Steps 1–5: Top Housing
Steps 6–12: Internal Frame
Steps 13–15: AirPort/Bluetooth Combo Card
Steps 16–20: Logic Board
Steps 21–23: Bottom Housing
Tools
Phillips #00 Screwdriver
$4.95 · 40 in stock
Spudger
$2.95 · 272 in stock
1.5" Thin Putty Knife
$4.95 · 34 in stock
T10 Torx Screwdriver
$4.95 · 77 in stock
Installing Mac mini Model A1283 Bottom Housing
Introduction
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
|---|
The bottom housing holds all your mini's internals.
Tools used in this guide
Paginated Single Page Steps
Step 1
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Top Housing
You can skip this step if you bought your putty knife from iFixit. Putty knives purchased from iFixit come with pre-ground edges.
You'll need a putty knife in order to open the case. A 1.5 inch thin putty knife will work well, but you'll want to grind the edge down. Rub the putty knife's short edge back and forth on a sheet of all purpose rough grit sandpaper (100 grit will work fine) until it attains a beveled edge.
Step 2
Carefully insert a putty knife into the crevice in between the top cover and bottom housing. Start on the left side first. Push the blade down until you meet firm resistance (roughly 3/8 of an inch).
Gently enlarge the existing crevice by rotating the putty knife downward and away from the mini.
Step 3
Repeat the prying motion until a portion of the bottom housing has been nudged upward.
Would you please post photo of the resulting mac mini case (both metal and plastic part) after these steps? I would like to know if there is any scratches by applying these technique. Thanks.
Use businesscards between case & putty knife if you don't want any scratches. Worked for me.
I tried using business cards with the putty knife, but in the initial stages there just isn't enough room in the slit to get them in there with the putty knife. I was also really worried about scratching the case, but just went really slowly with the putty knife and mine came out scratch free. :)