Upgrading 2009 iMac from a HD to SSD

[iMacBoy]

Hi,

I have a late 2009 21.5" iMac which came with 500GB HD and 4GB RAM, I changed the failed 500GB HD to a 1TB HD about a year ago so I know how to change them, I am just abit stuck as to how i could transfer most things from this HD im using now onto the new SSD replacement, and now im downloading OS Mavericks so I also have no idea how i would install that on the new SSD in the first place.

Thanks for any information.

 

[toddzrx]

The easiest solution is to download CarbonCopyCloner and just "clone" the current HD onto the SSD. I take it you have an external HD for backups, right??? (If you don't, you should have one.) Clone your current internal drive onto that, then, go into system preferences and change the boot drive to the external. Run a test by doing a reboot and make sure the machine boots up and runs on the external. Once that's done, you can go ahead and replace the internal HD with the new SSD. You might have to format it. Then clone the external onto the SSD.

I've done this procedure twice due to a new drives; worked fine both times.