New 2018 mini i7 already dead

[spongerrich]

So frustrated. Just got a specd out Mini i7 32gb ram new from Apple. Waited 2 weeks to come in. Just got it 2 days ago. Went to the App Store to download the latest Catalina update. Started doing other stuff while it downloaded. Few mins later screen went black figured it was restarting. I felt the mini chassis and it was HOT! This is the fastest i7 6 core 32gb ram - downloading an update should not be stressing the system!
Restarted power button - nothing. Tried all the keyboard combinations command option pr, shift restart, etc. nothing.
2 days old and going back to Apple Store. Ugh!

 

[macintoshmac]

So frustrated. Just got a specd out Mini i7 32gb ram new from Apple. Waited 2 weeks to come in. Just got it 2 days ago. Went to the App Store to download the latest Catalina update. Started doing other stuff while it downloaded. Few mins later screen went black figured it was restarting. I felt the mini chassis and it was HOT! This is the fastest i7 6 core 32gb ram - downloading an update should not be stressing the system!
Restarted power button - nothing. Tried all the keyboard combinations command option pr, shift restart, etc. nothing.
2 days old and going back to Apple Store. Ugh!

While I am not denying that this should not have happened, but is the device placed in a well-ventilated area? It is in warranty, something like that can happen, and glad it did before you could do much with it. The free replacement will most likely perform to spec.

 

[archer75]

I just updated my mini, same specs but I upgraded the ram myself, to Catalina and it went fine. I’ve also done video encoding for hours on end at 100% cpu load without issue.
Just sounds like you got a dud unfortunately.

 

[spongerrich]

While I am not denying that this should not have happened, but is the device placed in a well-ventilated area? It is in warranty, something like that can happen, and glad it did before you could do much with it. The free replacement will most likely perform to spec.

Yes just sitting on a wood desk. Started up just fine with Catalina preinstalled. Just performing an update

 

[macintoshmac]

Yes just sitting on a wood desk. Started up just fine with Catalina preinstalled. Just performing an update

I am sure you will have a seamless replacement since it is just days since you bought it.

 

[Toonartist]

I just updated my mini, same specs but I upgraded the ram myself, to Catalina and it went fine. I’ve also done video encoding for hours on end at 100% cpu load without issue.
Just sounds like you got a dud unfortunately.

Same here. Upgraded the RAM, applied liquid metal to the cpu (about a week ago). It's running latest Catalina. Today I was creating a batch of about 30-40 clips on Motion 5. The CPU was at 4.2 - 4.5ghz, temp at 75-85c and a Vega 56 eGPU at 21%. Didn't have any problems at all and the fan didn't get above 1,800rpm.

Also exporting 100-200 images in Capture One Pro and that takes the CPU to 100%. Again, no problem.

I think OP has just been unlucky.

 

[ActionableMango]

Much better that it dies now, rather than later when the warranty is over.

 

[Toonartist]

Much better that it dies now, rather than later when the warranty is over.

True... but bl**dy annoying. Hopefully a replacement will be sent asap.

So, far (coming from a Mac Pro 2013) I've found it to be an amazing computer.

Sadly, when working on 4k motion graphics, I have now lost my main source of heating in the office in winter! The Mac Pro used to belt out a ton of heat. The Mac mini/ eGpu virtually non.

 

[tibas92013]

Last June I purchased from the Apple On-line Military and Veteran Store a Refurbished 6-Core i5 MM 2018, 2.8GHz,8GB Ram,256 SSD and I am still one-happy Apple Customer! I also purchased the Apple Care+.

 

[archer75]

Same here. Upgraded the RAM, applied liquid metal to the cpu (about a week ago). It's running latest Catalina. Today I was creating a batch of about 30-40 clips on Motion 5. The CPU was at 4.2 - 4.5ghz, temp at 75-85c and a Vega 56 eGPU at 21%. Didn't have any problems at all and the fan didn't get above 1,800rpm.

Also exporting 100-200 images in Capture One Pro and that takes the CPU to 100%. Again, no problem.

I think OP has just been unlucky.

I haven't changed the thermal compound on the CPU. Have you done any before and after tests to see if it helped?

