Is my Mac Mini dead? No chance for repair?

[edf34212]

Specs: Mac Mini Late 2009, MC239LL/A (2.53GHz).

It was damaged in the mail (claim has been settled), but now I am trying to salvage it. I took it apart last night to discover a portion of this connector broke off. The problem is the unit is dead (will not power on). Is it possible to replace just this part or will it need an entire logic board - if so, where to get one?

I removed the logic board and can see where the connector is soldered on. I can do the repair, but is it possible to source just this piece? It has the Foxconn label on the side...

I counted, it's a 50-pin connector. Maybe these are ready avaliable at an electronics speciality store? I'm not that familiar with circuit board components and where they might be sourced...

 

[paulrbeers]

Image

Image

Specs: Mac Mini Late 2009, MC239LL/A (2.53GHz).

It was damaged in the mail (claim has been settled), but now I am trying to salvage it. I took it apart last night to discover a portion of this connector broke off. The problem is the unit is dead (will not power on). Is it possible to replace just this part or will it need an entire logic board - if so, where to get one?

I removed the logic board and can see where the connector is soldered on. I can do the repair, but is it possible to source just this piece? It has the Foxconn label on the side...

I counted, it's a 50-pin connector. Maybe these are ready avaliable at an electronics speciality store? I'm not that familiar with circuit board components and where they might be sourced...

Not really no.

 

[eyepea]

I would say no chance of repair if you have to remove/solder a new connector of the size in the picture.

eBay does advertise mac logic board repairers in the US. You could send your pics to them and ask if it is doable?

Compare the price with a current base mm though.

Also you could also pick up a second hand logic board on the web if you are dedicated to keeping that model. See for example:

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Mac-Mini-Logic-Board-p-21162.html

Value for a money thought a new MM is better.

 

[philipma1957]

this board would work. i have owned the 2.53 and the 2.26 they are both okay part is 200 bucks. the 2.53's are out of stock

 

[dogbertd]

That looks to me like the connector for the riser board that connects the HDD and Superdrive. So the mac ought to boot in some distressed fashion even without these, and if you've tried reseting the PRAM and all the usual tricks and it won't boot even to a blinking folder icon then I think you're going to need a whole new mobo. I'd be worried that this is only a visible sign of damage, and that there's more elsewhere.

Still there are second-hand mobos about, and it might even be cheaper to pick up a model from ebay that's being sold for parts.

 

[daviesaz]

Since it's just a few pins, it might be fun to Dremel off the broken plastic bits until you have clear access to the metal contacts. Then solder on short wires with pin connectors on them. Slide the connectors onto the cable pins as you insert the cable into the connector.

Specs: Mac Mini Late 2009, MC239LL/A (2.53GHz).

It was damaged in the mail (claim has been settled), but now I am trying to salvage it. I took it apart last night to discover a portion of this connector broke off. The problem is the unit is dead (will not power on). Is it possible to replace just this part or will it need an entire logic board - if so, where to get one?

I removed the logic board and can see where the connector is soldered on. I can do the repair, but is it possible to source just this piece? It has the Foxconn label on the side...

I counted, it's a 50-pin connector. Maybe these are ready avaliable at an electronics speciality store? I'm not that familiar with circuit board components and where they might be sourced...

 

[Fishrrman]

"It was damaged in the mail (claim has been settled), but now I am trying to salvage it."

Might be worth selling whatever's still usable for parts, but I wouldn't spend any more money on it -- particularly since "the claim has been settled"….