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Switching internal hard drives/ram? easy or not?

6

617media

macrumors member
Original poster
I recently bought a new Macbook Pro, and sold my black Macbook to someone.

The issue is that I need to immediately have basically the same computer, I rely on it for business and school. I was pleased to learn you can do this easily with Time Machine and an external drive.

The problem is that the hard drive in my new MBP is actually smaller than my macbook's HD. I want to copy the computer over perfectly and not rely on an external so I need to install a new, bigger internal. I found a Segate 500gb 7200rpm for like $100.

I have never modded any apple products before but I am good with computers. Any advise would be appreciated. Is it hard/risky to do? Will that drive work?

Also while I am inside the MBP I figured I might as well add more ram. Same question with this.

Thank you.
 
617media said:
I recently bought a new Macbook Pro, and sold my black Macbook to someone.

The issue is that I need to immediately have basically the same computer, I rely on it for business and school. I was pleased to learn you can do this easily with Time Machine and an external drive.

The problem is that the hard drive in my new MBP is actually smaller than my macbook's HD. I want to copy the computer over perfectly and not rely on an external so I need to install a new, bigger internal. I found a Segate 500gb 7200rpm for like $100.

I have never modded any apple products before but I am good with computers. Any advise would be appreciated. Is it hard/risky to do? Will that drive work?

Also while I am inside the MBP I figured I might as well add more ram. Same question with this.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

These will show you exactly how to instal a HDD and more RAM to your MBP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFGSENt1K-Q&feature=related (for HDD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCh7PmOmgE8&feature=related (for RAM)

It may be hard for a first time do-er, but its not so much all that risky. It's basically the same procedure as any other laptop/desktop just in a different internal layout.
 
okay thanks. Couple more questions:

- I just realized how is the switch going to work? I have 10.6.2 on the macbook pro and 10.5.8 on the black macbook.... If I install a new drive into the macbook pro unibody, how is this going to work? I don't have the original install disk. I have another copy of a 10.6.1 disk from my sister's new regular white macbook.

After installing the new HD can I simply start up holding down C, with the disk in, and install new OSX, then run time machine and have everything replaced with my old computer?

- Is there any difference between 10.6.1 and 10.6.2 ? Can I upgrade to 10.6.2 from 10.6.1 for free once I have it installed?


I just don't wana mess this up since more than a day without my files and system means lost $$ and work.
 
617media said:
ALSO could someone reassure me. Are these compatible/good choices?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148192

^RAM (assuming it can only hold 4GB, it has 2 now)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148374

^ HD


thanks again.. I don't wana order anything till I get some confirmation to these questions from someone who knows better
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, you will need 2x2GB sticks as there are 2x1GB RAM sticks in your mac. I've had the same RAM. And now I have 2x4gb sticks from Crucial. It's a great company.

About the HDD some people claim it's great. Others have noticed a decrease in battery life and some vibration. It's definitely one of the fastest mechanical drives you can put in a laptop today.
 
617media said:
alright thanks i guess ill take the risk
Click to expand...
Take your time and don't rush. The screws holding the back are of two types long and VERY short, be careful you don't lose one! You will definitely want to find a No. 6 Torx driver to undo and reset the screws on the sides of the drive. Without it it can be very difficult to get them undone (I did it once with a pair of needlenose pliers and I wouldn't want to do that again. The screws go in at an angle in some places, take notes if you need to. And be careful with the connecting cable, it is not that robust. Otherwise it is relatively easy to do.
BTW, I have the ST9500420AS Seagate 500GB in my MacBook Pro and it is very quiet, has no perceptible vibration, and the battery drain is only a minor amount compared with the original 250 GB Toshiba, maybe 30-40 minute less with average use. And it does not have those pesky "beachball" issues. Both the Link Speed and the Negotiated Link Speed are 3GB even after the update to 10.6.3.
 
thanks I am definitely going with that drive and G skill 2x2gb compatible ram, unless you guys have something better to recommend.


I am still not quite sure about the transfer of this computer to the new one. Once I have the new internal installed in the new mbp along with ram, it will obviously be a blank computer with no OS on it.

