Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
I have an early 2008 macbook pro and I'll be replacing the internal hard drive shortly. I have my current hard drive backed up using time machine.

My question is, do I install the new hard drive and then use the time machine hard drive to copy everything over? Or do I copy everything over to my new hard drive before I install it? Does it matter?

I'm very new to this and I'm not even sure how I'm even supposed to copy everything over from time machine in the 1st place.

Thanks!
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
MacBook, MacBook Pro: Replacing the Hard Disk Drive, transferring data to the new HDD

As replacing the internal Hard Disk Drive (HDD) of a MacBook (MB) or MacBook Pro (MBP) is an ongoing issue, I decided to make a small guide on how to replace the HDD on those machines and how to properly get your data and even the Operating System (OS) to the new HDD.
The same can be applied for replacing an HDD with an SSD, but further precautions may have to be taken to get an SSD to properly work.

____________________________________________________________

Maybe have a look at Advanced Search to find hundreds of similar threads:
____________________________________________________________


Upgrading the HDD does NOT void the warranty,
if the instructions on how to do it,
are included in the Mac's User Guide.

Contents of this post:
  • 0. Identify your MacBook or MacBook Pro
  • 1. Getting a new HDD
  • 2. Guides to replace the internal HDD with a newer one
  • 3. Transferring data from the old HDD to the new HDD
  • 4. Using the optical disk drive (ODD) slot for placing an SSD or HDD inside the MB/P (OPTIBAY)



0. Identify your MacBook or MacBook Pro
MR_identify_your_Mac_short.png


Identify your Mac and Mac OS X version, visualised in a more elaborate image
Identify your Mac and Mac OS X version using this 25 second video tutorial (3MB, .mp4, H.264)

16abbsk.png


2ega54n.png


1. Getting a new HDD


  • All MB/MBPs accept 2.5" S-ATA HDD/HDDs, but there is also the "maximum height" issue to consider, as bigger capacity HDDs (currently the 1TB ones) are 12.5mm high and the HDDs offering smaller storage are 9.5mm high. All current Unibody MB/MBPs (white and aluminium) accept 12.5mm HDDs, the white/black MacBooks (from 2006 to 2009, the one with Firewire) and the aluminium 15" MacBook Pros (2006 to 2008) only accept 9.5mm HDDs. The 17" MBP (2006 to early 2009) does allow 12.5mm HDDs though.

    To identify the Serial ATA (S-ATA) interface you have (S-ATA I = S-ATA 1.5 Gbps | S-ATA II = S-ATA 3.0 Gbps | S-ATA III = S-ATA 6.0 Gbps):
    2011_11_28_pA1_SysProf_SerialATA.png

    Example of 12.5mm HDD: 1.0TB WD Scorpio Blue 5200RPM SATA


  • [*]http://www.macsales.com and http://www.newegg.com are good places to get 2.5" HDDs for low prices, but they are rather US centric, thus feel free to add more online shops to the list.
    Currently there are 2.5" HDDs on the market of up to 1TB (12.5mm), though often only a 750GB HDD can be used due to the height (9.5mm).​


2. Guides to replace the internal HDD with a newer one


3. Transferring data from the old HDD to the new HDD


  • Making a clone (1:1 copy)

    A "clone" is direct 1:1 copy of the contents of one HDD to another HDD and allows the target HDD to be bootable.
    • In order to clone your old HDD to the new HDD, you need to get an enclosure for your new HDD. If speed is not an issue, any USB 2.0 enclosure for S-ATA HDDs will do (examples of USB 2.0 enclosure).
    • If you move around a lot of data or need a faster interface, you can also go for enclosures with a Firewire 800 interface (examples of Firewire 800 enclosure).
    • There are also eSATA/USB docks for 3.5" and 2.5" S-ATA HDDs (example).

    After you put the new HDD into your MacBook or MacBook Pro and put the old HDD into the enclosure (you can do it the other way around too), you need to boot from your old HDD via holding down the OPTION/ALT key right after the Startup Sound chimes. After you successfully booted from the old HDD in the external enclosure you either get CarbonCopyCloner (CCC) (free) or SuperDuper (SD) (free, but buying it gives you additional options) and install them appropriately.


    • How to use CarbonCopyCloner
      CCC offers you to select a SOURCE DISK, in this case your old HDD, and a TARGET DISK, in this case your new HDD. After you made your selection, there is only the CLONE button to click and to enter your account password. There are more options of course, but they are meant for backing up instead of making 1:1 copies.​
    • How to use SuperDuper
      SD offers you to select the source disk (COPY ...) and a target disk (TO ...). It has additional options for backing up only system or user files and to create a disk image and some more, but for the cloning process the above will do and the free version will suffice.​

    [*]Using Time Machine and the Migration Assistant

    If you use Time Machine as means to back up, you can just replace the old HDD with the new one and re-install Mac OS X via the Restore or Upgrade or Retail DVD and select the connected Time Machine HDD via the Setup Assistant to import ll your data and even your entire Mac OS X (if you backed it up too).

