Apple mac mini server mid 2010 User Manual

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 512010-10-29
Mass Storage
Hard Drive(s) Not Recognized
Unlikely cause:  power supply, wireless card, fan, speaker
Quick Check
SymptomsQuick Check
Drive Is Not Recognized 
Drive Does Not Boot 
• Flashing Question Mark
• Boots to Grey Screen
• Boots to Blue Screen
1. Use a known good mouse. A stuck mouse button 
will not allow boot.
2.  Boot from original Mac mini Install DVD inserted 
in internal optical drive (or in the optical drive of 
another computer setup in Target Disk Mode), 
or from and external up to date Mac OS X10.6.X 
drive. Verify S.M.A.R.T. status of drive using Disk 
Utility.
3. Repair disk using Disk Utility.
4.  Erase disk and reinstall Mac OS. Note: Make sure 
data has been backed up before erasing hard 
drive. 
5. Use Target Disk Mode to attempt to mount user’s 
hard drive on a known-good similar computer. If 
mounted, use Disk Utility on host computer for 
Quick Checks 2, 3 and 4.
Deep Dive
CheckResultActionCode
1. Boot from Install DVD inserted 
in internal optical drive (or in 
the optical drive of another 
computer setup in Target Disk 
Mode), or from an external 
drive and run Disk Utility.  Verify 
that user hard drive is available 
for Disk Utility to repair.
Yes Go to step 2
NoGo to step 5
2.  Run Disk Utility ‘Repair Disk’ 
function and verify that it 
completes successfully.
YesGo to step 3
NoGo to step 4  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 522010-10-29
3. Reboot computer. Verify that 
system boots successfully 
and rerun Disk utility ‘Verify’ 
function to verify that it reports 
no errors.
YesData error Issue resolved. 
Return computer to user.
H07
NoGo to step 4.
4.  Erase disk and reinstall Mac OS 
using original Mac mini Install 
DVD. Verify that installation 
process completes.  
Note: Make sure data has been 
backed up before erasing hard 
drive. 
YesGo to step 9
NoGo to step 5
5. Inspect both ends of the hard 
drive cable and connectors for 
bent pins, or other damage to 
the cable. Does cable seem in 
good shape?
YesReseat hard drive cable and 
go to step 6.
NoReplace hard drive cable and 
retest.
X03
6.  After cable was reseated, verify 
that system boots successfully 
to hard drive, and that Disk 
utility ‘Verify’ function reports 
no errors.
YesIssue resolved by cable reseat.
NoReplace hard drive cable and 
go to step 7.
X03
7. After hard drive cable was 
replaced, verify that system 
boots successfully to hard drive, 
and that Disk utility ‘Verify’ 
function reports no errors.
YesIssue resolved by cable 
replacement.
NoRemove user’s hard drive and 
install a known good up to 
date Mac OS X 10.6 bootable 
hard drive, or blank hard drive 
that you’ll first restore by 
booting from the original Mac 
mini Install DVD. Go to step 8 
8.  After hard drive was restored 
or replaced with known-good 
one, verify that system boots 
successfully to hard drive, and 
that Disk utility ‘Verify’ function 
reports no errors.
YesReplace defective user’s drive.H05
NoCable was replaced and 
installed known-good Hard 
Drive did not fix the issue: 
replace logic board.
M19  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 532010-10-29
Hard Drive Read/Write Error
Unlikely cause:  power supply, wireless card, fan, speaker
Quick Check
SymptomsQuick Check
Drive Read/Write Error 
Drive Bad Sector/Defective 
Drive Formatting Issues
• Cannot save documents
• Read/write error message
• Hang when accessing or saving 
data
1. Boot from Install DVD inserted in internal optical 
drive (or in the optical drive of another computer 
setup in Target Disk Mode), or from an external 
bootable drive. Verify S.M.A.R.T. status of drive 
using Disk Utility.
2.  Repair disk using Disk Utility.
3. Erase disk and reinstall Mac OS using original Mac 
mini Install DVD. 
