What tool is used to replace the foxxconn ribbon cable to the Mac Mini I/O board on a 2006 core 2 duo 1.66?
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FoxxConn Ribbon cable
- Thread starter mikes-macs
- Start date
It’s not ripped, it only needs to go back in that slot. Is there a tool made that helps to put it back in?
Got it in once after about an hour trying for it to only stay for about 5 minutes.
Got it in once after about an hour trying for it to only stay for about 5 minutes.
This reminds me that I have one (my first, bought for Christmas of '06) in pieces because the nylon screws for the heatsink broke. I sort of remember something being wrong with that interconnect cable and the cooling fan, too.
Before that happened, I had it set up pretty well; back around 2015 or so, I upgraded it with MacMini2,1 firmware and a C2D 2.33 GHz CPU so it could run Lion. Because of the faster CPU, it felt somewhat faster (and because it could now run Lion, which was only just then falling out of support, safer), but it was still pretty slow by 2015 standards.
I should dig it out from wherever it is and get it put back together. By now, it could probably run Mavericks or even Yosemite or newer via OCLP, but probably at the speed of a melting glacier (which, climatologically speaking, is tragically fast, but still mind numbingly slow in terms of computing).
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Before that happened, I had it set up pretty well; back around 2015 or so, I upgraded it with MacMini2,1 firmware and a C2D 2.33 GHz CPU so it could run Lion. Because of the faster CPU, it felt somewhat faster (and because it could now run Lion, which was only just then falling out of support, safer), but it was still pretty slow by 2015 standards.
I should dig it out from wherever it is and get it put back together. By now, it could probably run Mavericks or even Yosemite or newer via OCLP, but probably at the speed of a melting glacier (which, climatologically speaking, is tragically fast, but still mind numbingly slow in terms of computing).
c
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The replacement would probably be finding a cheap Intel Mac mini over finding the specific part number, they're super cheap complete.
I have a few just trying to repair this one.
The first photo has the flat edge ribbon going into a slot. Was there ever a tool or an improvised tool to get the ribbon into the slot and make it stay there? This is the Core Duo Mac Mini.
The second photo has the snap in connector and is much easier, no tool needed. This is a Core 2 Duo Mac Mini.
I have a few just trying to repair this one.
The first photo has the flat edge ribbon going into a slot. Was there ever a tool or an improvised tool to get the ribbon into the slot and make it stay there? This is the Core Duo Mac Mini.
The second photo has the snap in connector and is much easier, no tool needed. This is a Core 2 Duo Mac Mini.
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Ah, that connector - usually small fingers
or maybe a piece of cardboard under the brown sliding part, push ribbon back in firmly then push brown plastic down to lock it in. They are not rated for repeated use, I've been known to have to tape some ribbon cables down to get them to fit securely before.I may have to order some small fingers then and have them delivered.
I can only usually get it to stay and work fine until I put the lid back on the Mac Mini, then it pops out. What a terrible design. Nothing inside there is rated for repeated use. Even the chassis screws are a pain to get at. The whole thing has to be dissected to change the bad HDD or bad optical drive that fails frequently and the memory.
I wonder how the Apple techs at the Genius Bar had to deal with this.
I can only usually get it to stay and work fine until I put the lid back on the Mac Mini, then it pops out. What a terrible design. Nothing inside there is rated for repeated use. Even the chassis screws are a pain to get at. The whole thing has to be dissected to change the bad HDD or bad optical drive that fails frequently and the memory.
I wonder how the Apple techs at the Genius Bar had to deal with this.
With needlessly expensive tools (such as this ultra fancy putty knife).
I remember I used an old, rusty (and free!) putty knife from the garage to great effect when I was opening up mine (it scratched up the inner edges a bit, but who's ever going to notice or care?)
c
I have opening the first Mac mini computers down to a science with new putty knives. Not even a scratch. After that they are so small it’s tough to do anything inside with big fingers.
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