Being given a 2006 Macbook Pro

[Arcsylver]

Hello everyone,

My partner's brother is giving me his old 2006 Macbook Pro since his work is providing him with a newer model.

I have researched the specs and such for the various models and know that depending on when it was produced it may have either a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor etc. I plan to run Snow leopard on this machine once I get it and can get down to the Apple Store to buy a copy so that I have a nice pristine new OS install to learn on.

This will be my first ever Mac computer. I am a relative newbie to the Apple world, only having an iPad 2 with wireless Apple keyboard , and an 8 GB Touchscreen Nano of my own so far.

Any suggestions for the complete OSX newbie to make my transition from the dark side any easier? I plan to use the laptop for things like internet, email, youtube, netflix, Hulu Plus, Secondlife, Producing Audio Dramas, and Photo Processing. No heavy lifting like video editing or hardcore gaming.

My partner and I have been sharing his HP laptop which is a 2 Ghz Core 2 Duo with 4 GB of Ram running windows 7 64-bit and has an nVidia GeForece 8600M GS video card inside. From what I have read it looks like the Macbook Pro has similar specs. Does this mean I will get similar pewrformance from it as I get from this HP laptop?

 

[gpat]

Install Snow Leopard (could set up Lion, but I don't advise it for pre-unibody notebooks due to lack of multitouch). Max out RAM. (2GB for CoreDuo, 3.25GB for Core2Duo). Not much else, I would advise to get a new HDD but with the price hike you could as well spring for an SSD.

Or just install a clean Snow Leopard system and enjoy it.

 

[Arcsylver]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I was looking at possibly getting one of the Intel 320 series 160 gb SSD drives to replace the stock drive if it fails. The current owner of the MBP says it is "sounding funny" so I am wondering if it may have a failing drive in it. Regardless I am still getting a nice laptop for free so I dont't mind spending a little on RAM and a new drive.

I am really looking forward to getting it. I have been getting by for months on my iPad and the HP laptop and would like something of my own to use.

Had a delay in getting because the owner had to cancel lunch with my partner today due to work so hopefully I will be getting it next week. Gives me time to hit the Apple store for the Snow Leopard disk