4.  Use Target Disk Mode to mount user’s hard drive 
on a known good similar computer. Use Disk 
Utility on host computer for Quick Checks 1 
through 4.
Deep Dive
CheckResultActionCode
1. Boot from Mac mini Install 
DVD, run Disk Utility ‘Repair 
Disk’ function and verify that it 
completes successfully.
YesGo to step 2
NoGo to step 3
2.  Reboot computer. Verify that 
system boots successfully from 
internal hard drive and that 
Disk utility ‘Verify’ function 
reports no errors.
YesData error Issue resolved. 
Return computer to user.
H07
NoGo to step 3
3. Erase disk and reinstall Mac OS 
using original Mac mini Install 
DVD. Verify that installation 
process completes. 
Note: Make sure data has been 
backed up before erasing hard 
drive.
YesGo to step 7
NoGo to step 4
4.  Inspect both ends of the hard 
drive cable and connectors for 
bent pins, or other damage to 
the cable. Does cable seem in 
good shape?
YesReseat hard drive cable and 
go to step 5.
NoReplace hard drive cable and 
retest.
X03  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 542010-10-29
5. After cable was reseated, verify 
that system boots successfully 
to hard drive, and that Disk 
utility ‘Verify’ function reports 
no errors.
YesIssue resolved by cable reseat.
NoReplace hard drive cable and 
go to step 6.
X03
6.  After hard drive cable was 
replaced, verify that system 
boots successfully to hard drive, 
and that Disk utility ‘Verify’ 
function reports no errors.
YesIssue resolved by cable 
replacement.
NoRemove user’s hard drive and 
install a known good up to 
date Mac OS X 10.6 bootable 
hard drive, or blank hard drive 
that you’ll first restore by 
booting from the original Mac 
mini Install DVD. Go to step 7 
7. After hard drive was restored 
or replaced with known-good 
one, verify that system boots 
successfully to hard drive, and 
that Disk utility ‘Verify’ function 
reports no errors.
YesReplace defective user’s drive.H05
NoCable was replaced and 
installed known-good Hard 
Drive did not fix the issue: 
replace logic board.
M19
Hard Drive Noisy
Unlikely cause:  LCD panel, logic board, power supply, speakers, camera, microphone
Quick Check
SymptomsQuick Check
Hard Drive Noisy
• Noise during start up
• Noise during operation
• Noise when drive is copying or 
saving data
1.  Start up from original Mac mini Install DVD. Verify 
S.M.A.R.T. status of drive using Disk Utility.
2.  Repair disk using Disk Utility.
3. Determine if noise is comparable to another 
machine of the same model.  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 552010-10-29
Deep Dive
CheckResultActionCode
1. Disconnect hard drive and 
optical drive (or second hard 
drive) cables from logic board, 
and startup computer to 
determine if noise is caused by 
the computer fan.
YesGo to Fan Failures/Thermal 
issues symptom flow.
NoGo to step 2
2.  If an optical drive is present, 
reconnect optical drive cable to 
logic board, insert the Mac mini 
Install DVD in optical drive and 
startup computer to verify if 
noise is caused by optical drive.
YesGo to Optical Drive Noisy 
symptom flow.
NoGo to step 3
3. Reconnect hard drive cable 
on logic board and boot from 
original Mac mini Install DVD 
inserted in internal optical 
drive (or in the optical drive 
of another computer setup in 
Target Disk Mode) or from an 
external drive with Mac OS 
10.6.3 and run Disk Utility. Verify 
that user hard drive is available 
for Disk Utility to repair.
YesGo to step 4
NoGo to Drive not recognized/
mount symptom flow. 
4.  Run Disk Utility ‘Repair Disk’ 
function and verify that it 
completes successfully.
YesGo to step 5
NoGo to step 6
5. Re-start the computer. Verify 
whether the noise is still 
present.
