Early 2009 Mac Mini Superdrive replacement

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Level 1

8 points

Early 2009 Mac Mini Superdrive replacement

Hi there.

I have the early 2009 Mac Mini (Mac Mini 3,1) and the Superdrive has failed. It’s out of warranty so I’d like to replace it myself if possible.

All the online guides I can find say that they cover only older Mac Mini models, so I can’t find any details of where to buy the correct drive or how to fit it.

Can anyone help? What’s so different about this revision of Mini? Where (in the UK) can I get the appropriate drive? Or am I going to be stuck with sending it away for an expensive repair?

Thanks.

Mac Mini 3,1 & 11.6" MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Nov 8, 2010 1:35 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,112 points

May 22, 2016 9:16 PM in response to John Zwiebel

• Super - MultiDrive -- upgrades for Mac Mini 2009-2010: ($35.)

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sony/AD7800H/

Several upgrade parts are listed for this range of Mini, (older model see other links)

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/optical-drives/superdrives/Apple_Mac_mini_2009_2 010

For European Mac users, see if this site offers similar goods (from OWC by same makers)

http://owcshop.eu/catalog/

Similar optical superdrive (Sony) noted above appears in Europe site under this URL

http://www.owcshop.eu/catalog/product_info.php/internal-superdrive-imac-mini-p-1 210

Although this is an old thread, at least I didn't bring it forward...! 🙂

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Answer 2

May 23, 2016 3:42 AM in response to poprock

poprock wrote:

That's a great how-to guide. Thanks.

Now, does anybody know where in the UK I can get the correct SATA drive from? That is proving quite a problem. At this rate I'll end up paying Apple to do the repair instead because importing a drive from the US costs nearly as much.

In theory you can use most standard i.e. non-Mac specific slot loading DVD drives, it does not have to be a Mac specific one. However a while ago I also had a genuine original Apple SuperDrive fail in a 2009 Mac mini and I did choose to pay a bit extra for a genuine Apple replacement. In my case I sourced one via eBay. See http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Superdrive-GA11N-DVD-RW-Burner-Drive-for-Apple-Mac-min i-MC239LL-A-MC238LL-A-/111377591955?hash…

Alternatively for the UK the following are Mac parts websites. They are likely to be more expensive.

http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/imac-intel-20inch-aluminium-266ghz-c2d-earl y-2009-mac-mini-imac-intel-optical-super…

http://www.thebookyard.com/parts_mac_mini_intel.php?cPath=96_217&sort=2a&filter_ id=24

http://www.macupgrades.co.uk/store/serial.php?uid=133#opt

A final option is that you can use a USB external drive.

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Answer 3

mooblie

Level 4

1,954 points

Jan 23, 2011 4:34 AM in response to poprock

poprock wrote:

Looks like I might have to stump up the £130 for Apple to repair it after all.

Nooooo!!!!!! Look here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Apple-Superdrive-UJ-875-CA-Slot-Load-DVD-RW-drive-/3005177 69329

Are you capable/willing to open up your mini? - it's takes about 15 minutes to swap the optical drive.

And in the meantime, put some Sellotape over the mini's drive slot to remind your wife! 🙂
----
Edit - just noticed this is an old thread - sorry!

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Answer 4

Nov 8, 2010 3:50 AM in response to poprock

Take a look here.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-Mac-mini-Model-A1283-Optical-Drive -Replacement/1065/1

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Answer 5

Nov 9, 2010 6:49 PM in response to poprock

Why not consider getting an external USB portable DVD drive? Even though my Mac Mini drive works fine, i have a Pioneer USB portable DVD burner attached as well for when i need to burn multiple stuff. Reads and burns at the same 8x that the internal drive burns.

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Answer 6

Boece

Level 5

6,264 points

Nov 8, 2010 7:16 AM in response to poprock

Look at the USA site macsales.com to find the correct model number. Then google for a UK vendor.

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Answer 7

poprock Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 8, 2010 7:35 AM in response to Boece

Macsales.com do not offer any optical drives for the 2009 Mac Mini, presumably because it requires super slim SATA drive, whereas the older models did not.

This is the problem I'm having all over the usual Mac parts websites. Only iFixit seem to offer a suitable drive, but shipping from the US makes it prohibitively expensive.

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Answer 8

Tony T1

Level 6

10,247 points

Jan 23, 2011 3:02 PM in response to poprock

poprock wrote:
Now, does anybody know where in the UK I can get the correct SATA drive from?

Here's a USA supplier. Not sure if it can be shipped to the UK:

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/uj875a

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Answer 9

poprock Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 8, 2010 5:21 AM in response to poprock

That's a great how-to guide. Thanks.

Now, does anybody know where in the UK I can get the correct SATA drive from? That is proving quite a problem. At this rate I'll end up paying Apple to do the repair instead because importing a drive from the US costs nearly as much.

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Answer 10

poprock Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 11, 2010 1:54 AM in response to LordMerovingian

That’s what I have done in the meantime, as a temporary fix. I’m using one of the MacBook Air Superdrives, which works with a late-2009 Mac Mini just fine.

It uses up a very precious USB port though, so it’s not a permanent solution. Also, my wife forgets and keeps putting discs in the Mac Mini's slot anyway … so I really do need to fix it properly sometime.

Looks like I might have to stump up the £130 for Apple to repair it after all.

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Answer 11

Jan 22, 2011 8:57 PM in response to poprock

Let us face reality. The CD/DVD drives on all macs totally suck. Perhaps it is because I don't use them very often. But when I do, whatever I try rarely works the first time. This includes my 2006 mini mac, my 2009 mini mac, my powerbook, the ibook I used to have, and my wife's 2010 laptop. The only reason Apple gets away with this is because most people so rarely have need to use their superdrive.

I'm currently trying to upgrade an old mini-mac (2006) to Snow Leopard. The snow leopard disk has been stuck in the superdrive for the last 3 hours. My last step will be to actually take the computer apart to retrieve it.

The system is actually reporting that "no burning device is found", kind of difficult to understand how a built in DVD drive cannot be found.

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Answer 12

May 22, 2016 12:37 PM in response to mooblie

FWIW: I have replaced the superdrive in my mac-mini. It isn't difficult, but then it isn't exactly easy either. That drive also failed. I'm going only with external drives from now on so I can easily throw them away. :-)

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