Newbie needs advice SSD

[andydavidyeates]

Hi everyone, i'm new to the forum but i'm hoping to learn a lot, looks great!

I currently have a 2009 MBP running
2.26 GHz Duo
4GB of RAM
1TB Samsung 5400rpm HD

I'm looking to upgrade my computer and i think a good place to start is installing a SSD.

I still need a lot of space so i want to keep the 1TB HD and remove the Superdrive to make space for an additional SSD. i think i need one of these for that?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008594WB6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AQ0GSAV8PJ0BI



Which SSD is the fastest and most reliable? it's all a bit confusing to me. I've looked at the OWC and OCZ. Because my computer is a 2009 i don't think all the SSD's are compatible?

Just not sure on which SSD to go for. i will only need a small one for the OS and a few apps. So i'd rather spend more on a fast SSD.

Also is it easy to format both drives so that the OS boots on the SSD and all of my videos / photos are on my HDD?

Thanks in advanced!

Andy

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Hi everyone, i'm new to the forum but i'm hoping to learn a lot, looks great!

I currently have a 2009 MBP running
2.26 GHz Duo
4GB of RAM
1TB Samsung 5400rpm HD

I'm looking to upgrade my computer and i think a good place to start is installing a SSD.

8 GB RAM is also cheap to get, it should cost around 50 €.

Upgrading RAM in MacBooks and MacBook Pros​

I still need a lot of space so i want to keep the 1TB HD and remove the Superdrive to make space for an additional SSD. i think i need one of these for that?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008594WB6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AQ0GSAV8PJ0BI

Yes, that is something you need, but also know, that many fare very well with cheaper Optibays / data doublers from eBay.

Which SSD is the fastest and most reliable?

Samsung 830 and Samsung 840 are the current favourites, but the Crucial M4 and OCZ Vertex 3 and OCZ Vertex 4 and Intel SSDs are also good choices.

SSD Buying Guide by Hellhammer​

it's all a bit confusing to me. I've looked at the OWC and OCZ. Because my computer is a 2009 i don't think all the SSD's are compatible?

All S-ATA SSDs are compatible, it just is, that your MBP has an S-ATA 3.0 Gbps (S-ATA II) interface, thus S-ATA 6.0 Gbps (S-ATA III) SSDs will work but be limited to the slower sequential read and write speeds (200 to 230 MB/s).
I have an S-ATA 6.0 Gbps (S-ATA III) SSD in my 2009 MBP and it works quite well. It is the Crucial M4 256 GB SSD.

Just not sure on which SSD to go for. i will only need a small one for the OS and a few apps. So i'd rather spend more on a fast SSD.

The Crucial M4 256 GB can be had for 120 € nowadays.

Also is it easy to format both drives so that the OS boots on the SSD and all of my videos / photos are on my HDD?

Only the SSD needs to be formatted, the HDD is already formatted correctly, unless you want to delete all data on it and start from scratch.

How to format a new HDD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)​

 

[andydavidyeates]

Brilliant! thank you very much for all the advice! pretty much answered everything for me there! love forums! i looked through loads and i'm glad i decided on this one lol.

I've heard a lot of good things about the Crucial M4 and the Samsungs so i think it's between those.

with my current HDD will it not be better to format it so that it doesn't have the OS on it and the apps i put on the SSD, no point in having them twice surely? Also what size shall i go for? Moutain Lion is only about 5GB isn't it? i'm thinking 60GB will be big enough for most of my software.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

with my current HDD will it not be better to format it so that it doesn't have the OS on it and the apps i put on the SSD, no point in having them twice surely? Also what size shall i go for? Moutain Lion is only about 5GB isn't it? i'm thinking 60GB will be big enough for most of my software.

Yes, if you backed up your data, then it is okay to format the HDD. I did the same, though for a year or so, I had a 120 GB partition on my 500 GB HDD for a clone of the 60 GB and 120 GB SSDs I had before the 256 GB SSD.

60 GB should suffice if you only use small apps and nothing big like Photoshop or so (my Applications folder is currently 7 GB big, but that is after a clean install a week or so ago and it will probably grow to 14 to 25 GB in the next weeks).

You can use Disk Utility to format the old HDD.

____________________________________________________________

Links to guides on how to use Disk Utility, the application Mac OS X provides for managing internal and external HDD/SSDs and its formats.

Guide on how to use Disk Utility from the restore / installation DVD.

Using Disk Utility - Formatting, Partitioning, Verifying, and Repairing Disks

which includes:

• Format, Erase, or Reformat a Drive
• Erase or Reformat a Partition
• Add a Partition
• Deleting and Resizing Partitions
• Disk Formats

and some more guides
​

DiskWiping – One Pass is Enough​

____________________________________________________________​

 

[andydavidyeates]

Ok so i've read lots of reviews and decided to go with the Samsung. just not sure which one.... what are the main difference between the 830 and 840? The 830 seems to be more expensive but comes with Norton ghost and desktop kit which i guess i don't need. I'm just going to set it up using the Disk utility and Lion software.

Think i'm going for this,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Ser...7C5I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358642024&sr=8-3

Seems really cheap for a 120GB SSD!

Ps also going to buy 8GB's of RAM to really boost it!

 

[andydavidyeates]

I went for the Samsung 840 Pro 128GB in the end. With the OWC data doubler, i know it's expensive but i've read that others are junk and that it's worth the money!

Also bought 8GB's worth of Crucial memory.

Thanks again for al of your help and advice! I'll let you know how it goes.

Andy

 

[andydavidyeates]

Just wanted to give an update.

I'm extremely happy with the results! just installed the 8GB of RAM and my new Samsung 840 pro SSD which is incredible! it's so quick! like a new computer!

Best money i've spent in a while!

Thanks for your advice.

Andy

 

[Orlandoech]

Guides in my signature may be of some assistance.