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threestain · Sep 16, 2007, 05:44 AM

I'm looking at getting a second mac to aid my aging TiBook. Now I have a monitor and keyboard etc so was thinking of getting a Mac Mini, possibly off eBay...

However, I know that RAM replacement is tricky - are there any good, cheap places that do this in the uk?

Kar98 · Sep 18, 2007, 10:00 PM

It's tricky but not THAT tricky. I did it on both a G4 mini and a Intel mini.
Replacing a non user-replaceable capacitor on a Dell PDA was much more tricker

iREZ · Sep 19, 2007, 02:12 AM

do it yourself, its not that hard if you just follow the guides at iFixit: iPod, iBook, & PowerBook Parts and Accessories

i had no experience and fixed my mbp hard drive no sweat.

EDIT: seems they only have the powerpc mini :/ weird.

CheesePuff · Sep 19, 2007, 12:29 PM

There is a video on Find the latest Performance Upgrades, Firewire and USB Hard Drives, SATA, Memory, Laptop Battery, and more at OWC under Technical Support for the Intel Mac mini.

I just bought a stock 2.0 GHz and upgraded the RAM and hard drive, took about 30 minutes total once I started. It was only tough to remove the cover, as that took probably 20 minutes since I did not want to scratch anything.

ghostdawg · Sep 19, 2007, 05:52 PM

Looking at the video on upgrading a mini, to change memory, is removing the cover all needed to switch memory module?

Thnx.

Jacke · Sep 19, 2007, 06:54 PM

I guess you might be able to physically pierce the cover to get to the memory slot, but that would leave a nasty hole in it.

Kar98 · Sep 19, 2007, 10:10 PM

The memory is hidden under the left front of the optical drive, in the area between the tiny speaker and the rectangular antenna thingy. You better believe that you have to take the cover off.

Kar98 · Sep 19, 2007, 10:15 PM

Take off cover. Use thin flexible metal scraper to push the white clips in, and a second scraper as hold-open.
Unclip rear antenna. Watch the spring.
Unplug the wire in the proximity of the white LED.
Remove four screws, place in shot glass (tiny tiny Philips screws). One of them is longer than the other three. Try and remember which.
Gently lift black drive frame up and towards the rear.
Unclip RAM modules, stick in new ones.

Plug front wire back in.

BEFORE you put everything back together, fire up the computer and see if everything works. Sound and amount of RAM in particular.

stukdog · Nov 7, 2007, 01:16 PM

It's not really tough to change the RAM on a mini, we do it all the time. The G4's take about 45 seconds to do. The Intel minis are a bit tougher though...about 4 minutes.

Just be sure you have a real small screwdriver and a putty knife and it'll be a quick fix.