Replacing Hard drive questions

[cage715]

Hello everyone,

I recently just got a seagate momentus xt and I had a few questions regarding swapping out the old hard drive.

1) First of all, I have read its best to start with a fresh install of mac os so that way I dont carry over any unwanted files. But is there a way I can have a fresh install but carry over my itunes library, microsoft office or just any particular file i wish to bring?

Any and all information regarding the process you would take to replace the HDD would be a great help. Thanks!

 

[Hellhammer]

You can put the original hard drive in an enclosure and connect it via USB and then transfer any files you want.

 

[miles01110]

1) First of all, I have read its best to start with a fresh install of mac os so that way I dont carry over any unwanted files.

It is not necessarily "better" to start with a fresh install.

 

[RHVC59]

I have done it both ways. Either way works, restoring from a time machine backup buts you right back where you were, but with a larger hard disk. Starting fresh gives you another chance to set it up the way you want without also bringing in all the old crap.
It just depends on how quickly you need to be back up and running.
The time machine route is certainly quicker, but the fresh install is cleaner.

 

[tjb1]

I recommend doing a fresh also, that way you can do everything over and change any problems you had. Right now I know im going to get a SSD over christmas so im testing alot of software so when I do it fresh, nothing will be there I dont need. Guess im still a little paranoid coming from a pc laptop with bloatware all of it but I dont like useless files on my computers.

 

[DarkVinda]

me personally would do a fresh install and put your old hdd in an external caddy - i have a 320gb at the moment external and a 320 in my mac but when i get the 500gb momentus im gonna end up with 2 320gb externals 🙁

Fresh install all the way for me 😀 im even doing a fresh install 2nite 😀 cocked up my bootcamp and my other partition 🙁 but thats why i get for messing about 3am in the morning 😀

 

[Neolithium]

I prefer the fresh install as well, takes a little longer, but it's worth it in my eyes for being a nice clean setup.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I have read its best to start with a fresh install of mac os so that way I dont carry over any unwanted files. But is there a way I can have a fresh install but carry over my itunes library, microsoft office or just any particular file i wish to bring?"

I'm one of the camp that says, "if it ain't broke, don't 'fix' it". That is, if the OS and everything else on your old HD is doing fine, why go through the trouble of a "clean install"? (when the older OS is running "clean" as it is?)

In any case, I'd suggest you do this (assuming you haven't done the swap already):

- Get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-Connecla...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1253062702&sr=1-22
(Note: there are many other examples of SATA/USB docks out there, this is the one I use myself)

- Once you have it, use CarbonCopyCloner to "dupe" the contents of your old (internal) hard drive onto the new bare drive (mounted in the dock)

- Once the dupe is completed, reboot from it. To do this:
1. Shut the Mac down, leave the dock powered up
2. Press the restart button
3. IMMEDIATELY hold down the "option" key and KEEP HOLDING IT DOWN
4. In a few moments, the "startup manager" will appear
5. Use either the left/right arrows, the tab key, or the pointer to choose the external drive in the dock, then hit the "return" key
6. The Mac will boot from the bare drive in the dock
7. When you get to the Finder, "look around". Does everything look as you want it to?

You might consider running "from the dock" a day or two, just to be sure that things on the bare drive are EXACTLY as you wish BEFORE you "do the swap".

When you're satisfied that the new drive is "as you like it", now it's time to swap.

Once you have the old drive out, you can continue to use CCC to maintain a "bootable copy" of the old drive.

You'll also find that the USB/SATA dock will become a VERY handy item to have nearby, for any other drives you encounter along the way!!