Mac Mini Help Requested (mid 2011)

[jp11801]

My mac mini (mid 2011 with an OWC SSD has started to slowly flake out during start up. Just about every other start up I get the white screen with the flashing folder icon, indicating that the mini can't find the start up disk. So far I have reset the PRAM and completed a reinstall of OS X from the web by doing the command R at start up. The mac also needs to be restarted after a multi hour sleep period as it goes into pinwheel and does not reposed until restarted.

 

I'm trying to hold off on a new mini until the new 2016 models are released later this spring (at least that is the rumor) 

 

Any thoughts, could it be a bad logic board battery or just a failing logic board?

[Pars]

Hard to say. I take it that things went fine when booting in recovery mode (Cmd-R)? That might rule out a logic board problem

 

[jp11801]

command R sometimes results in a web boot or a menu or boot options (that sometimes include and sometimes doesn't include my OWC SSD) - it totally weird. I am using the mini now with no issues but once it goes to sleep I have to restart to get it to function and then it's 50/50 if I get the fishing folder. 

[Voltron]

Can't you set it to never sleep but use a screen saver?

[jp11801]

just tried that, thanks Al I can't believe I didn't try that as a stop gap. 

[swt61]

The beard is wise!

[jp11801]

while the mini didn't sleep it still locked up overnight, bummer. Hope I can just get it to the next release. I may try a complete wipe of the drive and a restore from backup

[ironbut]

It sounds like the SSD is the problem.

Do you have a backup disk you can replace it with?

OWC SSD's are good but I had one that worked for a day then went tits up.

[ironbut]

,.. and even if it turns out that it isn't the ssd, now would be a dandy time to update that back up/external with anything that you don't want to loose.

[Grand Enigma]

It could also be the disk controller on the logic board.

Have you ran "Verify Disk" from the Disk Utility to check the drive for errors?

[jp11801]

yes I ran the verify disk the screen is also getting darker as well weird? I did check the TV with my apple tv and that is fine. totally weird can't wait for the new mini to come out 

[Grand Enigma]

Sounds like power supply or logic board to me.  Plan on it dying sooner than later.  Backup, backup, backup!