Mac Mini 2012 Won't turn on

[beany1]

Afternoon all,

 

Hoping someone could help with a Mac Mini issue.

 

When you press the power key, the fan spins like a little, then nothing. No light, chime, anything.

 

• After doing the reset, holding down power key 10 seconds, then put cable back in, the fan spins crazy but still won't boot.
  
• 
  
• Replaced the power supply module in it, still same.
  
• 
  
• Checked all connections, all attached fine.
  

 

 

Anyone have any ideas what I could try? I'm assuming it's a motherboard issue?

[3s-gtech]

They're pretty tough machines, I have had failures but they've been rare. Tried some new RAM in there?

[beany1]

Thanks @3s-gtech, I haven't...

 

I'm guessing they don't do BIOS beeps and let you know what's wrong?

[3s-gtech]

Not in my experience. They just run the fans flat out and don't bong.

 

There are various power button holding resets for these too: https://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2010/12/04/how-when-why-to-reset-the-pram-smc-on-your-mac/#.tnw_CkUIdB5b

[beany1]

Doesn't appear to be RAM.

 

If the HDD had failed, would it boot with an error? Or could it be HDD?

[ICTDirect_Dave]

If the HDD had failed you would likely still get to the initial white screen. It's then likely that you would get a flashing disc icon suggesting it wasn't able to find a drive.

 

You've tried all the various boot modes for recovery and disc testing i assume?

[beany1]

@ICTDirect_Dave, thanks, I presumed as much.

 

Regarding boot modes/discs etc... not sure what they are, but it won't even light up? It literally spins the fan a little bit and thats it... nothing else. If I do the reset (system controller or pram??) where you hold down power key, insert power cable, then release and press power, the fan stays on full blast but doesn't do anything. I then have to do the reset with no power cable, button for 10 seconds. It then just goes back to fan spinning a tiny bit when you press power.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

https://www.tekrevue.com/tip/mac-startup-options/

 

There's a whole host of startup options on that link, though I don't think they'll be that useful for this problem as you're not even getting the chime.

 

Once you've hit power and the fans have spun, is there no little LED indicating that you've tried to turn it on? Macs use a flash code tell you if it's having trouble with the RAM or if it thinks the system board is knackered.

[beany1]

@ICTDirect_Dave,

 

Ah thanks, yeah, no chime or nothing, no graphic output.

 

The light doesn't illuminate at all... not even a flicker when the fan spins. Does that mean it's a dead mobo?

[ICTDirect_Dave]

I'd hate to say yes without actually having seen it myself, but if it's not the RAM or the SSD/HDD then there's very little else that could go wrong.

 

Resetting the SMC clearly does something as you've described and unfortunately you can't use any of the other options as you don't get far enough into the boot sequence to use them.

 

My gut still says that these symptoms suggest RAM is knackered. I assume you swapped in good working ram and checked the slots for any possible issues?

[beany1]

@ICTDirect_Dave

 

I did try it with working RAM from a laptop, same PC3L type memory... Samsung brand too which is same as in the Mini.

 

Unless I'm being daft and Apple needs special Apple RAM?

 

Would it really not beep or do anything if the RAM had failed? I've removed both original modules, tried 1 at a time, tried it with just RAM from the laptop. It's the same outcome.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

@ICTDirect_Dave

 

I did try it with working RAM from a laptop, same PC3L type memory... Samsung brand too which is same as in the Mini.

 

Unless I'm being daft and Apple needs special Apple RAM?

 

Would it really not beep or do anything if the RAM had failed? I've removed both original modules, tried 1 at a time, tried it with just RAM from the laptop. It's the same outcome.

 

No Macs will work just fine with ordinary SODIMMs.

 

I'd suggest it's knackered at this point then. Did you take an extended warranty? If not, it's an expensive trip to the apple store

[beany1]

@ICTDirect_Dave Ah well it was worth a shot!

 

Thanks for the help everyone!

[tmoon-mint]

Just for future reference no chimes means its failing post. If it was HDD I would expect either a no entry sign or a folder with a question mark on it to be displayed on the screen.

[daveatusj]

Try an SMC reset. If that doesn't work, restart the Mac Mini while holding down the D key. This should get you into the Apple Hardware Test (now called Apple Diagnostics).