.

My best advice is to use your social capital and skills, talk to the staff at retail stores/managers, they might have contact to someone at Cupertino. Good talk always brings good results. I'm sure you'll get your Mini up and running, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but in few weeks definitely.

I didn't run the machine up before modding and it took me a while to work out the resistor was missing. My workspace is white melamine and there is no sign of the missing SMD which is odd. I suppose it's conceivable I had a dud to start with but as previously mentioned a hdd swap voids the warranty so I'm back to square one. I can't say in all honesty I didn't knock the thing off but if I did it was hanging on by the skin of its teeth already. I can only hope someone with the knowledge steps forward with a part code.
Thanks

 

[eyepea]

Hi
I recently bought a mac mini server and while installing an ssd I knocked a surface mount component off!!! The mac still works but the fan sensor is not working so I have permanent hair dryer mode.
Could one of you lovely people identify the component for me from a picture?
In the picture it's the SMD resistor? with the red arrow next to the fan connector. I'm so annoyed with myself and I don't know where I stand as far as returning it to my Apple store. A friend is a reflow specialist and says he can remount it if I can identify it.

I had a similar problem (hair dryer mode after removing the fan) but worked out that it was the male plug on the fan, not the female port on the logic board. I noticed under magnification that one of the connectors was bent and not connecting so I just bent it back and everything was super. Could be the problem.

IP

 

[vibraphone]

@eyepea

Cheers for the input but I spent a while looking at the board under magnification and I'm certain that a SMC is missing, I wish it was a bent terminal!
The mac mini server is a great machine no doubt but not as easy to to upgrade and service as the pro range. Despite the fan issue I have a 12 second boot with the ssd which is encouraging but I don't run it for long as the noise is disconcerting. I'm about to order some SM resistors and hopefully I should be back to work quite soon. I'll post the outcome one way or another.
Thanks

 

[SEGeologist]

Hello,

Since when did Apple make a situation where replacing a user accessible part not in the AppleCare? I have switched out hundreds of HDD in mac minis, MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

I didn't run the machine up before modding and it took me a while to work out the resistor was missing. My workspace is white melamine and there is no sign of the missing SMD which is odd. I suppose it's conceivable I had a dud to start with but as previously mentioned a hdd swap voids the warranty so I'm back to square one. I can't say in all honesty I didn't knock the thing off but if I did it was hanging on by the skin of its teeth already. I can only hope someone with the knowledge steps forward with a part code.
Thanks

 

[vibraphone]

Solved!

Just to close this thread I thought I'd let you know I took it back to the IP store where I bought it and got it back 3 days later no questions asked.
Very happy to find the SMD back in place, great service.
I never did find out if replacing the hard drive voids the warranty as I was not asked and didn't really want to bring it up.
I returned it with its original hdd and RAM.
Thanks to you all for some sound advice.