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2010 Guts <-> 2011 Guts

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phyrexia

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 3, 2010
612
3
In theory, Is there anything keeping me from buying a 2010 and a 2011 Mini, swapping all the guts, leaving the old optical drive in the old case, thus leaving myself with a C2D server and an I5 mini with an optical drive?

Is the 2011 Mini case the same as the 2010 Mini Server case?

I guess I am forgetting the port panel. Is it built into the case or a separate part?
 
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Sure, as long as it fits you can use the case. However there may not be space for the power cord from the disc drive to the motherboard.

EDIT:

Acutally no, as there isn't a slot on the 2011 motherboard for the optical drive to send its data to, it isn't possible to use 2011 internals on a 2010 external body.
 
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actually it might be doable

I was just having a look at iFixit website to see if there is a connector and there is a second port on the motherboard (for the 2nd HDD in the other models) this should be able to be used for the optical drive but I can't tell from there pictures in the 2010 teardown.
 
Is the superdrive sata? or do the hard drive and superdrive connectors differ?
 
I'm gonna say this is possible. Let someone prove me wrong. The connectors look the same to me plus I have a hard drive in my superdrive bay on my macbook pro so how would it be any different?
 
I'm Starting to think that it is posible to swap out the guts of the 2010 and 2011 models in order to have a superdrive.

If you take a look at the conections on the ifixit teardown of the 2010 model it shows that there are only 2 conections for the superdrive, one is a thermal conection that may not be required on the 2011 logic board and the other is the same conection for the HDD.

If everything fits inside the other case then it may be posible.
 
I think this is would be interesting to know. OWC had a kit to take out the superdrive on the 2010 mini and swap in an HDD/SSD, so I'd think the reverse would be true on a 2011 mini as long as the physical dimensions did not change. You just swap in the helmet from your 2010.

I can see this being a good idea for someone who misses having a built-in optical drive but wants the faster CPU. Too many folks here boo-hoo an option for anyone else because they don't need it. Apple should have offered at least one 2011 mini with an optical drive.
 
I use my ODD. Weekly. But I am tired of "Architecture Not Compatible" errors on the PowerMac. I have been waiting on a Sandy Bridge Mini for months to use as a programming machine.

So now I get all the cost savings of the Mini's efficiency except I have to keep the Big Bastard up and running for the DVDR drive. Ridiculous.

I get two or three music CDs a week and I rip them to hard disc and I stow away the physical media. Bands do not tour the country with a box of flash drives.

Also, SATA > USB.

Anyway this was more of a thought experiment. If there was a TB superdrive, I might not complain.
 
I just don't see the point. It's not like external optical drives are huge. They're pretty tiny. If you got the Apple version, it would even blend in wonderfully with the Mini, but you pay a premium for that.

phyrexia said:
Also, SATA > USB.
Click to expand...
Normally, you'd be totally correct.

HOWEVER...

Even a really fast internal full-size 16X DVD-RW SATA drive can only put out about 20-30MB/s. Keep in mind that slimline drives, such as those found in the Mac Mini, are only 8X drives. So let's say they put out 20MB/s tops.

USB 2 is rated for 480Mb/s. That equals 60MB/s. That's theoretical, of course. Let's cut that in half. 30MB/s. Even in what I would call a 'worse case scenario', USB 2 has more than enough bandwidth to run an external DVD-RW at full-speed which would equal the speed you'd find of an internal slimline drive anyways.
 
And of course no one's addressed the fact that there's no opening in the 2011 mini unibody for the optical media to go in, and unless you're a skilled metalworker making one yourself -- that wont scratch the discs on the way in -- is going to be a pain in the neck.
 
Tulpa said:
And of course no one's addressed the fact that there's no opening in the 2011 mini unibody for the optical media to go in, and unless you're a skilled metalworker making one yourself -- that wont scratch the discs on the way in -- is going to be a pain in the neck.
Click to expand...

This thread is all about using the 2010 mini shell and superdrive with the 2011 main board.
 
Bearxor said:
I just don't see the point.
Click to expand...

I guess the point is this. If you have a 2010 mini lying around that you don't need or hate because its too slow and you pick up a 2011 mini why not make a super mini out of both. The 2011 non server minis are just wasting the space on top with nothing in it. Might as well stick a superdrive in there or another hard drive if you can find the cable.
 
Think of it like this, apple just released a $600 cpu upgrade for the 2010 mini. LOL.
 
Bearxor said:
Normally, you'd be totally correct.

HOWEVER...

Even a really fast internal full-size 16X DVD-RW SATA drive can only put out about 20-30MB/s. Keep in mind that slimline drives, such as those found in the Mac Mini, are only 8X drives. So let's say they put out 20MB/s tops.

USB 2 is rated for 480Mb/s. That equals 60MB/s. That's theoretical, of course. Let's cut that in half. 30MB/s. Even in what I would call a 'worse case scenario', USB 2 has more than enough bandwidth to run an external DVD-RW at full-speed which would equal the speed you'd find of an internal slimline drive anyways.
Click to expand...

Ah, excellent. I myself could not remember the specifics. You make a good point.
 
I've attempted the swap & this isn't possible w/o physical mods to the drive.

Capacitors and other components on the i5 motherboard block it from fitting back into the unibody casing all of the way. It may be possible only if you modify the optical drive by cutting (Yes cutting) sections of the bottom housing and making a custom sata & power connector from the apple provided connector from the Core 2 Duo mac mini. I could probably solder the ribbon connector directly to the optical drive somehow. I'll have to source one to make an attempt.

----------

Just to answer the persons comments about why people are attempting this...

I'm trying to put a Blu-ray/DVD player into the mac. If you can't understand why this would be a benefit, please troll another thread or have something constructive to say. And... to head you off from saying, "Apple OS X doesn't support Blu-ray" This hardware can run more than just OS X and the other options do have Blu-ray support.
 
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