I posted this in a thread but reckon a few others may find it useful.
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I upgraded a new 2GHz Mini with 4GB ram and a 320GB 7200rpm drive last Saturday. Here are some tips.
1. It took a while to work out - and get confidence - how to get the case lid off. I used two thin scraper tools of about 2.5 inches wide - one to open up a crack, the other to push in and flip the first catches - once a few come out then you work round. The catches are quite robust and they don't break easily, I think, as long as you are 'gently firm'. Make sure you work on a soft towel.
2. You need only take off the main Airport antenna, and gently ease out the orange connector from the top assembly not the other end and make sure you tuck it away when you flip the drive assembly over.
3. The four black screws that hold the drive assembly are fairly easy to locate but make sure you use a crosshead driver that fits properly. Also it's much easier if the screwdriver is magnetised so you can get the screws out and for when you put them back - I used another driver to do this. Having said that I couldn't wheedle the screw by the Airport out and forgot about it in my excitement - when I flipped the drive assembly the screw fell out, bounced on the desk and fell on the floor and I spent 10 mins looking for it.
4. Another tool that's very useful is a pair of small thin tweezers (like those that come in Swiss Army knives) to rescue a screw I dropped into the main board after flipping back the assembly. You can also use tweezers to help get screws into line and to gently prise off the orange connector, and hard drive sensor and tape (if replacing the drive).
5. The memory is fairly easy to put in but less easy to take out - you have to turn the Mini round so the back is facing you to get a good gentle purchase once you've flipped the module up.
6. If replacing the drive the only awkward bit is slotting in the new one as it's hard to line it up with the connector and you have to flip the assembly vertical to get it in place but it's not a connection that needs much push to engage.
That's all I found really - of course you must test it before putting the lid on. I used the Snow Leopard upgrade disk to do a new install on the new drive - you don't need a Leopard system there with the upgrade disk.
And finally - I'm very impressed - it's my first Intel Mac and it knocks the socks off my single processor G5.
M.
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I upgraded a new 2GHz Mini with 4GB ram and a 320GB 7200rpm drive last Saturday. Here are some tips.
1. It took a while to work out - and get confidence - how to get the case lid off. I used two thin scraper tools of about 2.5 inches wide - one to open up a crack, the other to push in and flip the first catches - once a few come out then you work round. The catches are quite robust and they don't break easily, I think, as long as you are 'gently firm'. Make sure you work on a soft towel.
2. You need only take off the main Airport antenna, and gently ease out the orange connector from the top assembly not the other end and make sure you tuck it away when you flip the drive assembly over.
3. The four black screws that hold the drive assembly are fairly easy to locate but make sure you use a crosshead driver that fits properly. Also it's much easier if the screwdriver is magnetised so you can get the screws out and for when you put them back - I used another driver to do this. Having said that I couldn't wheedle the screw by the Airport out and forgot about it in my excitement - when I flipped the drive assembly the screw fell out, bounced on the desk and fell on the floor and I spent 10 mins looking for it.
4. Another tool that's very useful is a pair of small thin tweezers (like those that come in Swiss Army knives) to rescue a screw I dropped into the main board after flipping back the assembly. You can also use tweezers to help get screws into line and to gently prise off the orange connector, and hard drive sensor and tape (if replacing the drive).
5. The memory is fairly easy to put in but less easy to take out - you have to turn the Mini round so the back is facing you to get a good gentle purchase once you've flipped the module up.
6. If replacing the drive the only awkward bit is slotting in the new one as it's hard to line it up with the connector and you have to flip the assembly vertical to get it in place but it's not a connection that needs much push to engage.
That's all I found really - of course you must test it before putting the lid on. I used the Snow Leopard upgrade disk to do a new install on the new drive - you don't need a Leopard system there with the upgrade disk.
And finally - I'm very impressed - it's my first Intel Mac and it knocks the socks off my single processor G5.
M.
