Mid 2010 MacBook Pro Upgrade

[golfing bob]

Would like my Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro to last another 1-2 years. I have never done any upgrades and would like to upgrade to an SSD to speed things up. I currently have 4 GB of Ram and 250 GB HDD and am running High Sierra OS. I only need the 250GB SSD. Any suggestions on which SSD and also When I clone the new SSD will everything transfer? I really do not need the 20,000 pictures to transfer.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Well i’d Go with crucial mx300 series myself but the latest sandisk or the Samsung Evo range are all great SSDs. It might be worth sticking 8gb of ram in as well while you are there.

If you clone it you’ll get whatever is on your current system if you don’t want those photos delete or archive them to an external before you clone the drive.

 

[jerryk]

Depending on how many applications you use, you might want to just do a fresh install onto the new SSD. I find after a while my systems end up with a lot of apps I used once years ago and never used again. Changing the drive is an excellent time to do a little spring cleaning and get rid of old apps and data.

You can put your old drive in a USB container and get to your data whenever you need it. Maybe a few of those 20,000 pictures are keepers. https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool...1883&sr=8-3&keywords=usb+sata+drive+enclosure

And as far as SSD to get, your system has a SATA 2 interface so is limited in performance. The Crucial mentioned above is a good choice. But don't spend more to get a faster drive because your system cannot take advantage of the extra performance.

 

[golfing bob]

Thanks for the quick response. How do you do a fresh install?

 

[treekram]

The mid-2010 MBP has the Nvidia MCP89 SATA chipset and some SSD's will only do SATA1, not SATA2. The MCP89 has fewer problems than the MCP79 which was used in some older MBP's. Do a search to make sure whatever SSD you get can do SATA2 with the MCP89. The Samsung 850 Evo/Pro should work. The Crucial MX300 SSD's have issues with the MCP79 but I don't know about the MCP89. Some people also have said that some of the Sandisk's which didn't do SATA2 with the MCP79 work now with the MCP89.

 

[Fishrrman]

Almost any SSD will do. You don't need "the fastest" because the 2010 MBPro has only a SATA-2 bus -- ALL SSD's you put into it will have the potential speeds constrained by the speed of the bus.

I like Sandisk Plus drives, also Crucial.

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you also pick up either a USB3 enclosure or a USB3/SATA adapter/dongle for the old drive. They cost $10-25, depending on what you get.

Use the enclosure (or dongle) to "prep and test" the SSD BEFORE you install it. If you encounter any problems, you will be in much better shape because you'll still have the MacBook running (with the old drive inside).

After you do the swap, you can use the enclosure (or dongle) to access the old drive, either as a backup or for additional storage.

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to transfer the contents of the old drive to the new. If you want to "leave some stuff behind" this too is easily accomplished with CCC.

Go to ifixit.com to see how to do the drive swap.
Be sure to use THE RIGHT TOOLS for the job:
- Phillips #00 driver
- TORX T-6 driver
It's a very simple procedure that ANYBODY can do in 15 minutes (again, so long as you have the right tools).

I would not install more RAM unless you absolutely find yourself running out of memory. 4gb is probably fine.

 

[0002378]

Any suggestions on which SSD and also When I clone the new SSD will everything transfer?

Samsung 850 EVO SSD. I put this in my mid-2009 Macbook Pro and it is awesome !
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-75E500B-AM/dp/B00OAJ412U/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1513646517&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=samsung+850+evo+250gb&th=1

Yes, by default everything will transfer, but the cloning software you use will generally provide a capability to include/exclude files you want/don't want. So, you can exclude the 20k pictures you speak of.

I used the Carbon Copy Cloner app to do the clone (and it does give you the option to exclude files you don't want cloned). It took about an hour for the roughly 50 GB of data on my HDD (most of my data is stored on a larger secondary drive). https://bombich.com/

I used the following cable to connect the new SSD to the system to do the clone: https://www.amazon.com/USB-SATA-IDE...00D76J1KO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8. It worked very well.

I would also recommend upgrading RAM to 8GB for High Sierra.
[doublepost=1513646787][/doublepost]

If you clone it you’ll get whatever is on your current system if you don’t want those photos delete or archive them to an external before you clone the drive.

Actually, not necessarily. Most cloning apps (Carbon Copy Cloner and Super Duper) have an option to include/exclude files you want copied/cloned.

I used Carbon Copy Cloner, which had a Finder-like filesystem tree from which I was able to exclude files/folders I didn't want copied over.

