Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

S.M.A.R.T. failing. Help with HDD Replacement

M

mmattson07

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 14, 2011
8
0
Hello all,

Well unfortunately I noticed something may or may not have dropped on my MacBook Pro keyboard and my command key was cracked down the middle and OSX went corrupt. I then noticed disk utility says my S.M.A.R.T. status is failing. I've determined my HD is a Seagate SATA 2.5" 9.5mm high 250GB 8MB cache 5400RPM HD. Model: ST9250315ASG Media.

Does anyone have an estimate on what an Apple store would charge to swap the hard drive? I'm assuming it would be more cost effective to do the repairs myself, just wondering if there's any incentive to have it done by Apple?

Assuming I choose to replace it myself is there any more trusted make/model that I should consider replacing it with? Considering I bought my MBP in Dec '09 I am hoping to buy a more reliable HDD. Also, anything I should be weary of when taking apart my MBP?

Thank you in advance.
 
For that, no, there is no reason to take to Apple. You hard drive is likely failing from excessive vibration, although it is possible that the failure and drop were coincidental. Either way, the physical damage will likely void the warranty. Apple may choose to replace the HDD if you have AppleCare, but I would not expect them to as they have no obligation at this point. Also, if you buy one yourself then you can get a better HDD or SSD.

I am a huge fan of the WD Caviar and Scorpio Black, and they have pretty good user reviews. There are many HDDs that are usually higher end than the factory ones, some which are also made by Seagate (your current hard drive is a very old model). With that said, no HDD can survive impact or other environmental hazards anywhere near that a Solid State Drive (SSD) can. If you have the money, I would purchase a SSD given they are better than HDDs in almost every way (the almost is due to a higher price and lower size). If not, the WD Black is a nice line if you want a 7200RPM drive (the WD Blue is 5400 but I do not have much experience with them), and there are a lot of others as well.

If you want to use your next hard disk for future computers, check out ones that are SATA3 (6.0) Compliant. Many HDDs are and many, many SSDs are. (The new MBPs can use SATA3 drives and surely will continue to from here on).
 
Thanks for the information Nick. Is 7200rpm vs. 5400 just a matter of preference? What am I sacrificing by going with 5400? Thinking of getting either the WD or a Solid state Seagate off Newegg.
 
mmattson07 said:
Thanks for the information Nick. Is 7200rpm vs. 5400 just a matter of preference? What am I sacrificing by going with 5400? Thinking of getting either the WD or a Solid state Seagate off Newegg.
Click to expand...

7200 RPM is a bit faster, especially if you get a WD. It does cause a little bit more vibration than stock, but I bought one, and the speed difference was worth it. I'd probably pass on the Seagate, which I'm guessing is the momentus XT. Those are faster than a traditional hard drive, but they have been known to have issues with heat and battery.
 
alust2013 said:
7200 RPM is a bit faster, especially if you get a WD. It does cause a little bit more vibration than stock, but I bought one, and the speed difference was worth it. I'd probably pass on the Seagate, which I'm guessing is the momentus XT. Those are faster than a traditional hard drive, but they have been known to have issues with heat and battery.
Click to expand...

Even though it came with 5400 it should have no heat or battery problems with the WD 7200? How/where is the speed difference noticeable?
 
mmattson07 said:
Even though it came with 5400 it should have no heat or battery problems with the WD 7200? How/where is the speed difference noticeable?
Click to expand...

Yep, that's what I did with my computer ('08 MB). It loads apps and boots a bit faster. It's nothing amazing, but it is a noticeable difference, and 7200 RPM drives really aren't much more than 5400 RPM drives.
 
Anyone happen to know if they sell the needed Phillips and Torx at hardware stores like Ace or Home Depot?
 
Look for your specific model on ifixit.com. They give detailed directions and state what tool you need.

EDIT::

And you could buy a set of microdrivers with interchangeable bits. ~$20 Amazon?
 
Last edited:
I pulled up their guide. It just says T6 Torx Screwdriver without a size listed. I suppose I could return it to the hardware store if it's the incorrect size. I'm assuming I won't have any issue finding the Phillips #00. I just would rather not pay more for shipping than the actual item.
 
Have one of them myself, which I keep a cloned copy of my OS on (just in case...). For a HDD, it moves data pretty quickly and the WD Black reliability has made it my 'go-to' HDDs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back