A couple of questions on upgrading a MBP hard drive

[Acamerainjapan]

I have a late 2008 15 inch macbook pro (2.53).

I have decided to upgrade the ram to 8 gb and install a ssd drive.

Here is my plan:

I plan on buying the OWC computing 240 kit.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/DDMBSSD240/

What I want to do is install the SSD and use my old 320 gb drive as a second drive. Here are my questions.

1. Should I install the ssd in the hard drive slot and move the 320 gb old drive in the optical drive slot? Will there be a difference of speed in the two drives?

2. Will I need some sort of data transfer kit to move my hard drive contents to my new SSD, or can I just use a time machine back up?

Thanks for any tips or experience you guys have in this matter

 

[Acamerainjapan]

Been doing some more research.

I am running snow leopard. I don't have the install disk. Do you recommend using carbon copy?

 

[T5BRICK]

If suggest looking into other options besides OWC.

256GB Samsung 830 drives can be found for $150 on sale(it's a little more than that now at newegg, but still a pretty good deal). You can pick up an optical drive bay adapter for less than $10 on amazon. I bought all the tools I'll ever need for my MBP at Home Depot for about $12(except for the "spudger" as ifixit likes to call it, but you don't need that for this upgrade).

Links:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147164
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058AH2US/ref=mp_s_a_1?pi=SL500_SL75&qid=1351437802&sr=8-1
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-8-IN-1-Torx-Screwdriver-Set/100087664/
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-8-IN-1-Phillips-and-Slotted-Screwdriver-Set-74501/100074336/

Yes you can use CCC to clone from your old HDD to the new SSD.

 

[Acamerainjapan]

If suggest looking into other options besides OWC.

256GB Samsung 830 drives can be found for $150 on sale(it's a little more than that now at newegg, but still a pretty good deal). You can pick up an optical drive bay adapter for less than $10 on amazon. I bought all the tools I'll ever need for my MBP at Home Depot for about $12(except for the "spudger" as ifixit likes to call it, but you don't need that for this upgrade).

Links:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147164
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058AH2US/ref=mp_s_a_1?pi=SL500_SL75&qid=1351437802&sr=8-1
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-8-IN-1-Torx-Screwdriver-Set/100087664/
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-8-IN-1-Phillips-and-Slotted-Screwdriver-Set-74501/100074336/

Yes you can use CCC to clone from your old HDD to the new SSD.

Thank you for your reply. I am in Japan right now so its a little tough to get some supplies, but I can get most things.

I have heard horror stories about cloning drives. I don't know if its worth the risk. I'm worried about my final cut pro studio 3 and adobe suite transferring over.

 

[T5BRICK]

Thank you for your reply. I am in Japan right now so its a little tough to get some supplies, but I can get most things.

Ah that does make things a little more difficult. Just so you know, I ended up with the Crucial M4 in my 13" mid 2009 MBP. It was the best drive I could find for a good price at the time. To be totally honest it's a slower SATA III drive, but it doesn't really matter because our older MBPs only have SATA II. Here is the thread I created when I upgraded.

Basically, I'm saying that you have quite a few options for good SSDs, so just find the best deal on one and go for it.

I have heard horror stories about cloning drives. I don't know if its worth the risk. I'm worried about my final cut pro studio 3 and adobe suite transferring over.

Then don't clone. Do you use time machine? If you can find a restore DVD for your computer, you should be able to boot from that and select "restore from time machine backup."

 

[Acamerainjapan]

Ah that does make things a little more difficult. Just so you know, I ended up with the Crucial M4 in my 13" mid 2009 MBP. It was the best drive I could find for a good price at the time. To be totally honest it's a slower SATA III drive, but it doesn't really matter because our older MBPs only have SATA II. Here is the thread I created when I upgraded.

Basically, I'm saying that you have quite a few options for good SSDs, so just find the best deal on one and go for it.



Then don't clone. Do you use time machine? If you can find a restore DVD for your computer, you should be able to boot from that and select "restore from time machine backup."

Well I don't have the Snow Leopard DVD, just checked ebay and they cost about a hundred bucks

I guess I could upgrade, but that makes me a bit nervous because i've heard that Final Cut Studio 3 (which is my main use for this machine) has some trouble in lion and mountain lion. Not to mention I really love snow leopard and nothing in lion or mountain lion makes me want to upgrade.

 

[b0fh666]

then don't upgrade - do the hard drive clone, you can always go back to your old drive if things go wrong.

 

[Acamerainjapan]

then don't upgrade - do the hard drive clone, you can always go back to your old drive if things go wrong.

Thanks for the advice. I'm feeling that this is the best option given my circumstances.

 

[Idefix]

Cloning works just fine.

Rumors are that Apple will sell you the Snow Leopard disk, you just need to call the toll-free number and tell them you've lost the SL disk that came with your laptop. This will probably be a bit more complicated in Japan...

 

[Acamerainjapan]

Cloning works just fine.

Rumors are that Apple will sell you the Snow Leopard disk, you just need to call the toll-free number and tell them you've lost the SL disk that came with your laptop. This will probably be a bit more complicated in Japan...

Maybe, but I've made some friends at the local apple store, you think that might help?