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Apple Store says I can take SSD from 2008 Unibody Macbook and stick into 2011 MBP!?

mobilehavoc

mobilehavoc

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 30, 2007
377
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I have a Unibody Macbook from 2008 with a Mercury Extreme Pro SSD that is awesome but I'm very tempted to jump on the new 2011 15" MBP with 2.2ghz , 8GB RAM and upgraded screen. My main problem is figuring out how to swap out the MBP's hard drive with my existing SSD. I was originally thinking I'd have to setup the new MBP using my Timemachine or migration assistant then clone that to the SSD and then swap the SSD in.

However according to Apple store chat folks (who supposedly checked with the techs) I can simply take the SSD out of my existing Unibody Macbook and just stick it into the new 2011 MBP. How the hell is this even possible? Different hardware, different screen rez, etc. I thought they were joking so I asked them to confirm and they did.

Makes no sense. Anybody had any experience with this? I'm on latest Snow Leopard build.
 
That's not going to work since the new MBP's have a newer version then the one you are having right now.

So you will need to reinstall SL back when you have put your SSD in the new MBP.
 
You won't have any data, if that's what you're asking. I mean, your data will be whatever was on the 2008 model (operating system and all). Otherwise it will work fine.
 
Hard drives are standard across all laptops (mac and PC), the only exception are ultra mobile PC's that either use the type of SSD in a Macbook Air, or 1.8" hard drives.

All you need to do is pull out the SSD, and put it in the new computer. The OS will use the appropriate drivers to make OS X work.

Just make sure your OS is up to date before swapping it... like wait until there's a software update from after the new Macbook's come out, so the OS will have the drivers. Then you won't even need to re-install the OS or anything!
 
mobilehavoc said:
I have a Unibody Macbook from 2008 with a Mercury Extreme Pro SSD that is awesome but I'm very tempted to jump on the new 2011 15" MBP with 2.2ghz , 8GB RAM and upgraded screen. My main problem is figuring out how to swap out the MBP's hard drive with my existing SSD. I was originally thinking I'd have to setup the new MBP using my Timemachine or migration assistant then clone that to the SSD and then swap the SSD in.

However according to Apple store chat folks (who supposedly checked with the techs) I can simply take the SSD out of my existing Unibody Macbook and just stick it into the new 2011 MBP. How the hell is this even possible? Different hardware, different screen rez, etc. I thought they were joking so I asked them to confirm and they did.

Makes no sense. Anybody had any experience with this? I'm on latest Snow Leopard build.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not a technician but I'm guessing the unibody design from 2008-11 hasn't changed much. Since Apple should have consistency along the line, I'm guessing all MBPs/Alu MBs after 2008 can interchange the hard drives/SSDs.
So basically, you start up the computer, set it up, swap in the old SSD and you're good to go.

Screen res won't make a lot of difference :p

EDIT: Beaten.
 
Last edited:
Most of the time this works just fine. My experience with Mac has been much better than with Windows. I move drives or use target disk mode to boot drives from different machines on new systems. 90% of the time it works. Some applications need to have serial numbers put back in and a few poorly written ones need to be re-installed but almost always they boot up just fine.

The only thing missing would be newer (current) versions of ilife if you haven't manually kept up to date.

Cheers,
 
Thanks, do we know if the build on these MBPs for 2011 is out or is it a newer build than what's available?

I could understand if we have the same build of OSX and then I swap the drive since it's a single build so should work ok with different drivers but I don't believe what I have has built in support for the newer MBPs right now.
 
In terms of the hardware, it will go across just fine. Same size with the same mounts. You will need to reinstall (no need to erase, just keep clicking continue) Snow Leopard from the new MacBook Pro install disks to have the correct drivers for the new hardware (as 10.6.6 will not include them). Screen resolution doesn't matter.
 
nufanec said:
In terms of the hardware, it will go across just fine. Same size with the same mounts. You will need to reinstall (no need to erase, just keep clicking continue) Snow Leopard from the new MacBook Pro install disks to have the correct drivers for the new hardware (as 10.6.6 will not include them). Screen resolution doesn't matter.
Click to expand...

Interesting, so you're saying swap the SSD straight into the 2011 MBP. Then boot to the Snow Leopard disk that comes with the 2011 MBP and do an install over the current SSD? What is that, archive and install? Will I lose anything in the process?
 
mobilehavoc said:
Interesting, so you're saying swap the SSD straight into the 2011 MBP. Then boot to the Snow Leopard disk that comes with the 2011 MBP and do an install over the current SSD? What is that, archive and install? Will I lose anything in the process?
Click to expand...

That is correct. Snow Leopard by default does an archive and install.
 
Same exact situation as OP. 2008 Unibody, OWC SSD -> 2011 MBP.

I thought it would a simple and quick swap, reset PRAM/NVRAM, maybe SMC, and go. But that did not work. As has been noted above, the new 2011 needs some files from the custom build of SL that comes on the disc.

