Extending The Life of My 2007 MBP...HELP!

[Jabar18]

Hey folks, I'm new to the forum, but have visited here a lot over the years. Need some HELP here!

So I have a conundrum. I still have my 2007 MBP 15' as my primary computer. (Model 3,1) Once the AppleCare ran out in 2010, I upgraded it to 4GB of DDR2 RAM (2 2GB sticks) and also upgraded the Hard Drive to a WD Scorpio 320GB 7200 RPM hard drive. It's a 15' 2.2 GHZ Core 2 Duo. I bought it in the summer of 2007.

So on it went. Through OSX upgrades, until I installed Yosemite on it. I couldn't do ANYTHING with it. So I downgraded and now I'm running OSX 10.5 (Mavericks). It's getting to the point where it's slowing to a crawl. Beach balls everywhere. I use Safari, Microsoft Word 2008 and the Mail app all at the same time and it basically freezes. I can't have all three applications open at the same time.

My hard drive is getting pretty full too. I have about 260GB full, and only about 60GB free. I'm also getting a blue line running down the screen whenever I open or close the display. A photo is below. It's a vertical line. The attachment is horizontal for some reason. The line goes away when I adjust the angle of the screen once I open it, but it's cause for concern. Is it a ribbon going bad?

The good news is this. Before the end of my AppleCare coverage, the following hardware crapped out and was replaced by apple: Wi-Fi network card, optical DVD/CD drive and motherboard. That's right. My motherboard died about two weeks before AppleCare was up so they replaced it for me.

I'd like to keep this thing going until it runs into the ground, but it's getting pretty close. So the way I see it, I was thinking about getting a 2014 Mac Mini, (I've always wanted one) putting all of my essential files (music, videos, photos), etc, on there, and using that as my primary computer. I would then free up major hard drive space on the 07' MBP and use that basically as just web-surfing and word processing.

I'm a pretty light user. I'll sometimes do edits in iPhoto, but I mostly like to have a lot of internet tabs open at once, while writing a paper (I'm a PhD student), and listening to iTunes. Unfortunately that's about too much for this machine to handle. Often times too, the machine speeds up super fast, the fans sound like a jet engine about to take off, and it gets quite hot.

When I was thinking about getting a Mac Mini (mid-range $699 model), I thought more. Should I just upgrade the RAM to 6GB and install a 500GB/1TB SDD drive on my MBP instead?

This is where I need help. What should I do? Would upgrading from 4GB to 6GB of RAM make a big difference? Or is the SSD a better way to go? I'm using SATA I obviously on the 2007 MBP. Is it worth it? Will I see a major speed difference? Silly to keep installing hardware on an aging/vintage/extinct MBP?

I LOVE having a 15' screen. It makes all the difference. I can't imagine going smaller to a 13' MB Air. I'd like to keep my laptop chugging along but maybe it's worth it to just get another Mac as a primary computer.

What do people think? For comparison's sake, here's the RAM I would upgrade, and the SSD I would get if I keep the MBP as a primary computer.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RB21JY/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2NDNAPHQ3UDKH

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OBRE5UE/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


Here's the issue with the blue line down the screen. Any idea what that could be/fixes?

Here are the specs with my computer.

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.2 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP31.0070.B07
SMC Version (system): 1.16f11
Memory Slots:

ECC: Disabled
Upgradeable Memory: Yes

BANK 0/DIMM0:

Size: 2 GB
Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Speed: 667 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x7F98000000000000
Part Number: 0x202020202020202020202020202020202020
Serial Number: 0x6E089A96

BANK 1/DIMM1:

Size: 2 GB
Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Speed: 667 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x7F98000000000000
Part Number: 0x202020202020202020202020202020202020
Serial Number: 0x6F08AFD8

Intel ICH8-M AHCI:

Vendor: Intel
Product: ICH8-M AHCI
Link Speed: 1.5 Gigabit
Negotiated Link Speed: 1.5 Gigabit
Physical Interconnect: SATA
Description: AHCI Version 1.10 Supported

WDC WD3200BEKT-60V5T1:

Capacity: 320.07 GB (320,072,933,376 bytes)
Model: WDC WD3200BEKT-60V5T1
Revision: 12.01A12
Serial Number: WD-WX31A40N0400
Native Command Queuing: Yes
Queue Depth: 32
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Rotational Rate: 7200
Medium Type: Rotational
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified
Volumes:
EFI:
Capacity: 209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
BSD Name: disk0s1
Content: EFI
Macintosh HD:
Capacity: 319.21 GB (319,213,174,784 bytes)
Available: 57.79 GB (57,794,461,696 bytes)
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s2
Mount Point: /
Content: Apple_HFS
Volume UUID: 9C4989BD-0F90-33DA-B1B1-D1CA72D1D03B
Recovery HD:
Capacity: 650 MB (650,002,432 bytes)
BSD Name: disk0s3
Content: Apple_Boot
Volume UUID: A405C6F3-0F9D-3B9F-AEDE-15294D46A192

 

[Jabar18]

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

 

[TheIguana]

Wowza! That is pretty impressive for a 2007 MBP. I would consider RAM but I wouldn't get an SSD for two reasons:

1) It is quite old hardware, your money would be better spent on your next Mac.

