Upgrade HDD Question

I'd pop in the new ram, boot, make sure all is well for the ram with the old install on the current Hard Drive.

Next, How did you originally install Office 2011?
- Why not install the same way you originally did?

You could always CCC (Carbon Copy Clone) you system to the new drive...

BigMoo said:

I just installed it from the cd, but will it let me install it again from the cd with the same CD key?


EDIT: I'm thinking about just buying a hard drive enclosure and just using super duper to create a copy of my existing hard drive onto the new one, would that be the easiest way?

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That would work, but a clean install may(might), possibly perform better. You will be able to complete the install again with the same license key, I believe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

But to simplify things, you could do exactly as you described without too much trouble using super duper. That's the operation I performed with my older MacBook without any hitch. Up to you...

Rather than clone, I'd create a time machine backup and restore from that. That will save all of your programs and data. I tried a clone when I got a new drive, but it ended up being slow and running weird, so I just restored from a TM backup.

The way I did it when I changed was

1) format the new drive
2) install OSX with the OSX CD (often called a clean, cold or fresh install)
3) Update OSX to make it current
4) Use migration assistant to move everything else over; it will literally bring your programs such as Office onto the new HDD

If you are upgrading the RAM, as said I would do that first with the existing HD and then check it to make sure it works ok.

The way I did it was one of the numerous ways to do it; people have had success with a variety of different methods. I used to be a big advocate of the 'clean install' coming from Windows XP, but to be honest, the more I have used OSX, the more I have realized that 'junk' accumulation doesn't seem to be much of an issue.

BigMoo said:

Did you format it in like an external case or what?

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It gets formatted to Mac OS Extended Journaled

BigMoo said:

I just installed it from the cd, but will it let me install it again from the cd with the same CD key?


EDIT: I'm thinking about just buying a hard drive enclosure and just using super duper to create a copy of my existing hard drive onto the new one, would that be the easiest way?

Click to expand...

I use Superduper all the time. Works great. Easiest and no performance issues at all. Just unauthorise itunes on the old drive before taking it out of service since sometimes Apple recognises it as a different system. Doesn't happen all the time but often enough.

Cheers,

I echo the advice of those above: One step at a time. Either RAM upgrade, wait for a few days, then disk, or the other way around. That way if there's an issue you'll have a better idea of what caused it.

If you have a use for the drive enclosure after the upgrade, then by all means get that. But what I've used is a SATA/PATA/USB drive cable. They're under $10, and good for ad-hoc drive transfers.
- Connect the new HDD to the cable and USB, and use Disk Utility to partition and format.
- Get Carbon Copy Cloner (or Super Duper), install, and fire it up.
- Clone the drive in your system
- Disconnect, shut down, then swap out the old drive for the new.

It's pretty easy.

I did not have any issues with MS Office, but they were v2011 (any other programs, either).

BigMoo said:

Did you format it in like an external case or what?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't buy an external case. I bought a Universal Drive Adapter from OWC. Very handy tool to have.

And for the record, I just did the same thing with my iMac. I cloned the drive to my new hard drive (using the tool linked above), then swapped the drives. Booted right up and worked like a charm. Once you're sure everything is fine, you can mount your old drive using the above adapter and erase it at your convenience.

Would I be fine essentially just plugging a new hard drive into my MBP and doing a time machine backup? or do i need to reinstall OSX before I do that?

joehahn said:

Would I be fine essentially just plugging a new hard drive into my MBP and doing a time machine backup? or do i need to reinstall OSX before I do that?

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You mean doing a Time Machine restore? Depends on if your TM preferences are backing up all the system files/applications. But in your place, I'd install OSX on the new drive, then use migration assistant to migrate your user folder, new apps, etc. to the new drive.

Dimwhit said:

You mean doing a Time Machine restore? Depends on if your TM preferences are backing up all the system files/applications. But in your place, I'd install OSX on the new drive, then use migration assistant to migrate your user folder, new apps, etc. to the new drive.

Click to expand...

Thank you, now I just have to find that stupid snow leopard disk...