 

[getrealbro]

So frustrated. Just got a specd out Mini i7 32gb ram new from Apple. Waited 2 weeks to come in. Just got it 2 days ago. Went to the App Store to download the latest Catalina update. Started doing other stuff while it downloaded. Few mins later screen went black figured it was restarting. I felt the mini chassis and it was HOT! ...

FWIW you may have bailed too early and left your Mini without a functioning boot drive. Here’s why…

Black Screen while Updating: I also have an i7 Mini w 32GB ram (self installed). It came with Mojave 10.14.6 but still needed a security update. I download the Security Update so I could update the 2018 Mini, a 2014 Mini and an iMac. The updates on the 2014 Mini and iMac went quickly & smoothly. But the 2018 Mini appeared to hang up with a black screen. I got worried and used the 2014 Mini to search for possible causes. That’s when I read that Macs with a T2 chip can take much, much longer to update, and they can do so with a black screen. So I nervously waited quite awhile and the 2018 eventually completed the security update just fine.

Running Hot to the touch: I’ve been running temperature tests on my 2018 Mini using Intel Power Gadget, Macs Fan Control and the Activity Monitor’s CPU History window. In the process I’ve discovered that the fan is always on with a minimum 1,700 rpm. And it only begins speeding up when the package temp gets to around 60c. My Mini “idles” at around 38-40c. And can easily reach 44-45c with only mild but steady CPU activity. At 38-40c the case is pleasantly warm. But at a steady 44-45c the case can become uncomfortably warm.

You may want to give your Mini one more chance by booting from an external drive, USB stick or the recovery partition on the internal SSD by holding the option key as you power up.

GetRealBro

 

[Partron22]

Meanwhile, my 2005 Mini is still cranking away in the basement. DVD drive is shot, but who cares, I've got a plug-in for those rare occasions I have to deal with one; a 3.5" drive too.

 

[macintoshmac]

FWIW you may have bailed too early and left your Mini without a functioning boot drive. Here’s why…

Black Screen while Updating: I also have an i7 Mini w 32GB ram (self installed). It came with Mojave 10.14.6 but still needed a security update. I download the Security Update so I could update the 2018 Mini, a 2014 Mini and an iMac. The updates on the 2014 Mini and iMac went quickly & smoothly. But the 2018 Mini appeared to hang up with a black screen. I got worried and used the 2014 Mini to search for possible causes. That’s when I read that Macs with a T2 chip can take much, much longer to update, and they can do so with a black screen. So I nervously waited quite awhile and the 2018 eventually completed the security update just fine.

Running Hot to the touch: I’ve been running temperature tests on my 2018 Mini using Intel Power Gadget, Macs Fan Control and the Activity Monitor’s CPU History window. In the process I’ve discovered that the fan is always on with a minimum 1,700 rpm. And it only begins speeding up when the package temp gets to around 60c. My Mini “idles” at around 38-40c. And can easily reach 44-45c with only mild but steady CPU activity. At 38-40c the case is pleasantly warm. But at a steady 44-45c the case can become uncomfortably warm.

You may want to give your Mini one more chance by booting from an external drive, USB stick or the recovery partition on the internal SSD by holding the option key as you power up.

GetRealBro

True this, but considering that Apple is held to a higher standard and we pay a substantial premium and tax for that standard, and that the machine was purchased just days ago, I think it is better to let the Store figure this out. We could too, but in the meantime we could be doing anything else. We have paid for the product and a year's worth of potential hassles in the form of warranty.

Moreover, such crippling issues should not arise while updating Apple software on Apple hardware, I expect such things to happen when trying to update macOS system software on Hackintosh computers. OP could easily have purchased a much better specced computer to run macOS on and then face such issues where he needs to also spend time fixing them, while saving several hundred USD.

 

[Toonartist]

I haven't changed the thermal compound on the CPU. Have you done any before and after tests to see if it helped?

Sadly not before ones. I decided to do it while I had the unit in bits to replace the RAM. I did run Geekbench 5 afterwards and got the scores below. The multi-score seems to be punching above it's weight when compared to the Geekbench results table.

I've been using the Intel Power App to keep any eye on temp and max clock speed. It seems to fluctuate between 4.2GHz to 4.6GHz for heavy processes with an average of 4.5GHz and didn't exceed 85c. This is when processing Motion 5 Clips. I'll be testing later to see how it fairs with Motion 5 Nodes 3 plugin later. That plugin tends to be very testing to cpu/eGPU.

