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chaotime

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 18, 2012
2
0
So I just bought the ocz vertex 3 for my MBP 15" early 2011 which has the stock 750gb HDD. I decided to use an optibay so that I can pretty much have the 750gb HDD as another internal hard drive to keep all the music movies and photos I want while having the speed and performance of the SDD. My question is: should I take out the HDD, put in the SDD and let it configure as a whole new machine and then later on add the HDD through the optibay method? OR should I just do it all at once?

Will I need to reformat the 750gb HDD once it is in the optical bay if I go with the first option? How do I make my computer recognize the SDD as the main hard drive if I go with the second option? Thanks!
 

AfzalivE

macrumors member
Jun 13, 2012
81
5
I'm gonna be doing the same (except with Vertex 4 heh).

From what I've read. Use the Recovery Assistant to install OS X on to the SSD. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433

Then boot it up using the SSD. I hope the Optibay SATA is now fully supported otherwise you might have to swap the positions of the HDD and the SSD.

Of course, to run the Assistant, you'll have to boot it up using the stock drive that came with your laptop so I guess you'll register everything at that time.

After it's booted up using the SSD, I guess you can clone the recovery partition on the stock HDD to an external drive and format that stock drive.

The computer has no way of installing OS X on an SSD automatically for you afaik


Hopefully, someone more experienced with verify what I've understood.
 

yusukeaoki

macrumors 68030
Mar 22, 2011
2,550
6
Tokyo, Japan
Plug your SSD through USB and enter recovery mode.
You can install Lion through there.

Then, just transfer your apps via USB from your HDD to SSD and you're done.
You don't have to restore anything on your HDD.
 

chaotime

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 18, 2012
2
0
I'm gonna be doing the same (except with Vertex 4 heh).

From what I've read. Use the Recovery Assistant to install OS X on to the SSD. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433

Then boot it up using the SSD. I hope the Optibay SATA is now fully supported otherwise you might have to swap the positions of the HDD and the SSD.

Of course, to run the Assistant, you'll have to boot it up using the stock drive that came with your laptop so I guess you'll register everything at that time.

After it's booted up using the SSD, I guess you can clone the recovery partition on the stock HDD to an external drive and format that stock drive.

The computer has no way of installing OS X on an SSD automatically for you afaik


Hopefully, someone more experienced with verify what I've understood.

Do you think it would be a better idea to just put the SSD in first, put lion on it via USB or CD, THEN put in the HDD in the optical bay to have it reformated so that you have 2 fresh hard drives?

You would have to re-download all the apps and such but I've always liked the idea of having a "fresh start" lol

----------

Plug your SSD through USB and enter recovery mode.
You can install Lion through there.

Then, just transfer your apps via USB from your HDD to SSD and you're done.
You don't have to restore anything on your HDD.

Do I have to buy an adapter for the SSD to go through USB?
 

AfzalivE

macrumors member
Jun 13, 2012
81
5
Do I have to buy an adapter for the SSD to go through USB?

You'll need a USB 3.0 (at least) SATA II enclosure to make it fast though

I think/hope the recovery installs a vanilla OS X on the SSD.

Also interesting, https://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/2...-new-macs-install-os-x-from-blank-hard-drive/

and http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_...tore-a-missing-recovery-hd-partition-in-lion/

The recovery partition is 650MB and Lion requires 8GB btw, just thought I'd mention it
 
Last edited:

yusukeaoki

macrumors 68030
Mar 22, 2011
2,550
6
Tokyo, Japan
Do you think it would be a better idea to just put the SSD in first, put lion on it via USB or CD, THEN put in the HDD in the optical bay to have it reformated so that you have 2 fresh hard drives?

You would have to re-download all the apps and such but I've always liked the idea of having a "fresh start" lol

----------



Do I have to buy an adapter for the SSD to go through USB?

You don't need a USB 3 to do this.
I did this through a 2.5in SATA enclosure.
They are really cheap and you can get it for around 10 bucks.
 
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