Sounds like hard drive to me. Have you reinstalled the OS? If its hard drive, which it sounds like it is, it's either software related or hardware related. You can rule out software by reinstalling the OS. If the problem goes away, excellent. If not, I would replace the hard drive.
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How to install an SSD to MacBook Pro (Early 2011)
- Thread starter WRXiceman
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Sounds like hard drive to me. Have you reinstalled the OS? If its hard drive, which it sounds like it is, it's either software related or hardware related. You can rule out software by reinstalling the OS. If the problem goes away, excellent. If not, I would replace the hard drive.
Don't worry about this. The NAND chips in current SSDs can be written to each individual cell about 3,000 times. If you search for articles on this you will find several studies all showing it will take years to reach this limit even at very high usage patterns.
Here is some reading if your are interested.
Cool thanks. Two quick question regarding the SSD. First, its pretty much just a swap right? Then I can use a time machine back up to put me right back where I was, or is it more in depth then that? Secondly, what's an opti-drive? I've read a few threads mentioning it but am unsure of what it is and how it pertains?
I went to crucial.com and did the scanner for SSD's and the kits had no mention of it, that I noticed at least.
Yep, a Time Machine backup is all you'll need. Install it just as you would a hard drive. An opti-drive (there are a couple more names for it too) is basically a little caddy that goes in place of your DVD drive. You take the DVD drive out and put the caddy in it's place. The caddy holds a regular 2.5" hard drive that you'd use for storage. People do this to get the speed of an SSD for the OS and applications along with the large storage capacity of a hard drive, if they can't afford a large capacity SSD.
Oh okay. So basically if I'm doing the swap and don't need the extra room there's no reason to get the caddy (opti drive). Thanks a lot for the explanation and all the help!
I'm pricing out a 250 GB on crucial.com right now. For that price point is there better? I know crucial is a great company but I'm just wondering.
Just to reiterate the process before the SSD arrives tomorrow. I open up the laptop and swap out the two drives. Turn the MBP on and plug my external into the USB (the external is my time machine backup) and restore using time machine to the SSD. Is this correct? Seems almost to simple. I don't need to format the drive or do a clean install before restoring with time machine??
Thanks again.
If it were me, I'd do it this way.
1 Put the SSD in external case.
2 Open applications->utilities->disk utility
3 select the drive from the pane on the left.
4 click erase from the menu on the right side
5 in "format" select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and rename the drive if you like
6 Click erase. Now it's formatted.
7 Use your clone software to clone your HDD to the SSD.
8 put the SSD in the computer and turn her on. Done.
If you want Time machine it's a little different. I thought you were going to use SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner. I never get Time Machine to work the way it's supposed to so you might be better served by searching the forums for threads that say "install SSD time machine" or something similar. I'm happy to help any way I can. Let me know.
1 Put the SSD in external case.
2 Open applications->utilities->disk utility
3 select the drive from the pane on the left.
4 click erase from the menu on the right side
5 in "format" select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and rename the drive if you like
6 Click erase. Now it's formatted.
7 Use your clone software to clone your HDD to the SSD.
8 put the SSD in the computer and turn her on. Done.
If you want Time machine it's a little different. I thought you were going to use SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner. I never get Time Machine to work the way it's supposed to so you might be better served by searching the forums for threads that say "install SSD time machine" or something similar. I'm happy to help any way I can. Let me know.
Yea I don't have any carbon copy software downloaded, I'm sure I could. I'll search the forums and try to figure it out. Thanks again for the help, I'll let you know how it goes.
It's a 15" early 2011.
From what I've been reading, I think I'll end up switching the drives and once the SSD is installed I'll boot it up and instal with the SL disc and then install lion via app store (already have it purchased) then do a time machine back up. Let me know what you think of that.
Is there anything regarding the disk utility I'll need to do before I start the clean install?
You're in luck, since your computer is a 2011. You should be able to just put the SSD in, and it will do an automatic Internet recovery. .
Read about Internet Recovery
It'll all be automatic. All you need to do is put in the brand new SSD and it'll take over from there. Internet recovery will start up on its own, and it'll prompt you through formatting the drive and getting Time Machine restore going. Super simple. The computer will walk you through it every step of the way.
Read about Internet Recovery
It'll all be automatic. All you need to do is put in the brand new SSD and it'll take over from there. Internet recovery will start up on its own, and it'll prompt you through formatting the drive and getting Time Machine restore going. Super simple. The computer will walk you through it every step of the way.
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Ahhh, you're a lifesaver! thanks so much. good find.
EDIT: actually after reading that, my MBP shipped with SL. Lion released in June if I'm not mistaken, would I still fall into that catagory just for being in 2011, or does it only cover the "late" model?
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Check this out
No worries. Your machine had an EFI firmware update that allows it to use Internet recovery. I have an early 2011 15" MBP too, and I just used that feature a couple week ago when I installed my new SSD.
No worries. Your machine had an EFI firmware update that allows it to use Internet recovery. I have an early 2011 15" MBP too, and I just used that feature a couple week ago when I installed my new SSD.
Okay, great. That just made my life easy. SSD should be here tomorrow or Friday, I'm pretty pumped. Thanks again for the help. I'll follow up and let you know how it went.
I'm pumped for you. I got my first SSD a year or so ago. The difference it makes is unreal.
Uh oh, I'm running into my first issue. I went thru the Internet recovery and selected the external for a time machine back up but in sitting here at the select a destination screen...it won't find the SSD.
Picture attached
Never mind. I had to go into disk utility and click the drive>erase>macOS extended (journaled)>erase, this was to format the drive the. It worked like a champ!
It's restoring files now. Thanks again for the help, I'll post my initial reactions later
It's restoring files now. Thanks again for the help, I'll post my initial reactions later