How to upgrade HDD in Macbook

[theMouthPiece]

Hi All

I wonder if I can ask for some advice here please as to how to go about replacing the internal HDD of my Macbook.

I am going to purchase a new 250Gb internal HDD for my Macbook, but I am somewhat puzzled as to how to get this working.

If I simply exchange the units, then as there's nothing installed on the new HDD, I assume nothing would happen and the machine wouldn't boot. What I would very much like to achieve, is to have the new HDD looking exactly like the existing HDD i.e. with all my apps and stuff on it - but of course with a lot more free drive space afterwards. Is there a way I can accomplish this...?

How do I make an exact copy of my current HDD and place this on the new HDD...?

Is this the way I should do it...? or should I go another route...?

Any advice most welcome, thanks.

 

[AliensAreFuzzy]

Hi All

I wonder if I can ask for some advice here please as to how to go about replacing the internal HDD of my Macbook.

I am going to purchase a new 250Gb internal HDD for my Macbook, but I am somewhat puzzled as to how to get this working.

If I simply exchange the units, then as there's nothing installed on the new HDD, I assume nothing would happen and the machine wouldn't boot. What I would very much like to achieve, is to have the new HDD looking exactly like the existing HDD i.e. with all my apps and stuff on it - but of course with a lot more free drive space afterwards. Is there a way I can accomplish this...?

How do I make an exact copy of my current HDD and place this on the new HDD...?

Is this the way I should do it...? or should I go another route...?

Any advice most welcome, thanks.

When you get your new drive, also get an enclosure. Then before you take your drive out, use either Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper to make a bootable clone onto the 250GB drive. Then swap the drives and you should be good to go.

 

[theMouthPiece]

OK, I think I get what you're saying, thanks.

If I placed the new internal HDD into one of my existing external HDD's, and used the software you specify to create the clone, once I had created it, I could put this new HDD back in the internal slot on the Macbook... yeah...?

I need to look into Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper beforehand too.

Thanks.

 

[AliensAreFuzzy]

OK, I think I get what you're saying, thanks.

If I placed the new internal HDD into one of my existing external HDD's, and used the software you specify to create the clone, once I had created it, I could put this new HDD back in the internal slot on the Macbook... yeah...?

I need to look into Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper beforehand too.

Thanks.

Exactly. It works great. Once you put it in, you can boot up and it will look exactly like it did before, just now with more free space!

 

[theMouthPiece]

Great advice there, thanks a million. Now, so that I am entirely ready... is this the right process...

1 - replace one of my external USB HDD units with the new unformatted HDD
2 - connect this to the Macbook
3 - format this new HDD (the one to be eventually placed in the internal slot on Macbook)
4 - use Super Duper to create an exact clone of my internal HDD onto this new HDD (at this time it is still in the external HDD casing)
5 - power off Macbook
6 - remove this HDD form external casing
7 - remove internal Macbook HDD
8 - replace internal Macbook HDD with the new 'cloned' HDD
9 - power up...

Voila...? that right...?

Sorry for the noobiness of this question and thanks a million for your prompt help. Much appreciated.

 

[stomer]

One thing to be aware of. The HD that you'll be buying will need to be a 2.5 SATA unit. You're existing HDD enclosure will need to be of the 2.5 SATA type.

The method that's been described is definitely the best way of doing it, but there is another way. If you're already using Time Machine, then all you need to do is to remove your old disk, put in your new one, insert your Leopard DVD into your Macbook. Leopard will then give you the option of restoring a backup.

 

[theMouthPiece]

One thing to be aware of. The HD that you'll be buying will need to be a 2.5 SATA unit. You're existing HDD enclosure will need to be of the 2.5 SATA type.

The method that's been described is definitely the best way of doing it, but there is another way. If you're already using Time Machine, then all you need to do is to remove your old disk, put in your new one, insert your Leopard DVD into your Macbook. Leopard will then give you the option of restoring a backup.

WOW - I like the sound of this option...! How/why is this not the preferred option...?

 

[stomer]

WOW - I like the sound of this option...! How/why is this not the preferred option...?

Time Machine only backs up certain data, mostly your stuff. Settings and whatnot. It doesn't bother backing up system files. The idea is that the system files don't need to be backed up because you will already have them on your Leopard DVD.
The Super Duper! method restores absolutely everything.

Whichever method you choose, the results will mostly be the same.

I used the Time Machine method when I recently upgraded my HDD. I didn't really have a choice as Super Duper wasn't compatible with Leopard back then. Although it did take a while, it worked really well.

 

[theMouthPiece]

I see, thanks for the info Stomer.

I might look into the Super Duper application as I'd like all my apps and progs to be copied across, saves reinstalling them all once again I guess. I have loads of free small apps downloaded from the net and I'd never remember to install them all until I needed them again... (Might not be such a bad thing eh!)

Thanks for your advice here, much appreciated.

 

[stomer]

I see, thanks for the info Stomer.

I might look into the Super Duper application as I'd like all my apps and progs to be copied across, saves reinstalling them all once again I guess. I have loads of free small apps downloaded from the net and I'd never remember to install them all until I needed them again...

Sorry, I should have been clearler about what is backed up and what isn't. By default, Time Machine definitely backs up your apps.