HD upgrade help on MBP.

[mattwolfmatt]

Three questions involving a potential HD upgrade:

1. To select which HD is compatible, i need to know the "model" of my MBP. I bought it new in August 2008 and have attached the info (I've upgraded to 4GB RAM). Do I have the Penryn?

2. What is the maximum size available? The biggest I can find (I think) is 500GB (at OWC). Is this correct?

3. I am backed up with time machine and I have my leopard install disk that came with the MBP. Will my applications be backed up on time machine or will I need to reinstall those too? Because that could get messy (I've bought several programs downloaded from their corporate site).

I'm fairly new to the Mac and am overwhelmed with info out there. Thanks!

 

[daneoni]

An Aug 08 MBP is most likely a Penryn book considering you got it new as well. To fully confirm click on more info from that About This Mac page, if your model identifier is MacBook Pro4,1 then you have a penryn

Time machine backs up everything (that includes apps)

500GB is currently the biggest drive available for laptops if i remember correctly. All you need to know is that your drive is a 2.5" drive and 9mm. I think. Other correct me if i'm wrong

 

[mattwolfmatt]

Thanks danonei! I'm still debating between 320GB 7200rpm and 500gb 5400rpm. Hmm. Much speed difference?

 

[bugout]

All Macbook pro's, since they were released, use the same type of hard drive. The only thing you have to take into consideration is what size you want.

 

[Sirus2400]

Three questions involving a potential HD upgrade:

1. To select which HD is compatible, i need to know the "model" of my MBP. I bought it new in August 2008 and have attached the info (I've upgraded to 4GB RAM). Do I have the Penryn?

Yes, you have Penryn. Any 2.5" 9.5mm HD will fit your comp, and the current maximum size is 500GB 5400rpm, or 320GB 7200rpm. Although it looks like 500GB 7200rpm drives will be available in the next few months (speculation).

Don't worry about re-installing from Time Machine, just get an external FW enclosure for the new drive, run Carbon Copy Cloner (a free program), install the new drive and it will look and work exactly like your old drive (with some extra space).

 

[mattwolfmatt]

Yes, you have Penryn. Any 2.5" 9.5mm HD will fit your comp, and the current maximum size is 500GB 5400rpm, or 320GB 7200rpm. Although it looks like 500GB 7200rpm drives will be available in the next few months (speculation).

One more question...do I currently have 5400rpm or 7200? I mean will I be disappointed with 5400 if I go with that?

 

[daneoni]

One more question...do I currently have 5400rpm or 7200? I mean will I be disappointed with 5400 if I go with that?

You currently have 5400RPM. Is the 7200RPM faster...a little...the difference is definitely NOT night and day.

Its the age old question: Store more stuff and access them a few seconds later (500Gb 5400RPM) or store less and access them a few seconds earlier (320Gb 7200RPM)

 

[Sirus2400]

One more question...do I currently have 5400rpm or 7200? I mean will I be disappointed with 5400 if I go with that?

If you are doing audio work, or like your games to run at higher settings, you should probably go with 7200, if not, you probably wont notice too much of a difference (slightly faster startup, etc.)

 

[mattwolfmatt]

Thanks for all the tips...I will go with the 7200 320GB. I do video and audio work; the extra 120 GB and faster speed will help a lot.

Thanks all!

 

[voltare]

I did this upgrade and follwed the guide from ifixit.com. I would reccomend looking for another guide to follow.

The ifixit.com guide shows the steps to change the drive and then simply states to follow the steps backwards to put the computer back together. I found that to be greatly over-simplified. I broke out in a sweat while trying to put the top case back on! I thought I was ruining my computer! When I finally got the top case back on, there was a gap between the plastic on the top case and the aluminum on the bottom case. I could not get it to fit correctly. After taking the computer apart again, and examining the fittings, I finally figured out how to do it. Once you get to the point where the top case is on, and there is a gap, you have to press down on the edge of the top case, above the gap, to get the top case to "pop" or "snap" into place.

This needs to be included in the guide.