Installing new hard drive in a late 2008 MacBook

[mike0000]

After installing the new hard drive will I be able to boot with "command r" or will I have to boot from a DVD?

It's currently running Mavericks. Original OS was Leopard.
The current 160GB hard drive is running fine, it's just full.
There is a Time Machine backup to restore from.

 

[Intell]

You will have to boot from a CD or USB drive.

 

[mike0000]

Thanks.

 

[RITmusic2k]

Intell is incorrect on this one - I just went through this when my HDD crashed on me last week.

I bought an SSD to upgrade, installed it unformatted into my (late 2008 unibody) macbook and command+r booted just fine. Partitioned the drive, got a clean Yosemite install from the menu (Apple apparently reported to my machine that I was on the Yosemite beta, and that's the OS it served up to me), then restored from my time machine backup. The whole process took a total of about 10 mouse clicks.

 

[Intell]

I'm not incorrect. Command-R is Internet Recovery. 2008 Macs do not support it. The oldest machines that support it are 2010 models. Look at Apple's support page here for a complete listing: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4904

 

[mike0000]

Thanks. Good to know.

A follow up question.
You downloaded Yosemite rather than restore it from Time Machine.
Is this necessary, or can I simply recover everything to the new drive from Time Machine?

 

[RITmusic2k]

Intell, I'm not sure how much a testimonial is worth over the internet, but I swear to you - I have a late 2008 MacBook, first generation unibody.

Less than one week ago I put an unformatted SSD into my machine and command+r booted to the recovery menu. I successfully loaded Yosemite onto the computer after formatting the SSD *without* using an install disc or bootable USB stick. My Time Machine external hard drive was connected to my computer at the time, so perhaps it pulled the OS from there, but if it did, it was transparent to me. If that's the case, then it should work the same way for mike0000, who has a time machine backup available.

mike0000, I had opted for the clean OS install option in case it was the Yosemite beta that caused issues with my old HDD. To be honest I expected that it was going to reinstall Mavericks, so maybe it did just pull the OS from my time machine backup (in which case I just did in two steps what you should be able to do in one).

EDIT: this disclaimer appears on the support page linked by Intell: "Some computers that did not come with OS X Lion or later installed can use the OS X Internet Recovery feature after applying a firmware update." It's likely that I had previously done this update back when I was upgrading my machine in advance of installing 8GB ram (which wasn't originally supported on the 2008 unibody macbook) but became supported later. So mike0000, your mileage may vary. If you don't think you've installed any firmware upgrades from Apple, you may want to try it the old fashioned way as Intell suggested.

 

[mike0000]

I guess it will be easy enough to try the "command r" boot. If that doesn't work I'll just boot from an external USB drive. And if that doesn't work I'll boot from an old Snow leopard DVD.

I'm doing it for a friend who will be town in early December. I'll post an update then.

Thanks to everyone who responded.

 

[Intell]

Your missing the critical line just beneigth the one you quoted:

Download and install an updated EFI Firmware ROM for these computers to use the OS X Internet Recovery feature:

That support article lists every model that can have its firmware updated to support Internet Recovery. The 2008 Macbook is not on that list. Thus, does not and cannot support that feature. Your Macbook defaulted to the only bootable device it could find, the Time Machine drive as designed. That was not Internet Recovery as that machine is simply not capable of it. The only EFI update for that machine was released did not add Internet Recovery to it. Mostly notably it added support for 8GB of memory.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks. Good to know.

A follow up question.
You downloaded Yosemite rather than restore it from Time Machine.
Is this necessary, or can I simply recover everything to the new drive from Time Machine?

You put in the new drive then option key boot to the TM disk. That will give you a recovery screen where you can use Disk Util to format the new disk then restore. That will put the OS and everything on the new drive.

 

[hak187]

Intell, I'm not sure how much a testimonial is worth over the internet, but I swear to you - I have a late 2008 MacBook, first generation unibody.