Single-Core - 1126
Multi-Score - 6392

 

[getrealbro]

True this, but considering that Apple is held to a higher standard and we pay a substantial premium and tax for that standard, and that the machine was purchased just days ago, I think it is better to let the Store figure this out. We could too, but in the meantime we could be doing anything else. We have paid for the product and a year's worth of potential hassles in the form of warranty....

I agree in general. Our time is valuable. But if this were my Mini…

I’d spend as much as an hour seeing if I could get it to boot from an external drive/USB-Stick or into recovery mode, before I waited several days to receive a replacement or spent 2 hours driving to/from the nearest Apple store. OTOH if the Apple Store was around the corner, it would already be on their countertop with me describing what happened for all to hear.

FWIW the first thing I did after booting and minimally configuring my i7 Mini was to clone the internal SSD onto a SD card. Barring hardware failures — I can always get back to square one on my current or a replacement Mini.

GetRealBro

 

[archer75]

Sadly not before ones. I decided to do it while I had the unit in bits to replace the RAM. I did run Geekbench 5 afterwards and got the scores below. The multi-score seems to be punching above it's weight when compared to the Geekbench results table.

I've been using the Intel Power App to keep any eye on temp and max clock speed. It seems to fluctuate between 4.2GHz to 4.6GHz for heavy processes with an average of 4.5GHz and didn't exceed 85c. This is when processing Motion 5 Clips. I'll be testing later to see how it fairs with Motion 5 Nodes 3 plugin later. That plugin tends to be very testing to cpu/eGPU.

Single-Core - 1126
Multi-Score - 6392

I believe motion 5 is using the t2 chip for processing which would be offloading some of the cpu workload. But I could be wrong.
The numbers certainly sound good so far.

 

[macintoshmac]

I agree in general. Our time is valuable. But if this were my Mini…

I’d spend as much as an hour seeing if I could get it to boot from an external drive/USB-Stick or into recovery mode, before I waited several days to receive a replacement or spent 2 hours driving to/from the nearest Apple store. OTOH if the Apple Store was around the corner, it would already be on their countertop with me describing what happened for all to hear.

FWIW the first thing I did after booting and minimally configuring my i7 Mini was to clone the internal SSD onto a SD card. Barring hardware failures — I can always get back to square one on my current or a replacement Mini.

GetRealBro

Absolutely. For the tinkerer in me, I would spend a little time, but as you pointed out, it subconsciously depends on the distance from help. In my case, roughly 70km (44 miles) one way. Wonder what it is for OP.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

When you get the replacement, try running it "as it comes out of the box" for 3-4 days BEFORE you attempt ANY "upgrading".

Just might work out different that way...

 

[Toonartist]

I believe motion 5 is using the t2 chip for processing which would be offloading some of the cpu workload. But I could be wrong.
The numbers certainly sound good so far.

Interesting, hadn't realised that. The Motion 5 routine used to take just over 4 minutes on a Mac Pro (2013) 6 core with 32gb ram and twin d500 gpu's.

With the Mac mini 2018, i7, 32gb Ram and ColorPower Red Dragon Vega 56 (Razer Core X eGPU) it took 2 mins 4secs. As mention above, CPU was near to 4.6 throughout and temp at 75-85c.

Previously, using Node 3 in Motion 5, the Mac Pro would struggle to hit 24fps quite often and medium/lower settings. I can now hit 50-60fps on max settings.

After selling my Mac Pro, the new system cost me £185 after some good Black Friday bargains. Very happy all in all

 

[spongerrich]

Update: so took it to Apple store. They plugged it in to HDMI monitor - works fine. My home monitor is a bit old 2006 20” Viewsonic VA2012wb (1680x1050) with DVI and VGA but it WAS working when I first got it with HDMI to dvi adaptor (third party. Apple doesn’t have HDMI to DVI) I bought the USB-c to vga adaptor (not my preferred choice) because they said it was more reliable than converting to dvi. Ok. Got home, still not working with either adaptor on my viewsonic Tried plugging in my 46” Vizio TV hdmi to hdmi - works fine! Then plugged in the Usb-c to VGA on the monitor and it worked as a 2nd monitor with the TV working too. Unplugged tv and restarted the Mac for just the monitor on vga- not working...
So you think it’s a graphics card issue and still return it? Or think it has to with the adaptor / monitor / software “drivers”? It doesn’t seem to see the signal to turn on the display when just connected. Internet shows lots of people having display issues with adaptors
Maybe just time for a new HDMI monitor.