You will not lose anything with the archive and install. After installing from the DVD, it will boot up into the 2011 version of SL and your existing user will be there waiting. Very smooth. Took about 45 minutes. My 2011 boots now in about 15 - 17 seconds so I'd say there are no kinks in the loading process.
 
TheHoff said:
Same exact situation as OP. 2008 Unibody, OWC SSD -> 2011 MBP.

I thought it would a simple and quick swap, reset PRAM/NVRAM, maybe SMC, and go. But that did not work. As has been noted above, the new 2011 needs some files from the custom build of SL that comes on the disc.

You will not lose anything with the archive and install. After installing from the DVD, it will boot up into the 2011 version of SL and your existing user will be there waiting. Very smooth. Took about 45 minutes. My 2011 boots now in about 15 - 17 seconds so I'd say there are no kinks in the loading process.
Click to expand...
Awesome. So to confirm, swap in SSD and install SL using the 2011 SL CD and that's it right? How hard was it to get to the hdd on the MacBook Pro?
 
mobilehavoc said:
Awesome. So to confirm, swap in SSD and install SL using the 2011 SL CD and that's it right? How hard was it to get to the hdd on the MacBook Pro?
Click to expand...

It couldn't be easier. It is basically the same as your current one except it has more screws to remove and no latched battery panel.
 
yetanotherdave said:
No, it does an upgrade, it leaves no "old system" folder behind. (it also doesn't give you any options)
Click to expand...

I did not say there was an archive and install option. Archive and install is now the default reinstall with Snow Leopard. See this. The only difference between this and the old 10.5 archive and install is there is no previous system folder left behind. A 10.6 reinstall is not installed like the old 10.5 "upgrade." You are mistaken.

From the linked article.

If you need to reinstall 10.6, it automatically archives and installs for you.
Click to expand...
 
mobilehavoc said:
Awesome. So to confirm, swap in SSD and install SL using the 2011 SL CD and that's it right? How hard was it to get to the hdd on the MacBook Pro?
Click to expand...

Here is a video showing a step by step, very easy. This vid is for the 2010, but the iFixit teardown says the assembly is the same as the 2011.
 
Weaselboy said:
I did not say there was an archive and install option. Archive and install is now the default reinstall with Snow Leopard. See this. The only difference between this and the old 10.5 archive and install is there is no previous system folder left behind. A 10.6 reinstall is not installed like the old 10.5 "upgrade." You are mistaken.

From the linked article.
Click to expand...

If it doesn't leave behind the old system folder, then it's not an archive, it's just an install.

Regardless. I have just done this upgrade (putting a seagate momentus XT from a 2007 white macbook into a core i5 2011 13" macbook pro).
It is literally as easy as put the HDD in the new computer, boot from the restore disc's that came with it, run the installer, and when you boot up after about 30 minutes all your settings and files will be exactly as they were on the old computer.
The only thing I did have to do was enter my apple ID password to load apps bought from the mac app store (and presumably to play itunes content that may need it, like videos), the computer needed authorising. So if you are doing this I would recommend de-authorising your computer from itunes before swopping the drives over from the old computer otherwise the old hardware will remain one of your 5 authorised computers.
 
I think when the next update is released it should be possible to upgrade the old machine to that and install in the just released MBPs.

I cloned the Leopard disk from my Cube to my March 2009 MBP (which I bought when the mid-2009 were released) and it worked.
 
Just wanted to report back since I got my 2011 MBP today. First off, the 1650x1050 screen is worth the wait and extra bucks. Just wow. Especially coming from the 13" 1280x800 display of the 2008 Unibody Macbook.

Was a piece of cake. I took out the SSD from my 2008 Unibody Macbook and stuck it in my 2011 MBP without even first booting the MBP (why bother?). Then turned it on and with the OSX Install disc in it (that came with the MBP) hit C to boot from CD.

Once booted took about 35-40 mins to install OSX (no prompts or options, it just did it). And voila, all is exactly as I left it on my Unibody Macbook except it's much much faster and the screen res is glorious. The OWC SSD really flies in this thing.

I'm extremely happy that the process was so simple as I was nervous and I want to thank everyone for your input. Now to get back to enjoying my new baby. :)
 
mobilehavoc said:
Just wanted to report back since I got my 2011 MBP today. First off, the 1650x1050 screen is worth the wait and extra bucks. Just wow. Especially coming from the 13" 1280x800 display of the 2008 Unibody Macbook.

Was a piece of cake. I took out the SSD from my 2008 Unibody Macbook and stuck it in my 2011 MBP without even first booting the MBP (why bother?). Then turned it on and with the OSX Install disc in it (that came with the MBP) hit C to boot from CD.

Once booted took about 35-40 mins to install OSX (no prompts or options, it just did it). And voila, all is exactly as I left it on my Unibody Macbook except it's much much faster and the screen res is glorious. The OWC SSD really flies in this thing.

I'm extremely happy that the process was so simple as I was nervous and I want to thank everyone for your input. Now to get back to enjoying my new baby. :)
Click to expand...

Now all you have to do is change your signature:p Enjoy the new machine.
 
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