YesGo to step 6 
NoData error issue resolved by 
Disk Utility. Return system to 
user.
6.  Erase disk and reinstall Mac OS 
using original Mac mini Install 
DVD. Verify whether the noise is 
still present.  
Note: Make sure data has been 
backed up before erasing hard 
drive. 
YesReplace hard drive. Go to 
step 7.
NoData error issue resolved by 
Disk Utility. Return system to 
user.   
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 562010-10-29
7. With replacement hard drive 
installed verify whether noise 
level is noticeably quieter than 
customer’s hard drive.
YesCustomer‘s drive appears 
noisy: Replace customer’s 
hard drive and return system 
to customer. 
H06
NoCustomer hard drive noise 
level is similar to a known-
good one and does not 
require repair. Reinstall user’s 
hard drive and return system 
to customer.
Uncategorized Symptom- Hard Drive
Quick Check
SymptomsQuick Check
Uncategorized Symptom
• Unable to locate appropriate 
symptom
1.  Run latest available service utilities to check for 
presence of  both SATA devices communicating 
with the logic board.
1. Try starting the system with the “D” key held 
down on keyboard to check if Apple Hardware 
Test is present on hard drive and does boot. 
2.  Try starting the system with the “D” key held 
down on keyboard  while the Mac mini Install 
DVD is inserted in the internal optical drive (or 
in the optical drive of another computer setup 
in Target Disk Mode), to run the Apple Hardware 
Test from Install DVD.
3. Remove SDRAM and install Known Good SDRAM 
and start system. This will verify the SDRAM is not 
the cause of a startup issue.
4.  Set up Mac mini to test in FireWire Target Disk 
Mode, and connect it to another known-good 
computer with Mac OS 10.6.3 to run Disk Utility 
and repair directory structure. 
5. Setup another similar computer in FireWire Target 
Disk Mode, and boot Mac mini from its drive (or 
from an external FireWire drive with compatible 
Mac OS 10.6.3) to run Disk Utility and verify the 
Mac mini hard drive SMART status and repair 
directory structure.  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 572010-10-29
Deep Dive-Hard Drive Uncategorized Symptoms
CheckResultActionCode
1. Verify whether an existing 
symptom chart applies to the 
issue reported by the customer.
YesJump to appropriate 
symptom chart flow.
NoDocument failure symptom 
and send feedback to 
smfeedback@apple stating 
that a suitable symptom code 
could not be found.
Optical Drive Not Recognized
(For systems with optical drives)
Quick Check 
SymptomsQuick Check
Drive Not Recognized/Mount
• Discs inject and eject, but do 
not appear in Finder
1. Use Apple System Profiler Serial-ATA section to 
see if the optical drive appears.
2.  Apple System Profiler Serial-ATA section will show 
any media inserted.
3. Check Finder Preferences and make sure “CD’s, 
DVD’s and iPods” is checked under “Show these 
items on the desktop” in the General section.
4.  Check that issue happens with both CD and 
DVD types of media. If only one type of media is 
recognized, the optical drive may suffer from a 
laser issue. 
Deep Dive
CheckResultActionCode
1. Is the optical drive listed in the 
Serial-ATA section of the Apple 
System Profiler?
YesOptical drive communicating 
with logic board Go to step 2
NoLogic board not 
communicating with optical 
drive. Go to step 3  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 582010-10-29
2. Test both CD and DVD media. 
Verify that optical drive can 
read both types of CD media 
and DVD media.
YesGo to step 6
NoDrive has a laser issue. 
Replace the optical drive and 
retest
J03
3. Remove bottom cover, 
disconnect AirPort antenna 
and remove shield, disconnect 
and remove fan and cowling, 
then reseat the optical drive 
flex cable on logic board and 
optical drive ends. Reinsert 
logic board and verify that 
optical drive is listed in the 
Serial-ATA section of the Apple 
System Profiler?