 

[archer75]

Update: so took it to Apple store. They plugged it in to HDMI monitor - works fine. My home monitor is a bit old 2006 20” Viewsonic VA2012wb (1680x1050) with DVI and VGA but it WAS working when I first got it with HDMI to dvi adaptor (third party. Apple doesn’t have HDMI to DVI) I bought the USB-c to vga adaptor (not my preferred choice) because they said it was more reliable than converting to dvi. Ok. Got home, still not working with either adaptor on my viewsonic Tried plugging in my 46” Vizio TV hdmi to hdmi - works fine! Then plugged in the Usb-c to VGA on the monitor and it worked as a 2nd monitor with the TV working too. Unplugged tv and restarted the Mac for just the monitor on vga- not working...
So you think it’s a graphics card issue and still return it? Or think it has to with the adaptor / monitor / software “drivers”? It doesn’t seem to see the signal to turn on the display when just connected. Internet shows lots of people having display issues with adaptors
Maybe just time for a new HDMI monitor.

I’d say monitor/adapter issue.
Since it worked both at the store and your tv.

 

[Codeseven]

Update: so took it to Apple store. They plugged it in to HDMI monitor - works fine. My home monitor is a bit old 2006 20” Viewsonic VA2012wb (1680x1050) with DVI and VGA but it WAS working when I first got it with HDMI to dvi adaptor (third party. Apple doesn’t have HDMI to DVI) I bought the USB-c to vga adaptor (not my preferred choice) because they said it was more reliable than converting to dvi. Ok. Got home, still not working with either adaptor on my viewsonic Tried plugging in my 46” Vizio TV hdmi to hdmi - works fine! Then plugged in the Usb-c to VGA on the monitor and it worked as a 2nd monitor with the TV working too. Unplugged tv and restarted the Mac for just the monitor on vga- not working...
So you think it’s a graphics card issue and still return it? Or think it has to with the adaptor / monitor / software “drivers”? It doesn’t seem to see the signal to turn on the display when just connected. Internet shows lots of people having display issues with adaptors
Maybe just time for a new HDMI monitor.

Hmmm, scary. I too have an older 1680x1050 DVI-D (dual link) monitor that I plan on using with my new (Refurb) 2018 MM. Waiting for delivery of a USB-C (T3) to DVI-D cable that is supposed to work. I’ll let you know.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076367RYZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[getrealbro]

Hmmm, scary. I too have an older 1680x1050 DVI-D (dual link) monitor that I plan on using with my new (Refurb) 2018 MM. Waiting for delivery of a USB-C (T3) to DVI-D cable that is supposed to work. I’ll let you know.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076367RYZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the same cable that works with my DEL2407WFP 1920x1200.

FWIW it seems that the 2018 Mini has the most trouble dealing with older "odd" size (in pixels) monitors, especially when they are connected via an HDMI adapter/cable.

 

[burgman]

Meanwhile, my 2005 Mini is still cranking away in the basement. DVD drive is shot, but who cares, I've got a plug-in for those rare occasions I have to deal with one; a 3.5" drive too.

Congrats have cookie...

 

[Fishrrman]

I don't think "it's the Mini"... in that it has any kind of "hardware defect".

The fact that the Mini works with the tv, and that the Viewsonic display works (when connected as a 2nd display with the tv) seems to bear this out.

Rather, it could be some conflict/incompatibility/stubbornness between the display (that has an odd native resolution) and the Mini's [integrated] GPU.

I'm wondering if this might work (no promises):
- Connect the Mini to the tv again, then add the Viewsonic as the 2nd display.
- Go to the displays pref pane, click on the Viewsonic to select it.
- See what resolutions the display pref pane offers to you.
- Try setting a resolution OTHER THAN the one you've been using (which I'll assume is 1680x1050).
- Do a reboot, and see if the Viewsonic "comes in" at the new resolution
then...
- Disconnect the tv, and see if the Viewsonic can still be booted into something other than a "black screen".