What Hard Drive to get for a late 2008 Aluminum Macbook?

[yanksrock100]

What kind should I get, plus, any websites/places to buy it?
Also, will a new HD improve the speeds? And is there any way to transfer data?
Thanks

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Any 2.5" S-ATA HDD with a maximum height of 12.5mm, which can get you up to 1TB of HDD. I would recommend the Momentus XT, as it has 500GB of 7200RPM platters (speed) and an additional small amount (4GB) of flash storage, like an SSD. Many people have it and report quite a performance improvement.
Places to buy in NA: OWC, Newegg

MacBook, MacBook Pro: Replacing the Hard Disk Drive, transferring data to the new HDD

 

[SkippyThorson]

...I would recommend the Momentus XT, as it has 500GB of 7200RPM platters (speed) and an additional small amount (4GB) of flash storage, like an SSD...

I have to ask now, can one install the OS onto that little 4gb partition? If not, I have to ask what it's for? Very cool looking feature of a HD, though. I will seriously consider it!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I have to ask now, can one install the OS onto that little 4gb partition? If not, I have to ask what it's for? Very cool looking feature of a HD, though. I will seriously consider it!

As Mac OS X, even when stripped down (languages, printer drivers, ...), does take more than 4GB of storage space, it is not possible to install it into the 4GB flash memory.
As far as I understand, the 4GB will be filled with often accessed data like documents and applications, and the flash memory "learns" over time what should be on the 4GB and what should be not. It is not a separate 4GB partition either, it is combined with the 500GB HDD.