Installing a SSD; cloning or fresh install?

[beedoola]

I have a 13'' Early 2011 MBP. I don't have install disks for it... So, I don't have an OS install disk. Is there a high risk rate for cloning a HD and having it fail/ Do cloned HDs not perform as well as a freshly installed one?

If a fresh install is the only way, how do I do about doing it without having an OS disk?

 

[hamiltonDSi]

I have a 13'' Early 2011 MBP. I don't have install disks for it... So, I don't have an OS install disk. Is there a high risk rate for cloning a HD and having it fail/ Do cloned HDs not perform as well as a freshly installed one?

If a fresh install is the only way, how do I do about doing it without having an OS disk?

I recommend a fresh install.
I had some problems with the OS after cloning my 5400RPM HDD and paste it on a new 7200RPM HDD. Snow Leopard was laggy and sometimes would freeze for no reason. ( ex : while chatting in iChat)
After a fresh install every thing was normal.

After my experience, I say it's a NO go

 

[sweetbrat]

I cloned my HDD to my SSD with Carbon Copy Cloner and had no problems at all. There's so many variables involved; no two people have exactly the same setup, so your results could be different. Some people prefer to do a clean install every time they upgrade the OS, change drives, etc. I generally don't feel the need. My cloned drive works just fine, and my ML upgrade works just fine. You can always try cloning it, and then if you have problems you can do a clean install.

 

[beedoola]

Ok, so what do I do (how do I go about) installing a on a new SSD without any disks? I'm currently running Lion 10.7.4 - my computer has no apple care and is outside the warranties. Also, I currently have a 5400rpm 500GD HD that I wanted to put in the optical bay. Is it worth using the 5400 or should I try and find a 7200 to use in optical bay?

I cloned my HDD to my SSD with Carbon Copy Cloner and had no problems at all. There's so many variables involved; no two people have exactly the same setup, so your results could be different. Some people prefer to do a clean install every time they upgrade the OS, change drives, etc. I generally don't feel the need. My cloned drive works just fine, and my ML upgrade works just fine. You can always try cloning it, and then if you have problems you can do a clean install.

do you have an questionably sourced software?

 

[hamiltonDSi]

If you have a few minutes to spare in copying files, a 5400RPM HDD for data storage will be just fine in the optical bay, with a 7200RPM HDD the battery will drain faster but the speed will a be a little better.

 

[sweetbrat]

do you have an questionably sourced software?

Questionably sourced? That's an interesting way of putting it. But no, all my software is legal.

 

[ugp]

Sounds like cloning is a hit or miss.

I myself cloned my 5400RPM Stock HDD to my SSD and haven't had any problems with it at all.

 

[FastEddiebags]

I'd do a fresh install just to make sure you don't end up with any problems.