How do I upgrade/clone my Hard Drive?

[Kardashian]

I have a Unibody MBP with a 250GB internal drive.

I have 2 external drives, in enclosures I cannot open:

1. My iTunes Library
2. Blank/Empty

I want to buy a 500GB drive to put inside the MBP.

How do I clone that drive onto a new internal one?

Would I need to clone my internal drive onto the second blank external Hard Drive, remove my internal, add the new 500GB, and then clone it back onto the internal (after booting off the external)

Totally confused

 

[jmann]

I have a Unibody MBP with a 250GB internal drive.

I have 2 external drives, in enclosures I cannot open:

1. My iTunes Library
2. Blank/Empty

I want to buy a 500GB drive to put inside the MBP.

How do I clone that drive onto a new internal one?

Would I need to clone my internal drive onto the second blank external Hard Drive, remove my internal, add the new 500GB, and then clone it back onto the internal (after booting off the external)

Totally confused

Everything you said was correct. I suggest using superduper or the carbon copy cloner they both work great.

 

[Kardashian]

Everything you said was correct. I suggest using superduper or the carbon copy cloner they both work great.

Oh, OK

So:

1. Connect blank 500GB external
2. Use Carbon Copy Cloner/Super Duper, clone internal to blank external
3. Insert new 500GB HD into MBP
4. Boot up from the External (how?)
5. Clone the external onto the internal

Done?

Which program would you/others advise over the 2? I want reliability and simplicity.

 

[jmann]

Oh, OK

So:

1. Connect blank 500GB external
2. Use Carbon Copy Cloner/Super Duper, clone internal to blank external
3. Insert new 500GB HD into MBP
4. Boot up from the External (how?)
5. Clone the external onto the internal

Done?

Which program would you/others advise over the 2? I want reliability and simplicity.

When using either one of the backup programs you need to make sure to check the option that says "create bootable backup" and just to test it, hold c when booting up your computer with the external connected and select it to boot from. If it works, then power down the mac and swap out the hard drives and boot from the external and use migration assistant to transfer all of your settings/data.

I used CCC because it is free. Also I like how you did that list, I didn't know it could be done that way.

 

[Kardashian]

.boot from the external and use migration assistant to transfer all of your settings/data.

How do I use Migration Assistant to clone the hard drive?

I want everything the same, desktops, program settings, all the little fiddly stuff I've modded on my OS (themes etc).

I want it exactly cloned, so that when I boot up from the internal, my desktop hasn't changed. It's the 'same' computer.

Also I like how you did that list, I didn't know it could be done that way.

We've both learnt something new today

 

[jmann]

How do I use Migration Assistant to clone the hard drive?

I want everything the same, desktops, program settings, all the little fiddly stuff I've modded on my OS (themes etc).

I want it exactly cloned, so that when I boot up from the internal, my desktop hasn't changed. It's the 'same' computer.


We've both learnt something new today

Migration assistant only transfers the data to the new drive.

it will be exactly like your current computer once transferred don't worry.

Also I think I made a mistake. I looked it up on google, and I think you boot from the external by holding down option/alt instead of c.

There are lots of guides online how to do this too. I followed one of them to learn how.

 

[Kardashian]

Migration assistant only transfers the data to the new drive.

it will be exactly like your current computer once transferred don't worry.

Wicked.

So, I won't even be able to tell I'm running everything on a 'new' hard drive?

I was just worried it would set me up as a New OSX user, and just put all my 'old' stuff in a file on the desktop or something.

 

[jmann]

Wicked.

So, I won't even be able to tell I'm running everything on a 'new' hard drive?

I was just worried it would set me up as a New OSX user, and just put all my 'old' stuff in a file on the desktop or something.

Nope it will be an exact clone. It will have all the user/settings/apps/everything. The only difference you will be able to notice is that the hard drive is much much bigger.

 

[Kardashian]

Nope it will be an exact clone. It will have all the user/settings/apps/everything. The only difference you will be able to notice is that the hard drive is much much bigger.

Ah thanks so much. Big love to you

Do I just need a 2.5" internal SATA drive?

(eBaying as we speak...)

 

[jmann]

Ah thanks so much. Big love to you

Do I just need a 2.5" internal SATA drive?

(eBaying as we speak...)

Should be it. I think that's what I bought. I'd google it just make sure though.

 

[Kardashian]

OK, so I've just opened Migration Assistant to try and get a rough idea of the process.

There's only 3 options to, and only 1 to "copy" your data to somewhere else, and it has to be to another Mac. Not to a stand-alone internal hard drive.

