Mac Mini won't power on

[LeftInTheDust22]

All,

I have a Core2Duo Mac Mini that won't power on. I've tried resetting the SMC, I've tried a (G4) power brick, and I've tried sacrificing a small goat. The only other piece of information that I can provide is that the mini was dropped (while turned off) onto a carpeted floor from about 3-5 foot up. Prior to the drop the device turned on just fine. There does not appear to be any cosmetic damage to the case.

Any ideas on what I should check when I start to dissect this thing?

TIA!

 

[S.B.G]

When you press the power button, does it do anything at all?

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

When you press the power button, does it do anything at all?

It does not do anything at all; before the drop it would power on (I did so 2-3 times in total) without any issues.

 

[mojolicious]

I have a Core2Duo Mac Mini that won't power on. I've tried resetting the SMC, I've tried a (G4) power brick, and I've tried sacrificing a small goat.

I think the G4 power supply is 85W, whereas the C2D's is 110W? Don't know how your Mini is supposed to react to an 85W brick. Perhaps it should flash you a message in Morse. Perhaps it should do nothing, as it's doing now. I'd get the 110W unit tested before anything else.

If that's okay, and assuming the Mini's power connector socket isn't obviously 'flopping about', then I guess the next step is to strip the Mini right down and reassemble in the hope that some connector was dislodged by the drop. I'm not entirely convinced that any damage beyond the immediate 'power train' would result in the Mini not even attempting to start, though...

 

[Kentuckienne]

I once dropped an external USB drive which then wouldn't work. I opened it up and unplugged/plugged all the cables inside, and then it worked again. Lucky me. The way I got the enclosure was I had an internal HDD fail, so I put it in the freezer for a while, then into the enclosure and was able to get it to fire up for long enough to copy the data. So if you don't get it to boot after checking the internal connections (after you get the right brick) try that.

 

[S.B.G]

I once dropped an external USB drive which then wouldn't work. I opened it up and unplugged/plugged all the cables inside, and then it worked again. Lucky me. The way I got the enclosure was I had an internal HDD fail, so I put it in the freezer for a while, then into the enclosure and was able to get it to fire up for long enough to copy the data. So if you don't get it to boot after checking the internal connections (after you get the right brick) try that.

I've read many success stories about the freezer trick and have tried it a few times myself. Unfortunately I've never been able to get it to work for me.

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

I think the G4 power supply is 85W, whereas the C2D's is 110W? Don't know how your Mini is supposed to react to an 85W brick. Perhaps it should flash you a message in Morse. Perhaps it should do nothing, as it's doing now. I'd get the 110W unit tested before anything else.

If that's okay, and assuming the Mini's power connector socket isn't obviously 'flopping about', then I guess the next step is to strip the Mini right down and reassemble in the hope that some connector was dislodged by the drop. I'm not entirely convinced that any damage beyond the immediate 'power train' would result in the Mini not even attempting to start, though...

You are correct on the wattage; the G4 brick was the only other brick I had to test with. The power connecter on the back of the mini isn't 'flopping about' (nice wording!) and, after removing the top cover, I don't see any wires (without any disassembling) that are loose).

My task tomorrow is going to be a disassemble/reassemble to see if that fixes it; I'm hoping I just jarred something loose.

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I've read many success stories about the freezer trick and have tried it a few times myself. Unfortunately I've never been able to get it to work for me.

I also recall one of the Mac geniuses telling me that certain older hardware (like my black macbook) will power on but won't boot up off of any other media if the hard drive is bad (had this happen - can confirm it is the case). My issue is that the unit doesn't power on at all.

I'll try powering it up tomorrow after the disassemble before reconnecting the RAM/HDD; that should rule out those part(s) being faulty.

 

[S.B.G]

You are correct on the wattage; the G4 brick was the only other brick I had to test with. The power connecter on the back of the mini isn't 'flopping about' (nice wording!) and, after removing the top cover, I don't see any wires (without any disassembling) that are loose).

My task tomorrow is going to be a disassemble/reassemble to see if that fixes it; I'm hoping I just jarred something loose.

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I also recall one of the Mac geniuses telling me that certain older hardware (like my black macbook) will power on but won't boot up off of any other media if the hard drive is bad (had this happen - can confirm it is the case). My issue is that the unit doesn't power on at all.