 

[golfing bob]

Samsung 850 EVO SSD. I put this in my mid-2009 Macbook Pro and it is awesome !
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-75E500B-AM/dp/B00OAJ412U/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1513646517&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=samsung+850+evo+250gb&th=1

Yes, by default everything will transfer, but the cloning software you use will generally provide a capability to include/exclude files you want/don't want. So, you can exclude the 20k pictures you speak of.

I used the Carbon Copy Cloner app to do the clone (and it does give you the option to exclude files you don't want cloned). It took about an hour for the roughly 50 GB of data on my HDD (most of my data is stored on a larger secondary drive). https://bombich.com/

I used the following cable to connect the new SSD to the system to do the clone: https://www.amazon.com/USB-SATA-IDE...00D76J1KO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8. It worked very well.

I would also recommend upgrading RAM to 8GB for High Sierra.
[doublepost=1513646787][/doublepost]

Actually, not necessarily. Most cloning apps (Carbon Copy Cloner and Super Duper) have an option to include/exclude files you want copied/cloned.

I used Carbon Copy Cloner, which had a Finder-like filesystem tree from which I was able to exclude files/folders I didn't want copied over.

[doublepost=1513789424][/doublepost]Thanks for all the great information. Think I will go with the Crucial MX300. Thanks again.

 

[0002378]

[doublepost=1513789424][/doublepost]Thanks for all the great information. Think I will go with the Crucial MX300. Thanks again.

You're welcome.

BTW, it's your choice, but if your laptop has the NVidia MCP79 chipset, the MX300 SSD will not give you the best speed possible. How do I know this ? Because when I wanted to put an SSD in my own laptop a few months ago, I decided to buy the MX300 ! And people here told me that it will likely not negotiate the best speed possible.

See this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ssds-sata-and-negotiated-link-speeds.2047851/

And then I canceled my MX300 order and bought the Samsung 850 EVO instead

Again, it's your choice, but if I were you, and I were spending all that money, with the intention of speeding up my MBP, I'd want to get the most bang for my buck, and avoid the potential hassle of returns/exchanges, etc.

[doublepost=1513808063][/doublepost]

The mid-2010 MBP has the Nvidia MCP89 SATA chipset and some SSD's will only do SATA1, not SATA2. The MCP89 has fewer problems than the MCP79 which was used in some older MBP's. Do a search to make sure whatever SSD you get can do SATA2 with the MCP89. The Samsung 850 Evo/Pro should work. The Crucial MX300 SSD's have issues with the MCP79 but I don't know about the MCP89. Some people also have said that some of the Sandisk's which didn't do SATA2 with the MCP79 work now with the MCP89.

Yup, you read my mind, treekram ! I remember you helping me with this issue a few months ago when I did my own SSD upgrade on my mid-2009. I wanted to make sure to point this out to the OP here, but you beat me to it

 

[TazExprez]

I have this same 7,1 2010 MBP 13, but mine has 8GB RAM. I was thinking of getting a 250GB Samsung EVO 850. Would it be worth it to do any upgrades on this machine at this point? I was also thinking of upgrading to 16GB of RAM.

 

[0002378]

I have this same 7,1 2010 MBP 13, but mine has 8GB RAM. I was thinking of getting a 250GB Samsung EVO 850. Would it be worth it to do any upgrades on this machine at this point? I was also thinking of upgrading to 16GB of RAM.

Yes, the SSD upgrade is totally worth it. Even if you someday stop using this machine, you can use the SSD as external storage. Go for the 850 EVO - gold standard SSD.

16GB RAM probably won't make as much of a difference as the SSD upgrade, but it can't hurt.

 

[TazExprez]

Yes, the SSD upgrade is totally worth it. Even if you someday stop using this machine, you can use the SSD as external storage. Go for the 850 EVO - gold standard SSD.

16GB RAM probably won't make as much of a difference as the SSD upgrade, but it can't hurt.

I also have a 7,1 2010 MB 13 2.4 8GB and a 5,1 2011 Mini 2.3 8GB that I was thinking of upgrading. I was thinking of putting a 250GB 850 in the MB and a 500GB 850 in the Mini.

 

[MichaelDT]

Would like my Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro to last another 1-2 years. I have never done any upgrades and would like to upgrade to an SSD to speed things up. I currently have 4 GB of Ram and 250 GB HDD and am running High Sierra OS. I only need the 250GB SSD. Any suggestions on which SSD and also When I clone the new SSD will everything transfer? I really do not need the 20,000 pictures to transfer.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I suggest you forget about the newfangled SSD use the proven RAM Doubler 9. I've heard it does wonders for MACS. https://www.amazon.com/Connectix-R010836-RAM-Doubler-9-0/dp/B00004W37M

 

[golfing bob]

You're welcome.

