Chosen Solution
Hi, I have a Mid 2011 Mac Mini (2.5Ghz i5 model A1347) which I bought from the refurb store in 2013. From mid 2013 to late 2016 it served as a media server, running XBMC/Kodi. Towards the end of that time it started to randomly shut down. I then stopped using it and since then it’s been sat in a cupboard. I was going to wipe it and set it up for my daughter, but I can’t get it started. When I try to start it, the power light comes on and I can hear something (I think it’s the HDD) and then about one second later it switches off. Any guidance on troubleshooting this would be much appreciated. Thanks Barry
Are you able to boot it up in safe mode or under the onboard diagnostics? Mac startup key combinations. I would start there. If you can’t, are you able to get it to get the system into Target Disk Mode? Let us know what works and what didn’t that will give us a clue on whats needed here. Update (04/03/2018) Well then, I think you’ll need to replace the power supply as the first action. I’m hoping the logic board is OK. Here’s the IFIXIT guide: Mac mini Mid 2011 Power Supply Replacement and here’s the part you’ll need: [linked product missing or disabled: IF171-026-1]. To open the system you’ll need to either make a tool or get this one: Mac mini Logic Board Removal Tool as well as the T6 & T8 Torx drivers & 2 mm Hex driver. The tricky part is pulling out the logic board without snagging it. Using the tool makes it a lot easier. I place my thumb on the back plate to stop it from going to far out (about 1/2") as its like a cork in a bottle you need to pull it hard but once it gives you don’t want the cork puller & cork flying off ;-}
I see that this is becoming an old post but I wanted to add some testing that I’ve been doing on a 2011 Mac mini that was given to me. It exhibited exactly the same symptoms as other here are experiencing where the computer power indicator (sleep indicator?) comes on only for a brief moment when the the power switch is pressed. I’ve been working on this on and off for about 4 months… not wanting to give in. I also noticed that as the unit was plugged in, the power indicator would flash momentarily even without pressing the power button. Other Mac Minis that I have do not do this. I did a number of tests looking for shorts and other irregularities on the logic board but found nothing. In the back of my mind, the GPU issue of the 2011 MacBook Pro was always present. And, there was a similarity with this and the HP G62 which suffered a similar fate. The computer would not start, but the caps-lock would flash. I decided to add some solder past and do a reflow of the AMD GPU. At this point I really had nothing to lose because it didn’t work anyway. I applied almost 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 2.5 minutes using a rotating motion of a SMD station. After letting it cool down, I plugged in the Mac mini and the power indicator did not flash this time. Next,I pressed the power button and the computer immediately started up. It ran long enough for me to do a full installation of High Sierra. I let it run for a while and after some undetermined amount of time, the computer shut down on its own. I was able to start it up again but I found it to be unreliable as it would crash and restart while trying to start up. To sum this up, it appears clear to me that the reason so many of these 2011 models were no longer starting up was due to the failed AMD GPU. Of course, what I’ve done in no way is a fix. We all know that these GPUs cannot be repaired, but it appears to me that the GPU is the reason for the failure. I challenge others that have the opportunity to do this same test, do so, and come back with your results. Update (01/26/2021) OK, it looks like I have solved the problem at least on my Mac Mini. My Mini is a 2011 i7 with an AMD 6630M GPU. I can’t speak for other models that don’t have an AMD GPU, but I think if you have this same problem, it will apply. This problem is a fault on the logic board. I don’t recommend this repair for anyone that is not comfortable doing SMD work. It is best left to qualified technicians. To do the repair, you will need to remove the logic board from the case and flip it over so the fan area and CPU side are facing down. Align the board so the USB, Thunderbolt, etc. connections are facing away from you. Locate the metal shaft on the board that is used for the long screw of the fan. Just to the left of it you will see a small capacitor with the white label “N8 de” and a “+” sign. This is the bad capacitor. It’s a 330uf 2v capacitor. I replaced it with a 330uf 6.3v capacitor, which is much larger. I used wire stand-offs to elevate the capacitor so it cleared other components. You are welcome to find what ever replacement works for you. The operating voltage of the VR is 0.99v. Be careful not to use high heat close to the memory chips that are along side this capacitor. I was able to replace the part by using only a soldering iron.
The Mac Mini is now working perfectly. It comes on properly without doing the quick on/off that is was doing before and I am very happy to see this working after looking at it on and off for the last 18 months. I wish you luck on yours, and as I say, be very careful when working on this. a mistake could be costly.
I found this, but doesnt work for me yet. OK, just in case someone has the same problem in future. I left the mini in the hands of a tech guy who couldn’t figure it out. But then, someone on Apple discussions pointed out how to solve this issue. Basically you leave it unplugged for a night, plugged in it, press cmd + alt + p + r along with the power button of the Mac mini. Now, this might not work right away. If it doesn’t work right away, unplugged it from the wall again, leave it for 5 min, then plugged it back in and try it again. The person who mentioned this said it took 4 days and over 200 tries before it turned back on. For me, it took 2 tries and it worked. This is also why it happens: The EFI firmware on the pram has been corrupted and the instruction to start the computer is not being properly executed. EFI firmware is the same as the BIOS on a windows machine Kuddos to Lemas. All credit goes to that user. https://superuser.com/questions/1264124/…
I have a similar issue: if i live my Mac mini 2011 off for a night, it will boot and start sierra, and then, after a few minutes computer will shut off by itself, and if i try to turn it on again, all i get is the cooler at full speed and no screen at all (not white not black not grey no logo, nothing). At this stage only fans work, no other noise of booting, forcing me to shut down computer by holding power button. After a few ours unplugged, it will star again, and same problem occurs, finally shutting down computer and secondary problem start (fans at full speed) . Any help would be very appreciated.
I would like to thank everyone who shared this information. I turned on the device that the Apple service said it wouldn’t even be able to do. Out of joy, I kissed the cat at home over and over again. And yes, whether it’s sleep mode or other options, it works tremendously. Note: I made a thin cable line because the new SMD equipment is large. I got this cable from the old HDD ide cables. And camouflaated it with fireproof flex tape. When I was dismantling the old piece, I put liquid flux on it so that my solder would be easy to separate.
Try this steps given below- If your Mac doesn’t seem to turn on after you press the power button, follow these steps. Make sure that your Mac is connected to AC power. If it doesn’t have a built-in display, make sure that your external display is connected to power, connected to your Mac, and turned on. Press and hold the power button on your Mac for at least 10 seconds, then release. Every Mac has a power button. On notebook computers that have Touch ID, press and hold Touch ID. If you see no change on your Mac, press and release the power button normally. If your Mac now turns on but stops at some other screen during startup, follow the steps for when your Mac doesn’t start up all the way. If your Mac still doesn’t turn on, please contact Apple Support. This may help you, Rachel Gomez