Less than one week ago I put an unformatted SSD into my machine and command+r booted to the recovery menu. I successfully loaded Yosemite onto the computer after formatting the SSD *without* using an install disc or bootable USB stick. My Time Machine external hard drive was connected to my computer at the time, so perhaps it pulled the OS from there, but if it did, it was transparent to me. If that's the case, then it should work the same way for mike0000, who has a time machine backup available.

mike0000, I had opted for the clean OS install option in case it was the Yosemite beta that caused issues with my old HDD. To be honest I expected that it was going to reinstall Mavericks, so maybe it did just pull the OS from my time machine backup (in which case I just did in two steps what you should be able to do in one).

EDIT: this disclaimer appears on the support page linked by Intell: "Some computers that did not come with OS X Lion or later installed can use the OS X Internet Recovery feature after applying a firmware update." It's likely that I had previously done this update back when I was upgrading my machine in advance of installing 8GB ram (which wasn't originally supported on the 2008 unibody macbook) but became supported later. So mike0000, your mileage may vary. If you don't think you've installed any firmware upgrades from Apple, you may want to try it the old fashioned way as Intell suggested.

How does the late 2008 macbook run with an SSD and Yosemite? I just bought a SSD to install into mine as it is running slow with the current 5400 drive.
thanks!

 

[RITmusic2k]

How does the late 2008 macbook run with an SSD and Yosemite?!

Much faster than the HDD, that's for sure. Most noticeable on bootup and while working on large files (movies, audio, etc.).

 

[KYUSS123]

Hijacking a post again... Will any 2.5 sata HDD work in one of these MacBooks?
I'm itching to upgrade as my OG HDD is on the fritz. I don't think I want to splash out for a SSD as I can get 750GB for £32 and I don't use my laptop as much as I used to.
Thanks.

 

[Intell]

Any 2.5" 9.5mm tall drive will work in a Macbook.

 

[KYUSS123]

Oh so it has to be 9.5mm tall? I have seen some at 7.5mm I think... Will these rattle about if fitted?

 

[Intell]

Shorter drives can fit, but they may not mount correctly. I think most of them do mount correctly.

 

[KYUSS123]

Sorry for this dumb question... Do you mean mount as in how they fit in the bay or mount as in OSX drives can be mounted and unmounted?
Thanks.

 

[Intell]

How they fit within the bay.

 

[KYUSS123]

Thank you.

 

[bighead2617]

Can't install Snow leopard on regular late 2008 macbook

I am hoping that someone in this thread can help me. I recently wiped my late 2008 regular macbook and planned on using the universal snow leopard disk purchased from apple to do a new install. When I hold down the option key at start up, it recognizes the disk and when I click the disk instead of going through to the installation a circle with a line through it pops up on the screen. How do I get the software installed on this hard drive? I appreciate any feedback and help.

 

[Intell]

What colour is the Snow Leopard disc?

 

[bighead2617]

Intell- What colour is the disc?

The color of the disk is white with a snow leopard on it. I bought it directly from apple. I will click the disk after holding option and then i get a circle with a line through it. I have 2 that are completely wiped with no software or anything on the hard drive and can not get software on either.

 

[mike0000]

I am hoping that someone in this thread can help me. I recently wiped my late 2008 regular macbook and planned on using the universal snow leopard disk purchased from apple to do a new install. When I hold down the option key at start up, it recognizes the disk and when I click the disk instead of going through to the installation a circle with a line through it pops up on the screen. How do I get the software installed on this hard drive? I appreciate any feedback and help.

Might be worth a try to use Disk Utility to
Partition and Format the hard drive:

1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.

2. After DU loads select your hard drive

3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.

 

[kostas117]

I have thesame problem more or less as bighead. My hdd was dead due to a fall, so i could not boot. I bought an ssd. I have a bootable usb with lion but when i choose to boot from it it gives me this forbidden sign. I have an late 2008 macboom allluminum. Could you please help me on that?

 

[mike0000]

Just wanted to post an update as I finally got my friend's computer.

After installing the new HD I attempted a Command+r boot, but just got a flashing question mark folder icon.

After connecting the TimeMachine drive via USB I was able to Command+r boot. From the menu I was able to access Disk Utilities and format and partition the new hard drive. Then download a clean install of Mavericks.