MBP (Mid-2012) cloning original HDD to new smaller SSD.

[MasturB]

Hey all,

I finally got all the equipment I needed to open up the MacBook and replace the HDD with a SSD.

I got the physical tools and the external enclosure. What's the best way to go about cloning everything from my current laptop HDD to the new SSD?

Should I physically install the new SSD first and put the old HDD in the enclosure?

Or should I put the SSD in the enclosure, find a program to clone or image my current laptop HDD to the SSD and after I clone it, switch out the drives and it should work fine?

Lastly,
Also, I have a new 250gb Samsung EVO SSD. The MacBook is 500gb. I've already moved enough space to my externals that I should have enough space to not worry about going over the limit on my new SSD?

It says I've only used 232gb so far, which is under the 250gb threshold.

Does that 232gb also include the recovery partition? I assumed it did because it said capacity was 499gb, and previously if it was partitioned it would be whatever the partition space was minus the disk capacity.

If anyone feels 232gb is too high, I can still move over about 10-15 gigs to another external HDD just to be safe. And if anyone has any suggestions for cloning the harddrive, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Thanks

 

[JTToft]

Should I physically install the new SSD first and put the old HDD in the enclosure?

Or should I put the SSD in the enclosure, find a program to clone or image my current laptop HDD to the SSD and after I clone it, switch out the drives and it should work fine?

- Do as you prefer. It's the same result. I tend to think cloning before installation is easier.

Does that 232gb also include the recovery partition?

- It does not. But the recovery partition takes up less than 1 GB.

And if anyone has any suggestions for cloning the harddrive, I'd appreciate it.

- Boot to Recovery Mode and use Disk Utility to clone to the externally connected SSD. This will include the recovery partition. So long as you're below 250 GB to be cloned, it will work. 232 GB is fine, but it's a bit on the low end of the amount you would ideally want to keep free on your system drive.

 

[MasturB]

- Do as you prefer. It's the same result. I tend to think cloning before installation is easier.


- It does not. But the recovery partition takes up less than 1 GB.


- Boot to Recovery Mode and use Disk Utility to clone to the externally connected SSD. This will include the recovery partition. So long as you're below 250 GB to be cloned, it will work. 232 GB is fine, but it's a bit on the low end of the amount you would ideally want to keep free on your system drive.

My plan is to remove the CD drive and install a new HDD for extra storage.

 

[MacInTO]

I'm a fan of installing the new hardware and then loading the OS from a USB stick.

I then copy my data over manually or with migration assistant.

 

[MasturB]

I'm a fan of installing the new hardware and then loading the OS from a USB stick.

I then copy my data over manually or with migration assistant.

I bought a copy of Carbon Copy Cleaner, and since it's basically copying it exactly, I should just be able to switch them out and it should work no problem?

 

[MacInTO]

I bought a copy of Carbon Copy Cleaner, and since it's basically copying it exactly, I should just be able to switch them out and it should work no problem?

Theoretically, yes. I've never used it so can't tell you anything about CCC.

 

[MasturB]

Theoretically, yes. I've never used it so can't tell you anything about CCC.

Looked pretty simple.

Cloned the entire HDD, and then asked if I wanted to clone the Recovery Partition as well. So it worked out.