Guide for installing a second hard drive?

[adamvk]

So I want to install a second SSD in my 2010 15" Macbook Pro since I need more storage/want the OS to be faster. I haven't been able to find a good guide on how to do this. Does anyone know of a good guide? Thanks!

Also, have any of you done this? What are your thoughts/opinions?

 

[basesloaded190]

http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbookpro_15_unibody_mid10_dd/

 

[adamvk]

Awesome, thanks for the replies!

Also just to make sure, I will be able to install Lion on the SSD in place of the optical drive right? I don't have to install it on the original hard drive do I?

 

[snaky69]

Awesome, thanks for the replies!

Also just to make sure, I will be able to install Lion on the SSD in place of the optical drive right? I don't have to install it on the original hard drive do I?

No, you only need one Lion install.

FWIW, all macs from the 2008 unibodies onward could use the exact same instructions for an opti-bay, the layout inside them is the exact same. So yes, you could've used a tutorial from some other generation without any fear.

 

[adamvk]

No, you only need one Lion install.

FWIW, all macs from the 2008 unibodies onward could use the exact same instructions for an opti-bay, the layout inside them is the exact same. So yes, you could've used a tutorial from some other generation without any fear.

Ok thanks. Yea, I realize I only need one Lion install, but when I install the SSD I'm planning on completely reloading my Mac, so will I be able to have Lion installed on the SSD? Thanks!

 

[snaky69]

Ok thanks. Yea, I realize I only need one Lion install, but when I install the SSD I'm planning on completely reloading my Mac, so will I be able to have Lion installed on the SSD? Thanks!

You're the one that controls where Lion is installed, so yes. If it stresses you out that much, perhaps you could backup your current hard drive, plop it out, put the SSD in, install Lion on it, verify that everything works to your liking.

Then you'd switch things up and add the second HD back in, erase and format it, and you're done.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Ok thanks. Yea, I realize I only need one Lion install, but when I install the SSD I'm planning on completely reloading my Mac, so will I be able to have Lion installed on the SSD? Thanks!

Yes, you will. An SSD is just another storage device, Lion doesn't care where and what it is (except a floppy or DVD maybe).
As long as you have the Lion installer on a bootable device or your Lion Recovery partition on your HDD, you can install Lion almost anywhere.

MacBook, MacBook Pro: Replacing the Hard Disk Drive, transferring data to the new HDD

the guide includes:

• 0. Identify your MacBook or MacBook Pro
• 1. Getting a new HDD
• 2. Guides to replace the internal HDD with a newer one
• 3. Transferring data from the old HDD to the new HDD
• 4. Using the optical disk drive (ODD) slot for placing an SSD or HDD inside the MB/P (OPTIBAY)

​

How to format a new HDD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)​

 

[adamvk]

Yes, you will. An SSD is just another storage device, Lion doesn't care where and what it is (except a floppy or DVD maybe).
As long as you have the Lion installer on a bootable device or your Lion Recovery partition on your HDD, you can install Lion almost anywhere.

MacBook, MacBook Pro: Replacing the Hard Disk Drive, transferring data to the new HDD

the guide includes:

• 0. Identify your MacBook or MacBook Pro
• 1. Getting a new HDD
• 2. Guides to replace the internal HDD with a newer one
• 3. Transferring data from the old HDD to the new HDD
• 4. Using the optical disk drive (ODD) slot for placing an SSD or HDD inside the MB/P (OPTIBAY)

​

How to format a new HDD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)​

Ok, awesome. Thank you very much. I just bought a SSD bay for my where my optical drive currently is, now I just need to find a good deal on a SSD.