YesGo to step 6
NoGo to step 4
4.  Disconnect cables from logic 
board, remove hard drive, 
power supply, and optical drive 
and replace optical drive cable 
with known-good one. Verify 
that optical drive is listed in the 
Serial-ATA section of the Apple 
System Profiler?
YesReplace defective user’s 
optical drive cable and retest. 
X03
NoReplace optical drive. Go to 
step 5.
5. With replacement optical drive 
installed, verify that optical 
drive is listed in the Serial-ATA 
section of the Apple System 
Profiler?
YesOptical drive issue. Replace 
user’s optical drive . Go to 
step 6.
J09
NoReplace logic board. Go to 
step 6.
M19
6.  Test read compatible known 
good CD and DVD media 
(Install DVD). Verify media is 
recognized and reads reliably.
YesIssue does not happen or was 
resolved since.
NoCheck optical drive flatness 
and correct installation in 
the computer case. Jump to 
Optical Drive Won’t Accept/
Eject Media symptom flow.  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 592010-10-29
Optical Drive Won’t Accept/Eject Media
Quick Check
SymptomsQuick Check
Drive Won’t Accept Media  
Drive Won’t Eject Media
• Cannot insert a disc into the 
drive
• Cannot eject a disc placed into 
the drive
1. Use Apple System Profiler Serial-ATA section to 
see if  the optical drive appears. If not see Optical 
Drive not recognized.
2.  Restart computer and hold down mouse button 
or keyboard eject key to cycle optical drive. 
3. Inspect optical drive slot for obstructions
Deep Dive
CheckResultActionCode
1. Verify that optical drive is listed 
in the System Profiler device 
tree for Serial-ATA devices.
YesOptical drive communicating 
with logic board. Go to step 5.
NoLogic board not 
communicating with optical 
drive. Go to step 2
2.  Remove bottom cover, 
disconnect AirPort antenna and 
remove shield, disconnect and 
remove fan and cowling, then 
check the optical drive flex 
cable on logic board. Visually 
inspect connectors for any 
debris, damage or bent pins. 
If no damage, reseat optical 
drive flex cable on logic board, 
reinsert logic board and verify 
that optical drive is listed in the 
Serial-ATA section of the Apple 
System Profiler?
YesGo to step 5.
NoReplace optical drive cable 
and retest. If still not visible in 
System Profiler go to step 3
X03
3. Connect a known-good optical 
drive and flex cable to logic 
board. Verify that known-good 
optical drive is listed in the 
System Profiler device tree.
YesGo to step 4.
NoSuspect logic board. Go to 
step 7  
						

							Mac mini (Mid 2010) Symptom Charts — Mass Storage 602010-10-29
4. With known good optical drive 
installed, test for media inject/
eject. Verify drive accepts and 
ejects known-good media.
YesKnown-good optical drive 
resolved issue
Replace user’s optical drive: 
-for an inject issue, 
-for an eject issue.  
J01 
J02
NoOptical drive cable verified or 
replaced, optical drive verified 
or replaced. Replace logic 
board and retest.
M19
5. Inspect optical drive slot during 
disc insert/ eject. Verify that 
discs can be inserted easily.
YesGo to step 6
NoReplace damaged optical 
drive.
J05
6.  With known good optical 
media (Install disc), test for 
media inject/eject. Does drive 
accept and eject known good 
media?
YesUser media issue. No repair 
necessary. Suggest user to 
investigate use of different 
media.
NoGo to step 3
Optical Drive Read/Write Error
Quick Check
SymptomsQuick Check
Drive Read/Write Data Error (J03)
• Errors when writing optical 
media.
• Errors when reading optical 
media.
• Hang when accessing or 
preparing to write data.
1. Test optical media in another drive of the same 
type in the same type of computer to rule out 
media issue.
2.  Check with known good discs like the Install discs 
that came with the computer.
3. For write issues, check with known good media 
that performs well in another computer optical 
drive of the same type.
4.  Check both CD and DVD media types. If only one 
type of media is producing errors, there maybe a 
laser issue.