BTW, it's your choice, but if your laptop has the NVidia MCP79 chipset, the MX300 SSD will not give you the best speed possible. How do I know this ? Because when I wanted to put an SSD in my own laptop a few months ago, I decided to buy the MX300 ! And people here told me that it will likely not negotiate the best speed possible.

See this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ssds-sata-and-negotiated-link-speeds.2047851/

And then I canceled my MX300 order and bought the Samsung 850 EVO instead

Again, it's your choice, but if I were you, and I were spending all that money, with the intention of speeding up my MBP, I'd want to get the most bang for my buck, and avoid the potential hassle of returns/exchanges, etc.

[doublepost=1513808063][/doublepost]

Yup, you read my mind, treekram ! I remember you helping me with this issue a few months ago when I did my own SSD upgrade on my mid-2009. I wanted to make sure to point this out to the OP here, but you beat me to it

[doublepost=1513821544][/doublepost]

You're welcome.

BTW, it's your choice, but if your laptop has the NVidia MCP79 chipset, the MX300 SSD will not give you the best speed possible. How do I know this ? Because when I wanted to put an SSD in my own laptop a few months ago, I decided to buy the MX300 ! And people here told me that it will likely not negotiate the best speed possible.

See this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ssds-sata-and-negotiated-link-speeds.2047851/

And then I canceled my MX300 order and bought the Samsung 850 EVO instead

Again, it's your choice, but if I were you, and I were spending all that money, with the intention of speeding up my MBP, I'd want to get the most bang for my buck, and avoid the potential hassle of returns/exchanges, etc.

[doublepost=1513808063][/doublepost]

Yup, you read my mind, treekram ! I remember you helping me with this issue a few months ago when I did my own SSD upgrade on my mid-2009. I wanted to make sure to point this out to the OP here, but you beat me to it

Thanks-I have not bought the SSD yet
Will go with the Samsung 850. Are there issues with cloning High Sierra?

 

[0002378]

Are there issues with cloning High Sierra

Yup, the Samsung 850 is a safer choice.

About cloning High Sierra, I don't know from direct experience coz I'm still running Sierra. But, I saw these articles:

Carbon Copy Cloner: https://bombich.com/blog/2017/06/07/ccc-support-macos-high-sierra-and-apfs

Super Duper: https://www.macstories.net/news/superduper-updated-for-macos-high-sierra-and-apfs/

So, it looks like there shouldn't be issues. I'm sure others on this forum will tell you how to resolve any issues you run into as I'm sure someone else here has done a High Sierra clone.

 

[LarryJoe33]

See my system specs. I am not familiar with the 2010, but I am guessing it's about the same in terms of upgrading. Not to be repetitive of what others have said, but here is my advice:

- Crucial MX300 has been a rock for me, but the other offerings mentioned are also good. Go for the best priced option.
- You may be able to upgrade to 16GB of memory, it's overkill, but why not if the price difference is not that much. I originally went with Crucial memory but later changed it up for 2133ghz self overclocking memory (Kingston Hyper X).
- You will need a SATA/USB enclosure. I highly recommend getting one that is powered vs. using the USB bus power.
- Use CCC5 (free trial) to clone the internal HDD to the SSD in the enclosure. CCC5 is SO good and dummy proof. Cloning can be done with DU but I found it confusing. Two clicks with CCC and you are off to the races.
- After the clone is done, boot to the SSD (holding down option key) and make sure it works.
- Swap them
- Consider changing the battery while you are in there for the memory and SSD.
- Delete the pictures after if you really need to.
- I personally would put that HDD in a safe place for a few months before blowing it away. It's always nice to have a backup plan. That said, when you are comfortable, use the enclosure to blow it away and re-clone to it with CCC as your backup.

I bought all of my parts through Amazon. Your system will feel brand new. What got me started was the day I upgraded to Sierra with the HDD and 4GB of memory. It was almost unusable. I started with the memory and it ran much better, but the SSD made it scream. One bounce of an app like word or excel and instantly loaded. Good luck!

