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Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement

What you need

  1. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement, Logic Board Assembly: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the 2.6 mm T6 screw securing the SATA cable connector bracket.

  2. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 2, image 2 of 2
    • Remove the SATA cable connector bracket.

  3. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 2
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the SATA cable connector up off of its socket on the logic board.

  4. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 2
    • Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the IR sensor cable connector by prying it straight up from its socket.

  5. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1
    • The following three steps only apply to Mac minis equipped with a PCIe SSD. Skip the next three steps if your Mac mini only has a hard drive.

    • Remove the two 2.6 mm T6 screws securing the PCIe SSD cable bracket.

  6. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 6, image 2 of 2
    • Remove the PCIe SSD cable bracket.

  7. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 7, image 2 of 2
    • Lift the PCIe SSD connector up off its socket.

  8. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the single 16 mm T6 screw securing the logic board.

  9. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 1
    Tool used on this step:
    Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool
    $4.99
    Buy
    • To remove the logic board, the two cylindrical rods of the Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool must be inserted into the holes highlighted in red. Inserting instruments into any logic board holes other than the ones highlighted in red may destroy the logic board.

    • Insert the Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool into the two holes highlighted in red. Be sure the rods make contact with the case under the logic board before proceeding.

  10. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 3 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 3 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 10, image 3 of 3
    • Carefully pull the tool toward the I/O board. The logic board and I/O board assembly should slightly slide out of the outer case.

    • Cease prying when the removal tool makes contact with the opening in the rear case.

    • Remove the Mac mini Logic Board Removal tool.

  11. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 11, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 11, image 2 of 2
    • Pull the DC-In cable connector straight out of its socket on the logic board.

  12. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement: step 12, image 2 of 2
    • Carefully slide the logic board assembly out of the Mac mini, minding any cables that may get caught.

  13. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement, Peel tape: step 13, image 1 of 1
    • Now the logic board is removed, turn the board over.

    • Peel the tape

  14. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement, Remove old battery: step 14, image 1 of 2 Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement, Remove old battery: step 14, image 2 of 2
    • Use a spudger or small screwdriver to push the battery to the side and it will flip out

  15. Mac Mini Late 2014 PRAM Battery Replacement, Put the tape back: step 15, image 1 of 1
    • Insert the replacement battery

    • Put the tape back the best you can

Conclusion

While you can use the CR2032 the BR2032 is recommended as it has a higher heat tollerance and the type fitted by Apple. The chemical make up is also different. To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

12 other people completed this guide.

Tom

Member since: 05/04/14

1,642 Reputation

4 Guides authored

5 Comments

I can’t find a way to contact you anywhere on your site but your fix for installing windows on a mac worked for me. I had been trying to get it to work for 2 days. Deleted my OSX install and everything. Deleting the second EFI partition is what it was. Nowhere else said that but your blog. So man, thanks and keep it up.

Jordan - Reply

No problem, your welcome. Thanks for your help too, you made me realise I broke the website comments during an upgrade.

Tom -

Thanks! This guide helped a lot! To folks doing this replacement, the tape covering the battery comes up fairly easy if you first use your tweezers to gently lift the three tabs on the sides of the battery housing, then it should come off in one piece.

Nick - Reply

This may sound stupid I have a job lot of Mac mini 2012 at first I installed new hdd and new ram as the Mac mini started beeping when turned on. Once both of these were replaced the Mac minis now turn on but do not chime or display anything with high fan rpms. The PRAM batteries look blown on all of them could this potentially cause this any help will be appreciated

Jordan - Reply

Thats really interesting. I had put a SSD into my Mini a few weeks prior but I think what caused mine was a faulty USB device as the device at the time as the USB came up and then instantly failed taking the Mac with it. The new battery worked fine ever since. I did put a CR2032 in to confirm it resolved it before I put a BR2032 because I wanted to ensure it could tolerate the heat and sustain it long term (interesting article on the differences - https://electronicshacks.com/br2032-vs-c...). I was in a pinch at the time; BR2032's where I live are not common and I had to order it which took a while from memory. Hope that helps.

Tom -

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