Mac mini Model A1283 IR Board & Cable Replacement

Power down your Mac mini, disconnect all of the cables, and flip it over.

Insert the Jimmy into the crack between the aluminum top housing and the plastic lower housing.

The Jimmy should reach a stop about 3/8" down.

Gently bend the Jimmy outwards to pry the crack open a little larger and lift the lower housing up a small amount.

Once you have the first side free, rotate the Mac mini and start prying up on the front edge.

Use the same prying motion to both bend the clips inward and lift the lower housing up out of the top housing.

You may need to move the Jimmy along the edge to pry up all of the clips. Be patient and do a little bit at a time.

Keep working around the perimeter, freeing the clips along the final edge.

Flip the Mac mini back over and lift the top housing off of the lower housing.

We will first remove the AirPort antenna, located in the lower left corner of this picture.

Slightly squeeze the two retaining arms toward each other and lift the AirPort antenna off its post.

Grab the Bluetooth antenna nearest the port side of the computer by the edges of the board and pull it straight up off the internal frame.

Remove the antenna board near the front of the mini by pulling it straight up off the internal frame.

If necessary, remove the piece of tape securing the antenna leads to the internal frame.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the audio ribbon cable connector up off the audio board.

Remove the following four screws securing the internal frame to the bottom housing:

Three 6.7 mm Phillips #00 screws

One 9.5 mm Phillips #00 screw

Lift the internal frame off the bottom housing, starting at the rear edge, until you feel the concealed edge connector on the motherboard disconnect. Then lift straight off, minding the bluetooth and 802.11 antenna cables.

Use the tip of a spudger to remove the black electrical tape spanning the interconnect board and optical drive.

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the audio ribbon cable from the interconnect board.

If necessary, remove the yellow kapton tape covering the internal frame and the optical drive.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the internal frame.

Turn the mini 180 degrees and remove the two Phillips screws securing the optical drive to the internal frame on the other side.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the interconnect board to the optical drive.

Insert the flat end of a spudger into the crevice between the optical drive and the interconnect board.

Carefully increase the crevice to disconnect the optical drive from the interconnect board.

Gently lift the optical drive out of the internal frame.

Remove the single Phillips screw securing the IR board to the internal frame.

De-route the IR board and cable through the opening in the internal frame.

De-route the IR board cable from the channel along the internal frame.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the IR board connector up off the interconnect board and remove the IR board from your mini.