Moving a 2009 Macbook hard drive into a Macbook Pro

[Urgorn]

I need to get this done, and would like some help before I spend any money.
I have a hard drive from a 2009 MacBook; the notebook itself was wrecked by water damage, but the hard drive is intact, and the files are still on it (at least the computer repair store said so). I am planning on buying a MacBook pro, and then using my old files, but I'm not 100% sure of how to do it.
I know that there are relatively simple ways to transfer files if the old computer still works (via a cable, time machine, ETC), but is it possible to simply swap the hard drives and continue? Please let me know how I go about doing this, thanx!

(The 2009 MacBook is totally inoperable, no way to turn it on and access it)

 

[zackkmac]

You certainly can. Look on iFixit.com for guides on how to remove your old HD and install it on your new MBP. It will be pretty easy.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

It will only work, if the 2009 MB had at least Mac OS X 10.7.5 and newer installed though.

As for transferring data, you could get a USB enclosure for 2.5" S-ATA HDDs and put the old HDD in there and then use Migration / Setup Assistant to migrate all your data and applications to the new MBP, in case you have an older version of Mac OS X on that HDD.

 

[Urgorn]

It will only work, if the 2009 MB had at least Mac OS X 10.7.5 and newer installed though.

As for transferring data, you could get a USB enclosure for 2.5" S-ATA HDDs and put the old HDD in there and then use Migration / Setup Assistant to migrate all your data and applications to the new MBP, in case you have an older version of Mac OS X on that HDD.

I think I had 1.6.4 or something.....
What exactly would I do then?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I think I had 1.6.4 or something.....
What exactly would I do then?

You probably mean 10.7.4? Did you buy Mac OS X 10.7 Lion via the Mac App Store (MAS) at some point and installed it? If your Finder's Sidebar was using grey icons instead of coloured ones like in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, then you have 10.7.4, and that should work okay, as the 2012 MBPs came with a special build of 10.7.3, thus 10.7.4 contained all the necessary drivers for that hardware.

If that does not work, take the USB enclosure route I talked about.

Migration Assistant / Setup Assistant information:

Setting-up a new Mac from an old one, its Backups, or a PC
which includes:

• Using Setup Assistant on Snow Leopard or Leopard
• Using Setup Assistant on Lion
• Using Migration Assistant on Snow Leopard or Leopard
• Using Migration Assistant on Lion
• Transferring files from one User Account to another
• Transferring Home Folders not on a Startup volume
• Transferring Applications
• Problems after using Migration Assistant

more information: Apple OSX and Time Machine Tips
​

 

[Urgorn]

You probably mean 10.7.4? Did you buy Mac OS X 10.7 Lion via the Mac App Store (MAS) at some point and installed it? If your Finder's Sidebar was using grey icons instead of coloured ones like in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, then you have 10.7.4, and that should work okay, as the 2012 MBPs came with a special build of 10.7.3, thus 10.7.4 contained all the necessary drivers for that hardware.

If that does not work, take the USB enclosure route I talked about.

Migration Assistant / Setup Assistant information:

Setting-up a new Mac from an old one, its Backups, or a PC
which includes:

• Using Setup Assistant on Snow Leopard or Leopard
• Using Setup Assistant on Lion
• Using Migration Assistant on Snow Leopard or Leopard
• Using Migration Assistant on Lion
• Transferring files from one User Account to another
• Transferring Home Folders not on a Startup volume
• Transferring Applications
• Problems after using Migration Assistant

more information: Apple OSX and Time Machine Tips
​

I bought the Mac with Snow Leopard, and never upgraded it at all...but I'm looking into the enclosure method, thanks for the links