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[Wozniattack]

THANK YOU for the mention of the GELID extreme 0.5mm pad as a possible replacement.

The Gelid Extreme pads are 80x40mm, and come in 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3mm sizes to just seem the best option. The reviews I saw of them dropped VRM, and memory hotstops by up to 20 degrees. Should be well worth it, and a single pad could be used on a few Minis then.

I’ll get the pads ordered end of the month and report back.

[n8blz]

Hi folks,

I recently repasted my mini following this, but wanted to ask about the thermal pad on the bottom chassis for the graphics chipset. Why does no one ever seem to replace it? Mine seems a little gunky looking from two decades, and the service manual states it needs to be replaced if the logic board was removed. Does anyone happen to know the thickness. Can’t find that anywhere even looking up the part number.

I’d like to give the mini even more life, and I use it to play some classic games also.

It looks about 0.5mm, but in the service manual the photo appears 1mm nearly.

I replace these every time, any thermal pad of the thickness already mentioned works. No reason not to since you’re in there, even if pads last a lot longer than paste.

[aBc]

Thanks n8blz. Now I suppose that I’ll need to replace such a pad in order to determine if there’s any temperature difference measured on the bottom? (Still, I place the minis up on little feet to improve air flow underneath, instead of allowing them to rest on their h-o-t rubber bottoms.) Anything to possibly increase their lifespan. (20 more years?)

[Wozniattack]

Hi folks,

I recently repasted my mini following this, but wanted to ask about the thermal pad on the bottom chassis for the graphics chipset. Why does no one ever seem to replace it? Mine seems a little gunky looking from two decades, and the service manual states it needs to be replaced if the logic board was removed. Does anyone happen to know the thickness. Can’t find that anywhere even looking up the part number.

I’d like to give the mini even more life, and I use it to play some classic games also.

It looks about 0.5mm, but in the service manual the photo appears 1mm nearly.

I replace these every time, any thermal pad of the thickness already mentioned works. No reason not to since you’re in there, even if pads last a lot longer than paste.

Truly appreciate it folks. I constantly see folks on YouTube ignore the pads, or say they can just be reused. But after 20 years is well past due.

Thank you especially for the measurements

[Rainier]

Thanks for this excellent tutorial!
Clear, detailed instructions and commentary. Helpful illustrations/photos.
I wish every hardware-oriented tutorial was this well done.
My G4 has original paste. Time for some surgery.
Thank you!

[aBc]

Hey Ranier!

If possible and you haven’t already begun the process, would you be so kind as to measure and report the exhaust air temperature of you G4 Mac mini AFTER it has been running for 10 minutes and @ 15 minutes (from a cold boot)?

Also: which specific mini? 1.25, 1.33, 1.42 or 1.5 GHz?

AND concerning n8blz’s posts above… could / would you also record the temperature of the bottom rubber pad (closest to area where the GPU would be located underneath) while the mini is still fully assembled (again at the 10 & 15 minutes of runtime)? Even if you don’t opt to change the GPU’s thermal pad.

I’m always in the (what now seems like eternal) prep mode for even more temperature studies of these Mac minis. New pads, heatsink paste and even a copper heatsink replacement.

Thank you!

[Wozniattack]

Hey Ranier!

If possible and you haven’t already begun the process, would you be so kind as to measure and report the exhaust air temperature of you G4 Mac mini AFTER it has been running for 10 minutes and @ 15 minutes (from a cold boot)?

Also: which specific mini? 1.25, 1.33, 1.42 or 1.5 GHz?

AND concerning n8blz’s posts above… could / would you also record the temperature of the bottom rubber pad (closest to area where the GPU would be located underneath) while the mini is still fully assembled (again at the 10 & 15 minutes of runtime)? Even if you don’t opt to change the GPU’s thermal pad.

I’m always in the (what now seems like eternal) prep mode for even more temperature studies of these Mac minis. New pads, heatsink paste and even a copper heatsink replacement.

Thank you!

Once I order some stuff end of the month, I’ll also get a temp probe. At the moment I only have the cooking ones, and one for human temp.

It’s a good idea, and I’ll see what I can do. I’ll run some dungeon siege for about 15 mins and get temps, replace pad, and do the same.