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How to upgrade to WD Scorpio 320gb HDD?

C

chiefroastbeef

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 26, 2008
909
0
Dallas, Texas/ Hong Kong
Hello guys,

I'm done a couple searches, but still a little unclear.

I'm currently in Hong Kong, and found the 320gb Scorpio for $110. I'd like to do the upgrade myself, but I'm still a bit cloudy on certain things.

I plan on buying an enclosure and use CCC to clone my 200gb HDD to the 320gb HDD. What I'd like to know is will CCC also clone the OS X as well? So after the clone and after the installation of the Scorpio, everything that is on the computer on the 200gb HDD will be there after I turn the MBP on with the 320gb? I am unsure if I need to use the OS X install CDs at all if I just clone my HDD.

Thanks for any suggestions! I am just confused! :)
 
Go for it....

Hi,

I'm a complete computer muppet, but I managed this with no worries at all (all that space!!!!! Yey!!!!!!!)

I started with the guides at iFixit, which are excellent. Obviously you need the correct crosshead screwdriver and Torx bit. I bought very cheap ones and regretted it. Pay extra for professional quality ones.

I cloned my internal hard drive onto an iomega USB 2.0 external drive using Personal Backup X4. Ignore those who might tell you that Macs only boot from Firewire external HD's... mine worked fine. I swapped the internal drives around, then booted the laptop from the clone on the external hard drive, then using Personal Backup X4, cloned the external drive to the internal drive, powered down, re-booted, and I was away. Simple.

So, you don't need the installation discs, and you don't need a Firewire drive. I'm happy as Larry, and at this moment, I have 181.98Gb free. :D

Hope this helps,
Effortless.
 
I appreciate your advice!

I think I'm going to just buy an enclosure and put the Scorpio in it, clone it, boot it up externally to see if it is working. If it works then I will do the swap.

Does that work do you think? I don't see why not, but again I am new to this!

Also, what buttons do you push upon start up to boot from another drive?

Thanks!
 
chiefroastbeef said:
I appreciate your advice!

I think I'm going to just buy an enclosure and put the Scorpio in it, clone it, boot it up externally to see if it is working. If it works then I will do the swap.

Does that work do you think? I don't see why not, but again I am new to this!

Also, what buttons do you push upon start up to boot from another drive?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi man, Check your inbok - I have sent you an email about this.
 
chiefroastbeef said:
Hello guys,

I'm done a couple searches, but still a little unclear.

I'm currently in Hong Kong, and found the 320gb Scorpio for $110. I'd like to do the upgrade myself, but I'm still a bit cloudy on certain things.

I plan on buying an enclosure and use CCC to clone my 200gb HDD to the 320gb HDD. What I'd like to know is will CCC also clone the OS X as well? So after the clone and after the installation of the Scorpio, everything that is on the computer on the 200gb HDD will be there after I turn the MBP on with the 320gb? I am unsure if I need to use the OS X install CDs at all if I just clone my HDD.

Thanks for any suggestions! I am just confused! :)
Click to expand...


If you use the clone/Enclosure Method, I don't think you'll need the Leopard DVD.
If you use the "old fashioned" method where you back up your data to an external hard drive and then after the drive swap wants to get all your data to your new drive - then you will need the Leopard DVD since you need to install Leopard on your new drive before you can use Migrations Assistent to move all your files to your new drive.

Hope this helps you man.

Skibsted
 
Skibsted said:
If you use the clone/Enclosure Method, I don't think you'll need the Leopard DVD.
If you use the "old fashioned" method where you back up your data to an external hard drive and then after the drive swap wants to get all your data to your new drive - then you will need the Leopard DVD since you need to install Leopard on your new drive before you can use Migrations Assistent to move all your files to your new drive.

Hope this helps you man.

Skibsted
Click to expand...

getting the hang of it and dishing out advice are we now :D
 
chiefroastbeef said:
Hello guys,

I'm done a couple searches, but still a little unclear.

I'm currently in Hong Kong, and found the 320gb Scorpio for $110. I'd like to do the upgrade myself, but I'm still a bit cloudy on certain things.

I plan on buying an enclosure and use CCC to clone my 200gb HDD to the 320gb HDD. What I'd like to know is will CCC also clone the OS X as well? So after the clone and after the installation of the Scorpio, everything that is on the computer on the 200gb HDD will be there after I turn the MBP on with the 320gb? I am unsure if I need to use the OS X install CDs at all if I just clone my HDD.

Thanks for any suggestions! I am just confused! :)
Click to expand...

I bought the exact same drive and user SuperDuper! to clone my drive. It clones EVERYTHING. I honestly don't know where my original discs are (I hope they're in the MBP box) and didn't need them at all. But you might, you never know.

Do an Internet search on replacing MBP hard drives. There should be a couple of good tutorials with pics. I did mine about 2 months ago, so I know there's a thread discussing it on here somewhere.
 
chiefroastbeef said:
Does that work do you think? I don't see why not, but again I am new to this!