2) It has the notorious NVIDIA 8600M in it, those models are notorious for failing and effectively tanking the entire machine in the process.

 

[JHUFrank]

Wowza! That is pretty impressive for a 2007 MBP. I would consider RAM but I wouldn't get an SSD for two reasons:

1) It is quite old hardware, your money would be better spent on your next Mac.

2) It has the notorious NVIDIA 8600M in it, those models are notorious for failing and effectively tanking the entire machine in the process.

Tanking? I think this guy's box has done it's duty plus some. But, I would agree, I think this computer has done its time. A mac mini is not a bad replacement at all.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Agreed

Wowza! That is pretty impressive for a 2007 MBP. I would consider RAM but I wouldn't get an SSD for two reasons:

1) It is quite old hardware, your money would be better spent on your next Mac.

2) It has the notorious NVIDIA 8600M in it, those models are notorious for failing and effectively tanking the entire machine in the process.

This post makes the most sense, at that age any money spent could be a waste if it fails catastrophically. This seems likely as your blue line is probably the graphics card starting to fail...

 

[snaky69]

I would consider RAM but I wouldn't get an SSD for two reasons:

Except that the OP already has maxed out the RAM for his machine.

OP, your hard drive is probably on the brink of death with all that beach balling. Can you borrow a known, working hard drive and swap it out to check?

 

[MH01]

SSD. The best upgrade you can do to a machine, it will feel so much faster.

----------

Wowza! That is pretty impressive for a 2007 MBP. I would consider RAM but I wouldn't get an SSD for two reasons:

1) It is quite old hardware, your money would be better spent on your next Mac.

2) It has the notorious NVIDIA 8600M in it, those models are notorious for failing and effectively tanking the entire machine in the process.

You know a SSD is cheap these days? And his 2007 MBP still works? Its not like its going to explode any minute due to the 8600M

 

[meson]

The blue line is likely a problem with the connection between the panel and the logic board, especially since it changes/goes away as you adjust the angle. I have 2006 iMac that my kids use with a panel that is ready to fail and it has a series of vertical lines showing that do not show up in screen shots or external displays, indicating that what is seen is not rendered, so it's a hardware issue.

Like the others, that machine has served you well. I would invest in a new machine sooner rather than later. It can be tough to part with a laptop that has performed so reliably, but I think its days are numbered at this point, and when it does fail, it will do so at the most inopportune time.

Make sure you have a reliable backup and go buy a new mini or a smaller laptop and an external display. I would love a 15" display, but my 13" is good enough when I need to be mobile, and when I really need more desktop real estate, I make my way to a desk and use an external display.

 

[Jabar18]

Thanks for the updates so far folks. I'm leaning towards getting a Mac Mini to hold me over until this MBP completely dies, and then once that happens, getting a MB Air for more portable uses.

I can't justify getting an iPad for portable use. They're still too gimmicky for me.

When I buy a Mac Mini and transfer over my files from my Mavericks running MBP, will I have to worry about transferring over corrupted parts of the OSX, or does a time machine backup just transfer user files over?

----------

Except that the OP already has maxed out the RAM for his machine.

OP, your hard drive is probably on the brink of death with all that beach balling. Can you borrow a known, working hard drive and swap it out to check?

I read that the 3,1 MBPs will hold up to 6 GB of RAM. Apple says 4, but it's been verified it can hold 6.

 

[austinpike]

I'd like to keep this thing going until it runs into the ground...

If you really want to keep it going and can live with the blue line, I'd spend spend $100 on a 256GB SSD and do a -clean- install. (You could go bigger but 512GB+ still carries a premium $.) And get a 1TB+ external drive (which you should have for backup anyway) and move some of the photos/music/whatever you don't need every day off to that. And blow the dust out of the fans while you are in there. I'd try the SSD before the RAM; you aren't really wasting $ - if the laptop dies eventually you can always pull the SSD and use it in an external case or whatever.

Hardware doesn't get slower over time. Just crudded up software.

 

[snaky69]

Thanks for the updates so far folks. I'm leaning towards getting a Mac Mini to hold me over until this MBP completely dies, and then once that happens, getting a MB Air for more portable uses.

