Upgrade Hard Drive UB MB

[vito]

Hi

I have an SSD on the way and want to replace the stock drive.

What tools do I need? Any special type of screwdriver?

Is it possible to then install SL as a clean install?

Thanks

 

[patrickdunn]

I can't answer the 1st question, but yes you can do a clean install. Hold down the option key to boot from the SL disc. Use disk utility to format the SSD then install.

 

[azboricua]

Hi

I have an SSD on the way and want to replace the stock drive.

What tools do I need? Any special type of screwdriver?

Is it possible to then install SL as a clean install?

Thanks

Only thing you will need is a screwdriver that fits the screws on the underside of your macbook. Unless if you have the removable battery, if you do remove the battery cover and all you will need is to remove the bracket holding down the HD which is only one screw or maybe two.

Second question:
You can do a clean install. Right now I think it is the best way to go. i installed SL as an upgrade twice and had tons of freezing and crashing issues. Installed it another time as a fresh install and just got my personal data from time machine, not my apps, I think apps is what was causing the crashing.

 

[andalusia]

So you don't need a torx screwdriver anymore with the unibody macbooks?
That's what the White Macbooks have, for the hard drive case thing.

 

[shady825]

No Torx any more..
A super small screw driver is all thats needed.
I just put a 7200RPM 500GB in mine..

A little tip for anyone looking to replace the hard drive:

On the battery cover inside its shows the screw locations and the different sizes. To make sure you get everything back where its supposed to be, as you take the screws out set them on the picture of where they came from. It matters what screw goes where. This way you can be sure what screw came out of which hole.

EDIT: OH, another thing I didnt realize when first swapping out the HD, there are 4 "screws" on the sides of the stock HD. You will need to put those on the new one to make sure it locks in place properly. If I recall correctly, those MIGHT be Torx, but I used vise grip pliers and they came out really easy. (you can grab the head of the screw with the pliers and turn it out)

 

[mathlete123]

Stupid question...

This is probably somewhere else but....

Does a clean install (from the SL disc) include iLife?

if so, what is the difference (except iwork) between the box set and regular?

If not, how do you get iLife otherwise?

 

[SimonJ]

Does a clean install (from the SL disc) include iLife?

No.

If not, how do you get iLife otherwise?

Buy it for $79 from Apple?

 

[shady825]

No.



Buy it for $79 from Apple?

Wait a minute..... I'm doing a fresh install of SL as we speak (10.6 disc skipping leopard all together) ..my files are being 'migrated' over from a Time Machine back up right now, are you telling me iLife will be gone?
(I just have iLife 08 that came with Leopard)
I guess i'll know in 22 minutes!
My TM backup is a SL backup so I'm thinking everything should be ok.
I did a 'upgrade' when SL came out but decided today I wanted to do a fresh install of SL

-from the iPhone

 

[SimonJ]

Well I have never migrated files that way so I don't know but what's stopping you from just reinstalling iLife from the second DVD that came with your Mac?

 

[shady825]

Well I have never migrated files that way so I don't know but what's stopping you to just reinstall iLife from the second DVD that came with your Mac?

I didn't even think of that! I didn't even know you could do that... I'm fairly new to Macs! But thank you !!

 

[SimonJ]

I didn't even think of that! I didn't even know you could do that... I'm fairly new to Macs! But thank you !!

Yup, no problem

 

[shady825]

Yup, no problem

I would think iLife would be in tact since it was on my TM backup..
I'll know in a few minutes.
Thanks again.

 

[shady825]

Snow Leopard clean install & Time Machine backup

Everything worked out great!
iLife and everything else remained in tact.

The procedure for anyone who cares.

-Insert SL disc
-Run Disk Utility from the SL disc not your Utilities folder
-erase hard drive (assuming you already have a Time Machine backup )
-Computer will restart and run the SL installer
-Choose to migrate files from a 'Time Machine backup'

and your done.

This method seemed to free up even more space then when I did the original "upgrade" on the 28th.

 

[RaceTripper]

The bottom panel comes off using a #00 Phillips. I just replaced RAM using one.