2010 MBP HD to new 2011 MBP

[gboswellsac]

Sounds somewhat naive but having been a Windows user for so long I just wanted to know if I could take a HD (with OS) for 2010 MBP and put it into my New (to me) I5 2011 MBP. Both have Snow Leopard. I did the same from a inibody to the 2010 MBP, may have been a mistake also, but seemed to work well. I know with Microsoft if you do not have the specific drivers your dead.

I just picked up a 2011 MBP with 250G and I would prefer to exchange it with my 750G in my 2010 MBP with all my installed software.

Thanks

 

[Steve's Barber]

Yes.

 

[Detrius]

If it's a brand spanking new model, then no, you can't, since you have Snow Leopard on the drive. You won't have drivers for the new model. Since it was just a speed bump and the model identifier didn't change, you may get lucky, but the general rule with Macs is that you can't run an OS that's older than the machine.

Worst case scenario, though... you can command-R recovery boot the machine and install Lion over top of your existing Snow Leopard install (it'll keep your user data and applications). You may need to boot the machine with the included drive and register it to your Apple ID first so that your Apple ID has a record of owning Lion.

 

[gboswellsac]

If it's a brand spanking new model, then no, you can't, since you have Snow Leopard on the drive. You won't have drivers for the new model. Since it was just a speed bump and the model identifier didn't change, you may get lucky, but the general rule with Macs is that you can't run an OS that's older than the machine.

This is a used 2011 i5 with Snow Leopard installed (Feb 2011) The only diff is my old MBP 2010 is a core 2 duo 2.26 and this one is the i5.

 

[Mersailios]

This is a used 2011 i5 with Snow Leopard installed (Feb 2011) The only diff is my old MBP 2010 is a core 2 duo 2.26 and this one is the i5.

If that's the case then you'll be fine, just swap the disks and you're be good to go.

 

[CountBrass]

If it's a brand spanking new model, then no, you can't, since you have Snow Leopard on the drive. You won't have drivers for the new model. Since it was just a speed bump and the model identifier didn't change, you may get lucky, but the general rule with Macs is that you can't run an OS that's older than the machine.

Completely wrong.

I took an SSD with SL installed from my 1st gen Mac Pro and installed it in my late 2011 17" MBP and it worked perfectly.

 

[gboswellsac]

If that's the case then you'll be fine, just swap the disks and you're be good to go.

Thanks .. kinda thought that was the case. Did it and all is good. Thanks again.

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Completely wrong.

I took an SSD with SL installed from my 1st gen Mac Pro and installed it in my late 2011 17" MBP and it worked perfectly.

Thanks for the help, yes it did work. Only thing bothering me is the fact the MBP i5 uses 8500s memory and my Dell i5 uses 10600 .... I just moved the 8G from my 2010 MBP to the 2011 MBP, tried the 10600 but no workie...

Drive is working perfect, thanks again.

 

[MagicBoy]

If it's a brand spanking new model, then no, you can't, since you have Snow Leopard on the drive. You won't have drivers for the new model. Since it was just a speed bump and the model identifier didn't change, you may get lucky, but the general rule with Macs is that you can't run an OS that's older than the machine.

Worst case scenario, though... you can command-R recovery boot the machine and install Lion over top of your existing Snow Leopard install (it'll keep your user data and applications). You may need to boot the machine with the included drive and register it to your Apple ID first so that your Apple ID has a record of owning Lion.

According to Apple you are correct. However... it works perfectly on some machines.

The Late 2011 hardware is a speed bumped version of the early 2011 which initially shipped with 10.6.6. An existing drive from a 2008 unibody MacBook with 10.6.8 swapped into my 15" with no problems whatsoever.

The 15" with the 6770 might have issues if the drivers are particularly picky but I'm sure we'll find out in time. I didn't have the spare £600 to find out!

 

[Detrius]

Completely wrong.

I took an SSD with SL installed from my 1st gen Mac Pro and installed it in my late 2011 17" MBP and it worked perfectly.

It's not actually completely wrong. If your SSD had 10.5 on it or an older version of 10.6, it definitely would have kernel panicked. As other people in this thread have answered, this speed bump update generally is the same machine as the early 2011, which shipped before 10.6.8, and I left open the possibility it might work this time.

 

[gboswellsac]

Well just so no one takes what I said too seriously ..... This is a Februrary 2011 2.4 Core 2 Duo not an i5..... duh Never believe a seller, and I looked at the About this Mac and never saw the Core2 Duo.....what a sucker I was...and I know what to look for.... I was in hurry and a good deal .... dumb-ass.

Sorry but just don't make the same mistake, and sorry for asking a question and answering it worked when I did not even know what processor i had.....


Now Boz write 1000 times 'I will check everything before buying computer !!!'