I'll try powering it up tomorrow after the disassemble before reconnecting the RAM/HDD; that should rule out those part(s) being faulty.

I guess if it worked before the drop, and then doesn't do anything after the drop, there is probably something physically broke in the PSU.

 

[Kentuckienne]

I also recall one of the Mac geniuses telling me that certain older hardware (like my black macbook) will power on but won't boot up off of any other media if the hard drive is bad (had this happen - can confirm it is the case). My issue is that the unit doesn't power on at all.

That's because it's not old enough. A PPC machine can boot off an external Firewire drive even with dead/no internal drive. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

I guess if it worked before the drop, and then doesn't do anything after the drop, there is probably something physically broke in the PSU.

Found the problem; pictures coming soon.

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

Found the problem; pictures coming soon.

Here are the pictures of what I'm dealing with; I find it a little difficult to believe that this would have occurred from a drop.

I was thinking that I *might* be able to superglue the end cap piece back together, but no idea what to do with that bulge in the center.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[S.B.G]

That's one heck of a drop! Almost looks like the slot was pried upon.

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

That's one heck of a drop! Almost looks like the slot was pried upon.

The drop wasn't really that far; I'd say max 5 feet (as I was carrying it and dropped it) onto a carpeted floor. I think it hit one of the corners, but there's no cosmetic damage to the case itself.

 

[S.B.G]

The drop wasn't really that far; I'd say max 5 feet (as I was carrying it and dropped it) onto a carpeted floor. I think it hit one of the corners, but there's no cosmetic damage to the case itself.

That's really unfortunate that it broke like that.

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

That's really unfortunate that it broke like that.

So, pretty much screwed. Kinda figured when I looked at it. Would a drop really do this? Or do you think that this was an issue for some time?

 

[S.B.G]

So, pretty much screwed. Kinda figured when I looked at it. Would a drop really do this? Or do you think that this was an issue for some time?

Was there a RAM chip in there prior to the drop?

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

Was there a RAM chip in there prior to the drop?

Yes; Prior to the drop the machine powered on twice (as I was going to rebuild it and tested it before taking it from my friend). The machine has 2GB of RAM in 2 1GB sticks.

 

[S.B.G]

Yes; Prior to the drop the machine powered on twice (as I was going to rebuild it and tested it before taking it from my friend). The machine has 2GB of RAM in 2 1GB sticks.

Did the RAM chip get damaged too?

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

Did the RAM chip get damaged too?

No. The RAM was/is fine as I took both sticks out and reseated them to see if that was the issue (I did so before I noticed the slot was bulged/cracked).

 

[mojolicious]

That's most bizarre.

I'm not familiar with the innards of a C2D Mini and can't visualise the space available to you, but might it be possible to fabricate a clamp running over the RAM chip to hold it all together?

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

That's most bizarre.

I'm not familiar with the innards of a C2D Mini and can't visualise the space available to you, but might it be possible to fabricate a clamp running over the RAM chip to hold it all together?

Here's a pretty HQ image (from iFixIt) that shows the layout of the board; in the picture the slot that's damaged is partially hidden by the airport card's wire on the bottom left.

 

[S.B.G]

What exactly was it that caused the physical damage to the slot during the fall? What made contact with it and damaged it in an outward direction from the center?

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

What exactly was it that caused the physical damage to the slot during the fall? What made contact with it and damaged it in an outward direction from the center?

No idea. The computer was in it's fully assembled form when it fell out of my hands onto the carpet. The more I think about it, the more it could be that the machine was already damaged and the fall just brought it to my attention.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to superglue the one end back together (since I don't really have any other options with this board) and see what happens.

 

[S.B.G]

No idea. The computer was in it's fully assembled form when it fell out of my hands onto the carpet. The more I think about it, the more it could be that the machine was already damaged and the fall just brought it to my attention.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to superglue the one end back together (since I don't really have any other options with this board) and see what happens.

Are you the original owner of it?

 

[LeftInTheDust22]

Are you the original owner of it?

My friend is not; he got it from a someone who found it "in the back of a closet" at the company they were working at. Said person was going to throw it out, so my brother took it.