    If you didn't use Time Machine and want to start with a fresh installation of Mac OS X, you can either use the Setup Assistant during the installation process to import some of your data (including applications) or you can use the Migration Assistant to import the data after the installation is finished.

    Further reading upon Time Machine and Setup and Migration Assistant:

    [*]Deleting the old HDD's content

    If you want to use the old HDD for storing other data than your OS or using it as Time Machine, manual deletion can be quite a hassle. Thus it is easier to delete the HDD's content via Disk Utility.
    Therefore start Applications / Utilities / Disk Utility, select your old volume on the left side (not the actual HDD, but the part below that, the volume, which is indented to the right), go to the ERASE tab and click the ERASE button. The following message only tells you, that you are about to erase all data on that volume.
    If you want to use the old HDD in the external enclosure for Mac OS X only, the standard settings will do, if you want to use it with Windows too, look at the guide GGJstudios provided on file systems.

If you have Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on your Mac, you can also just do a Clean Install.
To create a Clean Install (formerly known as Erase & Install) of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (the 29 USD Upgrade DVD is a fully working retail version of Mac OS X and does not need a prior installation of Mac OS X on the Mac), follow one of the following guides:
Short version: Clean Install of OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Long version: Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard: How to Erase and Install

4. Using the optical disk drive (ODD) slot for placing an SSD or HDD inside the MB/P (OPTIBAY)
To have more storage in your MB or MBP, you can remove the optical disk drive (ODD) and place an SSD or HDD in the same place.
Thus you could use an SSD for Mac OS X and applications and an HDD for storing your home folder*.

You can use a variety of adapters for this, as the ODD is bigger than a 2.5" SSD or HDD.


* How to Move the Home Folder in OS X – and Why
 
Last edited:

BryanLyle

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2005
726
38
If you have a way to connect the new hard drive to your existing system, I would use Carbon Copy Cloner to make an exact bootable copy of your system.

Then you could just swap the hard drives and boot.
 

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
If you have a way to connect the new hard drive to your existing system, I would use Carbon Copy Cloner to make an exact bootable copy of your system.

Then you could just swap the hard drives and boot.

really not good with all this. not sure i know of a way to connect the hard drive to my existing system.

wouldn't the carbon copy cloner do the same thing as time machine?

@simsaladimbamba, i'll check your guide right now, thanks!
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
really not good with all this. not sure i know of a way to connect the hard drive to my existing system.
Use an external USB enclosure for 2.5" S-ATA HDDs, they should cost around 10 to 15 €, though there are more expensive ones of course.

wouldn't the carbon copy cloner do the same thing as time machine?
Time Machine makes a backup from one can restore and stores all its data into one folder on the HDD you chose to backup to. CCC or SD will make a 1:1 copy (clone) of your internal HDD and it is bootable, which a TM backup is not.
 

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
do you think i should maybe just wipe out my entire time machine drive, download carbon copy clone and then just copy my current hard drive AND THEN install the new hard drive? or should i just stick my time machine? i'm a bit more inclined to just stick with time machine as i already have all my backups done, but then again, i'm not experienced with this.
 

bjorngb

macrumors newbie
Jan 10, 2011
5
0
Can HD and RAM be replaced on the MBP 2011? Or do I need the genius screwdriver?
 

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
simsaladimbamba, i took your advice and bought a hard drive enclosure. so what do i do now? do i take the old one out, put the new one in and then put the old one in the HD enclosure? or do i make a clone of my old drive before i put the new drive in?
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
simsaladimbamba, i took your advice and bought a hard drive enclosure. so what do i do now? do i take the old one out, put the new one in and then put the old one in the HD enclosure? or do i make a clone of my old drive before i put the new drive in?

You can do it either way, but if you don't mind putting the new HDD into the enclosure, then use CCC to clone and then switch the HDD, I would go that route. But you can also put the old HDD into the enclosure and the new HDD into the MBP, connect the enclosure to the MBP and start the MBP, hold down the OPTION key and then select the bootable device (which will be only one - the old HDD in the enclosure) and then you can clone via CCC the old HDD to the new one and restart via System Preferences > Startup Disk from the new HDD.
 

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
You can do it either way, but if you don't mind putting the new HDD into the enclosure, then use CCC to clone and then switch the HDD, I would go that route. But you can also put the old HDD into the enclosure and the new HDD into the MBP, connect the enclosure to the MBP and start the MBP, hold down the OPTION key and then select the bootable device (which will be only one - the old HDD in the enclosure) and then you can clone via CCC the old HDD to the new one and restart via System Preferences > Startup Disk from the new HDD.

great. thank you.
 

