Upgrading 2011 MacBook Pro with SSD and RAM

[ajo]

Thinking of doing the above to my parents machine. It has been quite slow for some time. It has its good moments but overall very slow at opening anything.

I wondered if a clean install would help out, but I'm not sure about replacing the files like the Photos library and keychains etc if I do this. I have a Time Machine backup, but I don't know the steps to replace only certain things like this.

From Crucial up to 16GB is supported. For parents its going to be typing documents, emails, internet, some photos, iTunes and iPhone/iPod management, I can't think of much more. Is 16GB overkill or for the price is it worth doing anyway. It currently has 4GB

The SSD will make a big difference anyway I'm sure, but don't want to spend unnecessarily.

 

[csicilia]

I did that and to a early 2011 13'' , my experience was like having a new machine.

For your information it is really easy to do, you will need no more than 5 minutes to do it.

 

[Brammy]

You'll get a new machine. The SSD makes a huge difference.

 

[ajo]

I did that and to a early 2011 13'' , my experience was like having a new machine.

For your information it is really easy to do, you will need no more than 5 minutes to do it.

Thanks

It looks pretty straight forward. Do I have to make a bootable USB or does the machine recognise a new HD to be formatted and then restored from Time Machine?

 

[paaj]

8GB is plenty for home use, no need for 16. SSD is certainly worth it.
Check what SATA speeds the machine supports, you may be able to save some money by going SATA300 (very basic old model SSD) if that's all it does.

 

[CoastalOR]

Do I have to make a bootable USB or does the machine recognise a new HD to be formatted and then restored from Time Machine?

You could make a bootable USB installer, you will need access to the full OS installer app. The machine will not recognize the new HD and automatically format it. You will have to use Disk Utility to format the new SSD for Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with GUID Partition table before the OS install and data migration. You can migrate from good recent Time Machine backup or a clone. My experience is a recent clone is faster.

Here are some instructions I used when installing a new SSD in my late 2011 15" MBP:
https://eshop.macsales.com/articles/how-to-transfer-your-data-from-your-old-drive-to-a-new-drive

 

[ajo]

You will have to use Disk Utility to format the new SSD for Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with GUID Partition table before the OS install and data migration.

This is the bit I'm unsure of. Is Disk Utility somehow built into the machine so I can access it without the OS being installed first?

 

[steve-p]

This is the bit I'm unsure of. Is Disk Utility somehow built into the machine so I can access it without the OS being installed first?

2011 should support Internet Recovery which contains Disk Utility. My late 2011 does anyway.

 

[CoastalOR]

This is the bit I'm unsure of. Is Disk Utility somehow built into the machine so I can access it without the OS being installed first?

See steps 6 & 7 in the link I posted.
Disk Utility is a Mac app that is not built in to the machine, it is a Apple app. You have to access it from the old booted Mac disk in the Application/Utilities folder, booted from the USB Installer, the Recovery partition, or Internet recovery.

Here is another link for your reference:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314