Installed new HD, can't install the airport screen back on properly

[Dylan11]

Need help please figuring out how to set the aluminum screen back on flush. When I installed new Western Digitial 750GB hard drive, I was unable to get the screen (mounted on top of drive) to sit flat.

The 2 outer screws can't both be installed, so I was only able to get 3 of the 4 screws back on, and the screen is not flat. So now the bottom Mac Mini cover also does not sit flat.

Need help! Any tips? Even Apple themselves after I brought in under warranty for SuperDrive replacement struggled to get that screen grill to sit flush. They crimped my Bluetooth wire and 2 of the screws were barely attached. Sloppy work from the Apple warranty tech...but now I know why he had issues.

(it's the silver screen shown in photo, above the memory chips)

 

[opinio]

Need help please figuring out how to set the aluminum screen back on flush. When I installed new Western Digitial 750GB hard drive, I was unable to get the screen (mounted on top of drive) to sit flat.

The 2 outer screws can't both be installed, so I was only able to get 3 of the 4 screws back on, and the screen is not flat. So now the bottom Mac Mini cover also does not sit flat.

Need help! Any tips? Even Apple themselves after I brought in under warranty for SuperDrive replacement struggled to get that screen grill to sit flush. They crimped my Bluetooth wire and 2 of the screws were barely attached. Sloppy work from the Apple warranty tech...but now I know why he had issues.

(it's the silver screen shown in photo, above the memory chips)

You need to align the wifi grill properly on the curved edge with the curved edge of the mini chassis. There is a step (or lip) with two edges on the wifi grill curved edge. One under an one over the chassis edge of the mini.

You may have to bend the lip edge up or down to make sure there is a space between the two upper and lower edges so the wifi grill sits flush. It is likely the upper and lower edges of the wifi grill step are squashed together and it does not allow the edge of the chassis body to sit in-between the two edges of the wifi grill as in the photo.

 

[satcomer]

Take a look at a Install video on your Mac Mini.

 

[jbarley]

This is a very common problem, this video shows one solution that works.

 

[Dylan11]

Wow getting that screen on flat is no joke. Thanks very much for the help. Now I getting a better understanding on what the secret is to getting it back on flush.

Anyone know where to purchase that narrow nylon pry tool? I already ordered nylon pry tools from OWC but they are too thick/square shaped.

I did pay close attention to the install videos but most of them skipped the specific details of re-attachment of grill or even edited that portion out of the video.

 

[808?]

Anyone know where to purchase that narrow nylon pry tool? I already ordered nylon pry tools from OWC but they are too thick/square shaped.

You can cut down an old hotel room key card or credit card into a suitable pry tool, this is what I did and worked like a charm. Cheap and cheerful.

 

[Dylan11]

Mission Impossible! No wonder I had an even extra difficult time...I had the 2 screws mounted on hard drive (horizontally) on wrong side. So when I put the screen back on it was impossible to get flush because it was blocked by the side mounting screws. Plus the hard drive wasn't set in the 2 female mounting spots so it made it hard to keep straight.

That fixed the problem and it wasn't nearly as difficult to set the screen back on.

 

[Dylan11]

Does anyone know if the Screen part is available from Apple or reseller for spare parts purchase? The 2 rubber grommets came loose from back of screen. I was able to manually set into place when mounting the screws on grill, but would prefer replacing it if possible.

Either that or trying to glue them back in place...not sure what type of adhesive Apple used to mount them.

 

[opinio]

Try iFixit in the US or BookYard in UK. Or google it. Definitely 2nd hand ones are around.