I long lost the 10.5 os x disk anyways.. I've read a bunch of stuff online but everyone seems to have different methods. I downloaded SuperDuper on the original computer, can I just plug that into the new blank macbook pro and start it up holding option or C or something...? and then run super duper, letting me avoid having to deal with downloading a sketchy Macbook Pro 10.6 OS X disk image off somewhere.. ??

OR should I buy a cheap HD enclosure for like $10 off newegg, connect it to the original computer and copy the hard drive over to that and THEN install into the new mbp?


OR can I connect the original macbook to the new MBP directly via firewire (I have an 800 to 400mbp adapter for the mbp), start the new computer up holding T ?


This is the only thing holding me back from placing an order and getting this all over.
 
It takes about 10 minutes, very easy. But I would suggest a 5400 rpm hard drive like the WD Scorpio Blue: negligible perfomance gap, less noise and vibrations.
 
ya im not worried about the hardware installation.... It's a pretty straight forward question: how do you install a time machine or superduper copy of the original drive and clone it onto the NEW internal HD.

I want to order everything I need tomorrow
 
YOu cannot install 10.5 on your new unibody macbook pro, forget about that right away.

You can buy a 10.6 upgrade snow leopard DVD for 29 bucks and use that to first boot your computer, then restore from time machine and you're done.
 
snaky69 said:
YOu cannot install 10.5 on your new unibody macbook pro, forget about that right away.

You can buy a 10.6 upgrade snow leopard DVD for 29 bucks and use that to first boot your computer, then restore from time machine and you're done.
Click to expand...

yeah I know the MBP doesn't run 10.5.... your saying that I should pay another $30 and update my old macbook to 10.6 before cloning it over or it wont work?

If that is the case I'll do that but it's kind of a waste of money since I payed for the 10.6 that is running now in my new MBP. There is no way to copy the 10.6 update/license over to the old black macbook, and THEN clone it back over to the new MBP ??
 
wow.... so i recieved the hitachi 7200rpm 500gb drive and it apparently doesn't work with my 13" MBP?

I replaced it correctly, started up and i ran time machine, didnt have the internal HD as an option of where to install the Time Machine backup to.

I looked it up online found a post that it doesn't actually work with 13 unibody mpb?

Can anyone varify if this is true? if it is how do i go about returning to newegg and what do you recommend I get to replace it.

I don't want to go through with this anymore. I installed the old HD back into it for now and it doesn't ****ing work either I get the flashing folder with a ? mark when I restart. godamn it
 
617media said:
wow.... so i recieved the hitachi 7200rpm 500gb drive and it apparently doesn't work with my 13" MBP?

I replaced it correctly, started up and i ran time machine, didnt have the internal HD as an option of where to install the Time Machine backup to.

I looked it up online found a post that it doesn't actually work with 13 unibody mpb?

Can anyone varify if this is true? if it is how do i go about returning to newegg and what do you recommend I get to replace it.

I don't want to go through with this anymore. I installed the old HD back into it for now and it doesn't ****ing work either I get the flashing folder with a ? mark when I restart. godamn it
Click to expand...
You need to boot using the snow leopard DVD and format the disk first before being able to do anything OS X related onto it as most hard disks come formatted for windows out of the box.
 
yeah but how do i format it? i lost the original snow leapord install disk... i have one for another computer and I have one i downloaded off piratebay.org


when I used the 10.6.2 install disk i took from my sisters macbook It brings me to the original os x install setup but doesn't seem to work ?

Do i return the drive or is it just a matter of setting it up right
 
Given the date of your post, it's unclear if you have a new MBP unibody, or the prior model. They were only released last Tuesday, April 13.

Anyway, to answer your question, best bet is to buy the new 10.6.3 (the version with the new MBPs) OS Snow Leopard (like $30), boot from the DVD with the new drive in the MBP, first use disk utility to format the drive, then install 10.6 from the DVD. After this point, you can use time machine to bring over all your folders, files, settings, etc.

BTW, I bought the 7200 rpm Seagate 500GB, installed it, and had tons of vibration. Took it out and exchanged for the 640GB Western Digital Blue 5400 drive.

YMMV.

Joe M.
 
Thanks. I have the Unibody.

Anyone else have something to say about this? I could give installation one more try with a fresh copy of 10.6.

Just curious to know if anyone else has experience with this drive... since I chose it with a recommendation from someone here.
 
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