I'm completely confused about what I do with the disk image, after its been cloned onto my external.

What guide did you follow? The ones I'm finding on Google are from 2004<.

Thanks muchly

 

[jmann]

OK, so I've just opened Migration Assistant to try and get a rough idea of the process.

There's only 3 options to, and only 1 to "copy" your data to somewhere else, and it has to be to another Mac. Not from a stand-alone internal hard drive.

I'm completely confused about what I do with the disk image, after its been cloned onto my external.

What guide did you follow? The ones I'm finding on Google are from 2004<.

Thanks muchly

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/partitioning_tiger.html

Follow the instruction here, but only select 1 partition. Then use migration assistant.

 

[Kardashian]

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/partitioning_tiger.html

Follow the instruction here, but only select 1 partition. Then use migration assistant.

I still don't understand what I use in Migration Assistant?

There's only 3 options: the only one that will copy information from my external hard drive (the clone), and thats only to another Mac - not internal hard drive.

My internal hard drive will be blank, so I won't be able to boot from it and use Migration Assistant copy information from the external (Migration Assistant, option 2)

 

[jmann]

I still don't understand what I use in Migration Assistant?

There's only 3 options: the only one that will copy information from my external hard drive (the clone), and thats only to another Mac - not internal hard drive.

My internal hard drive will be blank, so I won't be able to boot from it and use Migration Assistant copy information from the external (Migration Assistant, option 2)

You boot from the external, format the internal drive, and then select the cloned drive and the new drive as the destination. It will all be there when you have the new drive installed.

 

[sickmacdoc]

Oh, OK

So:

1. Connect blank 500GB external
2. Use Carbon Copy Cloner/Super Duper, clone internal to blank external
3. Insert new 500GB HD into MBP
4. Boot up from the External (how?)
5. Clone the external onto the internal

Done?

Which program would you/others advise over the 2? I want reliability and simplicity.

No disrespect intended toward jmann4489's use of the Migration Assistant, but I would seriously suggest you do yourself a favor and go back to the plan you mentioned above for simplicity and the ability to test the validity of your backup etc. Not everything gets transferred using the Migration Assistant in actuality- you can note some of the exceptions in the the Apple document here regarding Migration Assistant FAQ's. This was written for 10.4 but the exceptions still apply to 10.5 as it was never intended to be a true "cloning" program as you desire.

There are a couple of steps left out of your original process list, so I will copy it and add those steps and you will wind up with an exact duplicate of your current hard drive with no resetting or reinstallation required, ok?

1. Connect blank 500Gb external
-----1a. Make sure it has been formatted as Mac OS Extended with a GUID
-----Partition map (**) if it is still PC formatted as purchased. If not
-----formatted correctly for Mac use, the cloning programs will not work.

2. Use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone internal to blank external.
-----2a. When done, test clone by restarting and pressing and holding
-----"Option" after the startup chime until a screen appears that will show
-----all bootable devices attached to your system. Click on the external
-----drive name and press "Enter" to boot from the clone. It will be
-----identical to your internal drive, so play around with it until you are
-----satisfied that is, then shut down the system.

3. Install new 500Gb HD into MBP
-----3a. Boot up from clone again with Option. Use Disk Utility on it to set
-----up the new 500Gb internal drive with Mac OS Extended with GUID
-----partition map (**). (The blank drive will come with a PC format). Quit
-----Disk Utility

4. --eliminate-- you are already booted to the external

5. Run Carbon Copy Cloner and clone external to new internal.

Finally, do a normal restart and system should restart from the internal drive again automatically. If by chance (not likely) it boots again from the external, go into "System Preferences", then into the "Startup Disk" pane, choose your internal drive and click "Restart".

Sit back and enjoy your new larger drive whose contents are identical with the original internal!

(**) If you need a quickie guide to formatting the drives and assuring that they have the GUID partition map scheme that is essential in this use, just ask!

 

[TXBDan]

I must be retarded...

1) Why do you copy TO the 500GB HD twice? In my thinking i would:

A) Install 500GB external via USB
B) Clone internal (old) HD to external (new) HD.
C) Put external 500GB (new) HD into the macbook
D) Boot up on the internal 500GB (new) HD and youre done.

no?

2) Can Carbon Copy clone your boot camp partition as well?

3) Can't Disk Utility clone the HD as well? Why Carbon Copy?

 

[NavySEAL6]

Can you just install the new drive, put a fresh OSX install on it, and reload everything from a time machine drive?