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?

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

 

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. 

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

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

The beard is wise!

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

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.

,.. 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.

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?

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 

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