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
what about my time machine? do i have to modify anything with that hard drive after i install the new cloned drive? will time machine operate as it was with the old drive?
 

bjorngb

macrumors newbie
Jan 10, 2011
5
0
And replacing the HD does not void varrenty? I see that the older models Apple say you can do it yourself without voiding warrenty.. Perhaps the support pages are not updated?
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
what about my time machine? do i have to modify anything with that hard drive after i install the new cloned drive? will time machine operate as it was with the old drive?
It should work like before.

And replacing the HD does not void varrenty? I see that the older models Apple say you can do it yourself without voiding warrenty.. Perhaps the support pages are not updated?
As the current 2011 MBPs employ the same design (internal and external), the HDD replacement is still not voiding the warranty.
Page 37 of the current 2011 17" MBP explains how to replace the HDD: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_Pro_17inch_Early2011.pdf
 

alust2013

macrumors 601
Feb 6, 2010
4,779
2
On the fence
perfect. i put the new one in the enclosure last night and cloned my current HD. tonight i will perform minor surgery and install the new one, lol.

One piece of advice, be very careful not to strip screws, especially the screw that holds the HD in your computer. I did that, and I had to come up with a rather creative and kinda sketchy way of fixing it.
 

princesultan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 5, 2010
243
0
One piece of advice, be very careful not to strip screws, especially the screw that holds the HD in your computer. I did that, and I had to come up with a rather creative and kinda sketchy way of fixing it.

will do. i'm going to buy the appropriate tools after work.
 

Rumbach

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2003
26
0
Portland, OR
I am getting ready to upgrade my hard drive, and had one additional question. I currently have my hard drive partitioned, with a Windows install. When I upgrade, I would like to increase the size of my Bootcamp partiton - will I need to start the process over, and reinstall Windows?
 

HBOC

macrumors 68020
Oct 14, 2008
2,497
234
SLC
Yes, if you want to increase the size of the Windows partition as it will need to re-partition it.
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
How to format a new HDD/SSD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)

When one wants to upgrade an internal HDD with a new one, the new HDD or SSD needs to be formatted properly.
The same steps can be applied for external HDDs and SSDs, that are meant to store a bootable copy of Mac OS X.
Use CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to make a 1:1 copy of Mac OS X onto an external HDD.



Open Applications / Utilities / Disk Utility or start Disk Utility from the grey Restore DVD or any Retail version of Mac OS X:
MR_DiskUtility_HFS%2BGUID_step0.png

_____________________________________________________​
MR_DiskUtility_HFS%2BGUID_step1.png

_____________________________________________________​
MR_DiskUtility_HFS%2BGUID_step2.png

_____________________________________________________
GUID is the partition map scheme for Intel Macs, if you use this guide for a PowerPC Mac, use "Apple Partition Map" as explained in the screenshot.
MR_DiskUtility_HFS%2BGUID_step3.png

_____________________________________________________​
MR_DiskUtility_HFS%2BGUID_step4.png
 
Last edited:

captndave

macrumors newbie
Aug 10, 2011
28
0
clarification 4 absolute mac newbie

expecting my 1st mac ever next week. I'm quite proficient w PC hard drives cloning etc. the first thing I do w new PC is make a bootable clone. just so I'm clear the instructions above are to Format an external hard drive. then I would use CCC to clone the MacBook. so the screenshots above are from within mac os not CCC. also I need to wait for my mac to download CCC so I have a place to put CCC. just like I would need to wait for the new PC to install acorns true image? thx
 

snaky69

macrumors 603
Mar 14, 2008
5,908
488
expecting my 1st mac ever next week. I'm quite proficient w PC hard drives cloning etc. the first thing I do w new PC is make a bootable clone. just so I'm clear the instructions above are to Format an external hard drive. then I would use CCC to clone the MacBook. so the screenshots above are from within mac os not CCC. also I need to wait for my mac to download CCC so I have a place to put CCC. just like I would need to wait for the new PC to install acorns true image? thx

CCC is just a software utility that will make a bootable clone of your hard drive. It's one of many ways a mac can make a backup of itself.

You don't need to make a backup of a fresh install like you'll get when you receive your mac, it's a waste of time, as the recovery disc you'll be able to make will do the exact same thing.

You could use it later down the road once you have actual data you want backed up.
 

IBradMac

macrumors 68000
Jun 27, 2008
1,799
2
Ohio
_____________________________________________________​
Image[/INDENT]

What if you don't want to erase your current HDD? I just want to install Lion on the new one via usb. Then use TM to move stuff back over to the new one. I want to be selective in what I migrate back over as I don't want a bunch of crap.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.