Switching internals between enclosures

[ID_Field_Blank]

Hi All

Hopefully a simple question but maybe not...

I have a2011 Mac mini that has been a real trooper but has just succumbed to something (thinking logic board as it gets stuck in a startup loop with the chime repeating). I can’t afford a spanking new machine right now and hoped to to nurse my 2011 mini through to an Apple Silicon machine but alas no.

Question - if I was to pick up a used 2014 mini could I move the internals to the 2011 mini chassis? (The one I’m looking at getting 2nd hand has tarnished a bit)

 

[Significant1]

Check the repair guides on ifixit and see how similar they are on the inside.

 

[Fishrrman]

You could probably move the drive over.

You CANNOT do so with RAM. The 2014 has soldered-in RAM that CANNOT be changed.

 

[Kaida]

Yes you can. You can use the 2014 motherboard and hdd tray in the 2011 chassis, but the 2014 antenna plate cannot be fixed onto the 2011 chassis. you need to take out the glued round thingie and do some work on the antenna cable.

2011 has the bigger antenna connector. I am using 2011/2012 hdd tray to house a 5TB HDD and the blade ssd sitting on top of it for the 2014. I don't use wifi/bt so i have them off and didn't bother with the antenna cable.

The 2014 hdd tray is closed so it fits 2tb max.

Hope that helps.