I can't justify getting an iPad for portable use. They're still too gimmicky for me.

When I buy a Mac Mini and transfer over my files from my Mavericks running MBP, will I have to worry about transferring over corrupted parts of the OSX, or does a time machine backup just transfer user files over?

----------



I read that the 3,1 MBPs will hold up to 6 GB of RAM. Apple says 4, but it's been verified it can hold 6.

I'm sorry, you are correct, I had the 2,1 in mind when I wrote this.

 

[Jabar18]

If I clear up some hard drive space is there any reason to think that my MBP won't keep chugging? I'd love to get a Mac Mini and use this MBP as my portability option for a while longer.

I'm just hesitant to put a 500GB SSD ($200) or add RAM ($100 for a 4GB stick) to continue to try to make it my primary computer when that's a good chunk of change I could use towards getting a new Mac.

 

[afhstingray]

If I clear up some hard drive space is there any reason to think that my MBP won't keep chugging? I'd love to get a Mac Mini and use this MBP as my portability option for a while longer.

I'm just hesitant to put a 500GB SSD ($200) or add RAM ($100 for a 4GB stick) to continue to try to make it my primary computer when that's a good chunk of change I could use towards getting a new Mac.

how many cycles are on your battery and how long do you think it might last? You may get a speed boost by clearing up space, but generally i never trust hard drives over 5 years old, even if i trust the computer.

 

[Fishrrman]

No matter how you slice and dice things, after almost 8 years it's really time for something new.

One tipoff about the Mini:
If you decide to go that route, DO NOT buy the "entry level" model.
Buy the midrange model AND get the fusion drive option.

You WILL end up dissatisfied if you buy anything "less"...

 

[Jabar18]

how many cycles are on your battery and how long do you think it might last? You may get a speed boost by clearing up space, but generally i never trust hard drives over 5 years old, even if i trust the computer.

I got Apple to replace the battery, because about 6 months ago, I shelled out the $ for a new OEM Macbook Pro battery. It lasted about 5 months, and they sent me a brand new OEM battery. So I'm good for a while.

My hard drive was installed in Summer 2010. So it's just coming up to 5 years.

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No matter how you slice and dice things, after almost 8 years it's really time for something new.

One tipoff about the Mini:
If you decide to go that route, DO NOT buy the "entry level" model.
Buy the midrange model AND get the fusion drive option.

You WILL end up dissatisfied if you buy anything "less"...

What you've suggested is the one I'm looking at. The midrange Mini (8GB RAM) with the 1TB fusion upgrade. I figure that will last me about 5 years or so. I'm sure I'll have to get a MB Air at some point within that range, but this prevents me from having to shell out big $ for a 15 inch MBP.

----------

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Thanks for the updates so far folks. I'm leaning towards getting a Mac Mini to hold me over until this MBP completely dies, and then once that happens, getting a MB Air for more portable uses.

I can't justify getting an iPad for portable use. They're still too gimmicky for me.

When I buy a Mac Mini and transfer over my files from my Mavericks running MBP, will I have to worry about transferring over corrupted parts of the OSX, or does a time machine backup just transfer user files over?

 

[afhstingray]

ok, i used to exclusively use 15" laptops because they were my primary workstation, as well as for any entertainment. But with the scaling on the screen of the 13" rMBP i really dont miss it anymore. I got a cheap second hand IPS monitor for movies. Almost all of my work i do on the rMBP13. Plus unless you're planning on gaming, its a fine workstation once you connect it to an external monitor.

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sorry i didnt touch on the line down the screen issue, its true for both macs and non macs. either your LCD cable is malfunctioning, or the graphics card.

 

[austinpike]

If I clear up some hard drive space is there any reason to think that my MBP won't keep chugging? ...I'm just hesitant to put a 500GB SSD ($200)

Do you currently have any kind of external storage or backup? Do you really need all 250GB of stuff on your laptop at all times?

If you get everything moved off the drive, you could certainly try wiping it and doing a clean install. That alone should help a lot and would be "free." Just deleting stuff without any additional work won't do any good, your files are still fragmented and scattered all over the drive from years of use.

That said, I wouldn't necessarily put the effort into building a new system on an aging hard drive. Spend less on a smaller SSD, keep the original HD for backup, and just copy over the stuff you need as you need it.

If you are just looking for justification to buy new hardware, you don't need it, your laptop has certainly fulfilled its life. If you genuinely want to make it last awhile longer, there are ways to be efficient about it without blowing $$$. Try the SSD first, if you are still lagging then maybe consider RAM. Though at that point I would look harder at a new machine as 4GB sticks for that generation are bit spendy and can't be repurposed. The SSD you can always use externally with another machine. If you can hold off spending the $ there is always something better coming.