 

[golfing bob]

See my system specs. I am not familiar with the 2010, but I am guessing it's about the same in terms of upgrading. Not to be repetitive of what others have said, but here is my advice:

- Crucial MX300 has been a rock for me, but the other offerings mentioned are also good. Go for the best priced option.
- You may be able to upgrade to 16GB of memory, it's overkill, but why not if the price difference is not that much. I originally went with Crucial memory but later changed it up for 2133ghz self overclocking memory (Kingston Hyper X).
- You will need a SATA/USB enclosure. I highly recommend getting one that is powered vs. using the USB bus power.
- Use CCC5 (free trial) to clone the internal HDD to the SSD in the enclosure. CCC5 is SO good and dummy proof. Cloning can be done with DU but I found it confusing. Two clicks with CCC and you are off to the races.
- After the clone is done, boot to the SSD (holding down option key) and make sure it works.
- Swap them
- Consider changing the battery while you are in there for the memory and SSD.
- Delete the pictures after if you really need to.
- I personally would put that HDD in a safe place for a few months before blowing it away. It's always nice to have a backup plan. That said, when you are comfortable, use the enclosure to blow it away and re-clone to it with CCC as your backup.

I bought all of my parts through Amazon. Your system will feel brand new. What got me started was the day I upgraded to Sierra with the HDD and 4GB of memory. It was almost unusable. I started with the memory and it ran much better, but the SSD made it scream. One bounce of an app like word or excel and instantly loaded. Good luck!

Thanks for the great information. That’s what happened when I upgraded to Sierra and then High Sierra. I was looking on the CCC site and it appeared that are not ready for High Sierra yet. Will check into this more. Thanks again.

 

[LarryJoe33]

Thanks for the great information. That’s what happened when I upgraded to Sierra and then High Sierra. I was looking on the CCC site and it appeared that are not ready for High Sierra yet. Will check into this more. Thanks again.

CCC5 most certainly is. It is built for High Sierra/APFS. https://bombich.com/download

Also, consider buying it after the trial period, it is well worth the price. The support and client service is outstanding and it will save you hours or days of effort if things turn bad.
[doublepost=1513866165][/doublepost]

I suggest you forget about the newfangled SSD use the proven RAM Doubler 9. I've heard it does wonders for MACS. https://www.amazon.com/Connectix-R010836-RAM-Doubler-9-0/dp/B00004W37M

New fangled SSD????? Seriously, you are recommending keeping a 5400 RPM spinner and using memory managing software?

 

[ccorry21]

Would like my Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro to last another 1-2 years. I have never done any upgrades and would like to upgrade to an SSD to speed things up. I currently have 4 GB of Ram and 250 GB HDD and am running High Sierra OS. I only need the 250GB SSD. Any suggestions on which SSD and also When I clone the new SSD will everything transfer? I really do not need the 20,000 pictures to transfer.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I updated my own 2010 13" MBP with an SSD from OWC, and it has been *incredible*. Has definitely given me at least another 5 years; but I would also recommend updating to at least 8GB of memory...that has helped as well. They have an option to buy the whole kit, including an enclosure for your old HD. I also used Carbon Copy Cloner; was a super easy process, and OWC has some great tutorials that will walk you through the process. I highly recommend them! https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/macbook-pro/2010

 

[TazExprez]

Do I need to get the SSD with the mount bundle, or could I just get the SSD drive? I want to get the Samsung EVO 850 from Amazon. The 250GB drive is $84.99 and the with the mount bundle it costs $91.98.

 

[robvas]

You don't need a mounting kit for a MacBook Pro

 

[loby]

I have this same 7,1 2010 MBP 13, but mine has 8GB RAM. I was thinking of getting a 250GB Samsung EVO 850. Would it be worth it to do any upgrades on this machine at this point? I was also thinking of upgrading to 16GB of RAM.

Have the 13” MacBook Pro 2010 that is able to put 16 GB of RAM in. Added a Samsung 850 250GB. It is like new. If you can afford it, buying 16 GBs for it. It can’t hurt, especially with Sierra or High Sierra. Should last a few more years. Love it!

 

[TazExprez]

Will High Sierra change the file system to APFS after the SSD is installed, or do you have to reinstall High Sierra? I am planning on cloning the drive.

 

[0002378]

I was looking on the CCC site and it appeared that are not ready for High Sierra yet

CCC5 most certainly is. It is built for High Sierra/APFS.

https://bombich.com/blog/2017/06/07/ccc-support-macos-high-sierra-and-apfs

 

[LarryJoe33]

https://bombich.com/blog/2017/06/07/ccc-support-macos-high-sierra-and-apfs

That’s a very old blog. CCC5 works perfectly with high sierra and APFS.