Replacing harddrive on my macbook...

[TheOnlyOasis]

I'll be buying a macbook sometime in the near future, and was wondering if I should settle for the lesser 80 gig harddrive and just change it later. I know for a fact that I want more than 80 gigs (maybe like 150 or something) and I dont want an external hard drive.

So, if I get the 80 gig HD with it, would I be able to buy a harddrive online and replace it myself? Do you need to get a specific type of harddrive for a mac (like, are they the same ones as PC hard drives?), whats the biggest I could get and for how much, and what are the cheapest places to get them?

Also, I completely suck with computers and hardware and all that... would it be easy for a guy like me to replace it myself? Would I need to get someone else to do it, and if so is it cheap to get it done?

Any info on this stuff is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[cyclingplatypus]

It is super easy, you need a standard 2.5" SATA drive, I have a 320GB drive in mine and it works great.

Here is my little blurb about when I replaced teh stock 80GB drive with a 160GB, I have since repeated it with the 320GB drive.

 

[TheOnlyOasis]

It is super easy, you need a standard 2.5" SATA drive, I have a 320GB drive in mine and it works great.

Here is my little blurb about when I replaced teh stock 80GB drive with a 160GB, I have since repeated it with the 320GB drive.

But if I replace the harddrive, won't it lose the MAC OSX and all the stuff that comes with it?

 

[GfulDedFan]

But if I replace the harddrive, won't it lose the MAC OSX and all the stuff that comes with it?

MacInstruct has a pretty good tutorial called How to Upgrade Your MacBook's Hard Drive.
Maybe between cyclingplatypus's blog and MacInstruct you can determine which method combination works best for you.

Note that for the purposes of changing out your HD, the free/trial version of SuperDuper! can be used.

Hope this helps -GDF

 

[misterredman]

But if I replace the harddrive, won't it lose the MAC OSX and all the stuff that comes with it?

One thing to do is to get an external case for the HD that is inside the Macbook (should be pretty cheap). Then swap the internal one with the one of your choice (must be SATA and max 9.5mm thick or it won't fit).
You can then install OSX from the disks (CD or DVD that came with you macbook) or clone back the drive. The external case with your original drive you can use as a backup or to transfer data.
The guide of the above poster will surely help!

 

[ehoez]

One thing to do is to get an external case for the HD that is inside the Macbook (should be pretty cheap). Then swap the internal one with the one of your choice (must be SATA and max 9.5mm thick or it won't fit).
You can then install OSX from the disks (CD or DVD that came with you macbook) or clone back the drive. The external case with your original drive you can use as a backup or to transfer data.
The guide of the above poster will surely help!

sweettttt

 

[ftaok]

Swapping the HDD on a Macbook is probably the 2nd easiest thing to do on a Macbook (the first being swapping RAM).

The hardest part is putting the L-bracket back on since you have to futz with the silver foamy things (SFT) (make sure you gently push the SFTs back into the memory slot holes.

ft

 

[jeremy.king]

Swapping the HDD on a Macbook is probably the 2nd easiest thing to do on a Macbook (the first being swapping RAM).

Unless you have an early first gen MB. Replacing the RAM was a test of strength and patience. Many people either broke their ejection clips or couldn't man up enough the first time to fully seat the RAM (myself included).

 

[roisin and mac]

Swapping the HDD on a Macbook is probably the 2nd easiest thing to do on a Macbook (the first being swapping RAM).

The hardest part is putting the L-bracket back on since you have to futz with the silver foamy things (SFT) (make sure you gently push the SFTs back into the memory slot holes.

ft

C'mon guys, I keep hearing this: is it really that easy? Meaning general educated public easy or geeky person who fiddles with computer since age seven easy?

Just asking 'cause I keep hearing this and now I see that one about having 320 GB in it...*slurp* <gets dreamy look in eyes thinking of all the space>

 

[ftaok]

C'mon guys, I keep hearing this: is it really that easy? Meaning general educated public easy or geeky person who fiddles with computer since age seven easy?

Just asking 'cause I keep hearing this and now I see that one about having 320 GB in it...*slurp* <gets dreamy look in eyes thinking of all the space>

Well, there's a certain level of handyness that you need before tackling any kind of HDD swap, but my opinion is that as long as you're relatively handy, you'll be able to swap it out easily.

You just need the right tools (small screwdrivers -philips and torx- and a credit card for pushing the SFTs back into the holes). It's literally a 10 minute job for most people.

ft

 

[cyclingplatypus]

C'mon guys, I keep hearing this: is it really that easy? Meaning general educated public easy or geeky person who fiddles with computer since age seven easy?

Just asking 'cause I keep hearing this and now I see that one about having 320 GB in it...*slurp* <gets dreamy look in eyes thinking of all the space>

It was that easy, the longest thing for me was cloning the drive, but to prove how easy it is I'll tell you what my wife said when she saw me doing it "I could've done that"...now granted she is quite technical but it really is that easy.