Also, what buttons do you push upon start up to boot from another drive?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi,

yes, no reason why it won't work. I only used an external HD because I had one anyway, on which I keep a daily backup and clone (belt 'n braces I know, but I've lost 2 HD's now, and losing my patience with myself for not backing up!!)

I think it's 'hold down the C button' to boot up from a clone. It's a while since I did it, but it should be easy enough to find out (either here or on your MBP documentation).

Hope this helps,
Effortless.
 
Effortless said:
Hi,

yes, no reason why it won't work. I only used an external HD because I had one anyway, on which I keep a daily backup and clone (belt 'n braces I know, but I've lost 2 HD's now, and losing my patience with myself for not backing up!!)

I think it's 'hold down the C button' to boot up from a clone. It's a while since I did it, but it should be easy enough to find out (either here or on your MBP documentation).

Hope this helps,
Effortless.
Click to expand...

I can confirm the you need to hold down the C button to boot from a clone or a DVD.
 
BTw buying the WD Passport 320GB (320 Scorpio in an enclosure) was cheaper for me than buying a enclosure and the 320 Scorpio.
Then you just slap the old HD into the Passport enclosure.

The WD Passport is really easy to open, just search for videos on Youtube or something.
 
cluthz said:
BTw buying the WD Passport 320GB (320 Scorpio in an enclosure) was cheaper for me than buying a enclosure and the 320 Scorpio.
Then you just slap the old HD into the Passport enclosure.

The WD Passport is really easy to open, just search for videos on Youtube or something.
Click to expand...

That's all well & good until the drive f*cks up & you voided the warranty
 
Arr Ok i was in the understanding that the enclosure would have some seals I'm well aware of swapping drives,but if thats the case then all when and good,anyways i have a 320GB in one of my MBP as it is the other I'm upgrading to 500GB
 
i strongly suggest that you keep away from putting the western digital hard drive in any mac laptop, the drive's internal shock protection technology conflicts with the laptop's own shock protection technology and causes the laptop to kernel panic. i know from experience, whenever i bumped my macbook pro into anything, or jerked it a bit while carrying it, it kernel panicked. there are articles about this, search it up on google
 
bluecrow628 said:
i strongly suggest that you keep away from putting the western digital hard drive in any mac laptop, the drive's internal shock protection technology conflicts with the laptop's own shock protection technology and causes the laptop to kernel panic. i know from experience, whenever i bumped my macbook pro into anything, or jerked it a bit while carrying it, it kernel panicked. there are articles about this, search it up on google
Click to expand...

What is the best hard drive to put in a MacBook Pro then? All I've heard is good things about the WD Scorpio 320gb.

The reason I ask is that I too will be looking to purchase a decent sized HD as I am struggling with space on the factory 120gb.
 
Poogis said:
What is the best hard drive to put in a MacBook Pro then? All I've heard is good things about the WD Scorpio 320gb.

The reason I ask is that I too will be looking to purchase a decent sized HD as I am struggling with space on the factory 120gb.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it,there are loads of people who use this forum that have WD HDD's in there notebooks and this the first person that i've come across who's bought this up,another point worth mentioning is the scorpio black can be bought with or without a free fall sensor ( same as the motion sensor built into Mac lappy's )
 
You could always just boot up on to your Install/Restore DVD and use Disk Utility to restore from the internal drive to the external one; when you are done, boot onto the external to see if it works and then install it; another way is to use Time Machine backup and restore.
 
cluthz said:
BTw buying the WD Passport 320GB (320 Scorpio in an enclosure) was cheaper for me than buying a enclosure and the 320 Scorpio.
Then you just slap the old HD into the Passport enclosure.

The WD Passport is really easy to open, just search for videos on Youtube or something.
Click to expand...

Two points:
1. CCC works perfectly for cloning your drive, including making it bootable. No need for Superduper or any other paid for software. I used this to copy across my Macbook HD to a WD2500BEVS
2. Don't make the mistake of using Passport drives instead of the bare drives. The Passport drives are not the same. They only have a measly 2MB cache on board instead of the standard 8MB, despite costing the same save for the enclosure. Enclosures are less than $10/£5 these days to buy.
Although you should not have any problems, cheap external drives tend to be built for storage rather than as a main hard drive.
 
bluecrow628 said:
the drive's internal shock protection technology conflicts with the laptop's own shock protection technology and causes the laptop to kernel panic.
Click to expand...

I'd be interested to hear from anyone else having these kernel panics, not that I'm disputing this claim.

Can anyone else verify this?:confused:
 
Poogis said:
I'd be interested to hear from anyone else having these kernel panics, not that I'm disputing this claim.

Can anyone else verify this?:confused:
Click to expand...

hmmm I haven't heard anything about such an issue. I have heard about a lot of satifisfied WD Scorpio owners though:)
I installed my Scorpio a couple a weeks ago and it is working perfectly.
When I decided to buy a new internal hard drive i did some research in these forums and google.
I think it's pretty safe to state that the WD Scorpio is a very good drive.
 
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