When I get my MacBook at the end of the month I plan on installing a 320GB Samsung Hard Drive into the MacBook. I was just wondering to reinstall Mac OSX will the laptop come with the disc to reinstall it and if it does and I use it will it be like starting it up for the first time?
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MacBook Hard Drive update?
- Thread starter SeanEE89
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If you're in the States and close to a Best Buy, go over and buy a Western Digital 320G external right now. They're on sale for $149.00, and you get an enclosure you can pop your old drive in as part of a deal as well.
MacDann
Depends, theres a way to transfer the files using an external hd, so when you do open it, its exactly the same as before 
Depends, theres a way to transfer the files using an external hd, so when you do open it, its exactly the same as before
1.) Install new HD
2.) Boot with OS DVD/CD-ROM and install OS
3.) Put old drive in external enclosure
4.) Boot MBP with new HD installed and respond to setup prompts
5.) When asked if you want to import data from another machine, point it at the external drive.
6.) Import apps/data, etc.
7.) Find something to occupy your time for a while.
8.) When done, try out your apps and make sure everything works.
I am pretty sure you can do this with a USB external, but check to make sure. I prefer to use FireWire myself, but I seem to recall having done it with USB drives in Tiger.
I know that some have reported problems with the migration wizard, but I have used it numerous times and never had a problem. Worst case scenario you have to manually install an app or move the data over from the old drive. Big deal.
MacDann
So... I have my original external hard drive? Take it apart? And put my MacBook hard drive in the external hard drive's case? and it should work?
I hope I'm understanding you correctly..
I just did this last week so I speak with the voice of experience.
I bought an external 250Gb drive (mine was FW but it doesn't matter it can be USB).
Using the latest version of super-Duper (free, but if you're running Leopard, make sure you get the latest one, the earlier one doesn't work).
Plug in the external drive and run Super-Duper, backing up the whole drive to it and making it the bootable drive when it's finished (that's a Super-Duper option).
When it's finished, shut everything down and unplug it all.
Crack open the external drive enclosure, crack open the MacBook and swap the drives.
Done.
You can then put your old, smaller drive in the enclosure and after verifying everything is ok with the MacBook, format the old drive (now in the enclosure) and use it for whatever you like. Media, music, pron, your choice.
The instructions for replacing your drive are all online. It's really quite simple. But remember to use the latest version of Super-Duper if you're running Leopard. The old version will *NOT* work and you'll be left with a grey screen and a spinner at the end of the install.
Cheers.
Yes.. But the external hard drive must have SATA connection. SATA connection is what your Macbook Hard drive uses. If your external HDD is not SATA then you cannot put your Macbook HDD in the external.
And yes, you can use a USB external drive. The new Macbooks will even allow you to install to an external drive.
-JoE
then I'm assuming I need to make sure that my external hard drive that I have right now can be placed into my MacBook before I start..
I don't need to go and buy an extra internal hard drive? What if I DO buy an additional INTERNAL hard drive? Can I just place that in my existing EXTERNAL hard drive's enclosure? Or do I need to buy an enclosure separately.
(THANKS to all for replying!)
Oh ok.. Well, I don't think my existing external hard drive is SATA.. So I guess I'll buy an internal drive online somewhere that's SATA.
So my qusetion is, when I buy this internal drive, can I use my existing external hard drive's enclosure? or do I need a SATA specific enclosure? (I don't know how hardware works... so I just need to ask all the qeustions I can since you're all so knowledgeable and helpful!)
Your MacBook requires a SATA drive. So you need to buy one of those.
If you want to reinstall Leopard and all your applications, rather than take a copy of your current system, then you don't need an external drive at all. You can just buy an SATA internal drive, pop it in your MacBook and restart with the Leopard CD, doing a fresh install of everything.
If you want a copy of your existing system, you will need a SATA drive for in your MacBook, and an external hard drive enclosure that is SATA internally and either FW or USB externally.
Then you can follow the instructions I posted earlier.
Cheers.
You will need a SATA specific enclosure.
The only way to know if your external is SATA is by looking on the box or physically opening it up. When you open it up look at its connector, a SATA connector would be a very small rectangular shaped thing thats black and its kinda like in an L-shape. If its a Large rectangular connector with many holes in it, then it is NOT a SATA hard drive/enclosure. You would then need to buy a new enclosure.
Some companies, hitachi or seagate or western digital, portable enclosures use SATA hard drive, but there is no guarantee as far as i know that they will be SATA hard drives inside. Perhaps someone else can fill you in on which portable enclosures will have SATA Hard drives in them.
-JoE
Well i've been planning on buying a different hard drive anyway cuz my current external harddrive is still too small for what I want my actual computer to be. I'm planning on buying a 320GB. So I found one on newegg.com (Western Digital SATA Notebook internal ddrive) for $179. And then I guess I'll just buy an enclosure. Would finding a SATA External HardDrive be cheaper? easier?
I bought a MacAlly PHR-S250CC last week.
It's SATA internally and has USB and FW. It doesn't need any external power either which is really nice as it cuts down on cable clutter.
Cheers.
THANKS!
btw, MacBook drives are 2.5" correct?
I looked at the MacAlly and am comparing with other enclosures? Is it cuz it's a FW-able that it's $10-20 more expensive than others?
And if I'm buying internal hard drives... what specs am I looking for?
2.5"
how many RPMs?
SATA-300? or SATA-150?
Latency?
Cache?
It is a little more expensive due to the FW interface, yes.
They are 2.5". The faster the drive, the better. I could only get a 5400 rpm drive unfortunately, we're less 'advanced' in Canada in some ways, if you can get a 7200 rpm drive, that is better.
Not sure about SATA-300 or 150, I don't know what that means.
And I don't know about Latency or Cache settings either.
Cheers.
Haha.. no no no no. lol Lets not. Just get what you need or whats cheaper. I believe the 320 GB ones come in 5400 RPM anyways so.. if you want the max then just put down the money and get that one. As MacDann stated earlier, Bestbuy is currently having a sale on these for $149 if you are in the US. Just get any drive thats 2.5 inches and SATA interface. Wester Digital is a great company also.
Latency pertains to how fast the HDD access's the info on the HDD. Cache is sorta like Ram for the hard drive, in short more of that is better haha. Let us know if you got any more questions.
-JoE
Sorry yes i know about the 5400 vs 7200, but its gotta be said the WD 320GB
is nearly as fast as the smaller 7200 drives due to the density of its platters
not only that its also down to the amount of data on the drive.Try looking
it up on wikipedia
I'm at the Best Buy site right now and I'm looking at two different Western Digital 320GB..
Model: WDH1CS3200N
or
Model: WDH1U3200N
which one is correct? I don't see any mention of SATA in the second one... so I'm hoping I'm starting to get it and guess that the first one is the one I want? is that the one that you're all talking about that's on sale?