Just bought a 15'' i7 MBP and an Intel 160GB G2 SSD, Some Questions

[gatorfan787]

Hey everybody,

Long time lurker here... I currently use a 1st gen Macbook Pro (Core Duo) and had been patiently waiting for the update and ordered the i7 15'' with the high-res display and a 500GB-7200RPM drive yesterday.

I wanted an SSD and after researching here, Anandtech, Tweaktown and Tom's hardware, I decided to go with the Intel 160GB Gen 2 SSD. (Which BTW you can currently pick up brand new on eBay for under $370 after 8% Bing CashBack from a reputable seller).

I also picked up this 2.5'' SATA FW800/FW400/USB 2.0 enclosure from Amazon for the 500GB drive that I will use for backing up and storing movies (and for maintaining a separate boot or cloning partition for when I need to do SSD reconditioning).

So my question is this, my computer should come either this Friday or Monday (I got expedited shipping), and I'm wondering if I should turn it on, go through the initial set-up and registration on the hard drive, and then clone it to the SSD using the enclosure I got and then swap the drives...

OR

Swap the drives when the computer comes, boot with the restore disk and install a fresh copy of Snow Leopard onto the SSD?

My common sense tells me that option 2, fresh copy would be better, my only concern is having a fresh, clean, stable system to begin with. I don't mind the time or hassle involved with either option, as both methods seem easily deployable.

Thank you!

Mods: If this is not the appropriate forum, please move. Thanks.

 

[GoCubsGo]

If the SSD comes last then I would use the machine, set it up as you wish, do a time machine backup as well as a super duper clone, then transfer at will.

While you're waiting, I would PM or post a link here of the seller of your Intel SSD. I want a second one and that's a better price than I paid.

 

[gatorfan787]

Thanks for your reply, Jessica.

Being new to the forum, I can't send pm's yet. But basically, I went to Bing.com (sign up for a cashback account using the same e-mail as your Paypal account if you already haven't.) and searched Intel 160GB SSD. In the sponsored links at the top, you will see "Buy intel 160GB SSD on eBay and get 8% Cashback." Click through that, and I bought from the seller who is selling the gen-2, new for $399 with free shipping (100% FB rating, 67 comments). $32 was refunded instantly to my Paypal account at checkout.

Please keep the replies coming... the drive and laptop should actually get here at the same time, within a day of each other at least.

Thanks

 

[moonwalk]

I would set up the hdd and use it. When the intel drive comes, install the hdd into the external case, install the intel in the MBP, and boot into the external drive and install the os onto the ssd. Presto