My 2012 MacBook Pro is slow at startup, and to launch apps at startup, but once they are launched and its warmed up things are fast. Why is this? Is this because I have a conventional HDD? Some have told me to upgrade, but this will cost allot of money to get a 500GB SSD drive and to have it installed as I am not the most mechanically inclined person, so I will live with my conventional HDD for now until prices drastically drop. Besides what I do the conventional drive works just fine. I watch movies, I write letters, I surf the web, I track a budget, I text message, and I do basic tasks. I do no video editing, photo editing (except what can be done in photos), and so on. I live with Quicken, MS office, etc..
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why is my MacBook slow at startup?
- Thread starter jwolf6589
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Absolutely because it is a HDD - get the SSD - it will boot / start up in 12 to 18 seconds and everything is faster that involves loading large files - video, pictures etc.
Easy to replace check out iFixit for replacement steps and pictures for your model - I purchased an EVO 850 500 g for my 2012 i7 it was a completely different computer after that. Took about 20 minutes to replace.
I used to turn on the macbook and go for a coffee, now I could not make it across the room before it is booted and ready to go.
Easy to replace check out iFixit for replacement steps and pictures for your model - I purchased an EVO 850 500 g for my 2012 i7 it was a completely different computer after that. Took about 20 minutes to replace.
I used to turn on the macbook and go for a coffee, now I could not make it across the room before it is booted and ready to go.
That’s an outrageous price.
Even the Samsung 860 EVO is cheaper than that.
Then there’s the Western Digital Blue 3D for $109.99
jwolf, you've posted on this problem numerous times here at MacRumors.
The answer remains the same:
Swap out the platter based hard drive inside for an SSD.
It will make a DRAMATIC improvement.
Why do you keep posting over and over again, when the answer will always be the same?
Young man, can you hold a screwdriver in your hands?
If you can do that, you can upgrade the MacBook Pro in about 15 minutes.
You are not helpless.
Why do you keep posting that it will be so "expensive"?
A Crucial MX500 will run you about $120:
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX50...sr=8-1-spons&keywords=crucial+500gb+ssd&psc=1
If you're willing to settle for 250gb, it will cost only $72:
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX50...=1528036422&sr=8-5&keywords=crucial+500gb+ssd
You'll also need one of these, price $13:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-...478&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=sabremt+usb3+to+ssd
You need 2 drivers:
- Phillips #00 driver
- TORX T-6 driver
Both can be found at hardware stores or online.
When you have this stuff, connect the SSD to the USB3 dongle and plug it in.
Open Disk Utility and erase it to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.
The drive is now ready for the OS.
Now download CarbonCopyCloner from here:
http://www.bombich.com/download.html
Which version you download depends on which version of the OS you're using now.
Open CCC (it's FREE to use for 30 days).
Put your internal drive on the left.
Put the SSD "to the right"
Accept CCC's defaults and "let 'er go".
CCC will clone the contents of your internal drive to the external SSD.
When done, quit CCC and power off the MacBook.
Now... press the power on key and IMMEDIATELY hold down the option key and KEEP HOLDING IT DOWN until you see the startup manager.
You should see the internal drive AND the external SSD as bootable drives.
Use the pointer to select the SSD and hit return.
Do you get a good boot?
It will look "just like the internal drive did", because "it's a clone".
If you get a good boot, now it's time to do the drive swap.
I'm NOT going to tell you what to do next.
Let's see if you can get yourself this far first.
It's easier than you think.
The answer remains the same:
Swap out the platter based hard drive inside for an SSD.
It will make a DRAMATIC improvement.
Why do you keep posting over and over again, when the answer will always be the same?
Young man, can you hold a screwdriver in your hands?
If you can do that, you can upgrade the MacBook Pro in about 15 minutes.
You are not helpless.
Why do you keep posting that it will be so "expensive"?
A Crucial MX500 will run you about $120:
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX50...sr=8-1-spons&keywords=crucial+500gb+ssd&psc=1
If you're willing to settle for 250gb, it will cost only $72:
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX50...=1528036422&sr=8-5&keywords=crucial+500gb+ssd
You'll also need one of these, price $13:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-...478&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=sabremt+usb3+to+ssd
You need 2 drivers:
- Phillips #00 driver
- TORX T-6 driver
Both can be found at hardware stores or online.
When you have this stuff, connect the SSD to the USB3 dongle and plug it in.
Open Disk Utility and erase it to Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format.
The drive is now ready for the OS.
Now download CarbonCopyCloner from here:
http://www.bombich.com/download.html
Which version you download depends on which version of the OS you're using now.
Open CCC (it's FREE to use for 30 days).
Put your internal drive on the left.
Put the SSD "to the right"
Accept CCC's defaults and "let 'er go".
CCC will clone the contents of your internal drive to the external SSD.
When done, quit CCC and power off the MacBook.
Now... press the power on key and IMMEDIATELY hold down the option key and KEEP HOLDING IT DOWN until you see the startup manager.
You should see the internal drive AND the external SSD as bootable drives.
Use the pointer to select the SSD and hit return.
Do you get a good boot?
It will look "just like the internal drive did", because "it's a clone".
If you get a good boot, now it's time to do the drive swap.
I'm NOT going to tell you what to do next.
Let's see if you can get yourself this far first.
It's easier than you think.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Regular HD's are trash
They are.. however, what SSD can sustain multiple writes and last as long as a regular HD ? Hybrids ?
Samsung says their drives can do 10 tb/day for 25 to 38 years. That is more than long enough for most people.
But ssds can lose data after 10 years without power. And are not recommended for data archiving.
Last edited:
All of them, HDD's usually die within 5 years, Most SSD's will last at least 10 years of writes at an average users usage. Of course this is barring catastrophic failure that can happen with any electronics.
Not true. Not true. My mom has a MacBook from 2009 this is still running strong on a standard HDD.
Yes and that's one HDD you can google the failure rates by age and do the math, I have done so by 5 years around 50% of HDDs will have failed most SSD's will not with Annual failure rates in the 10ths of a percent.
https://www.networkworld.com/article/2873551/data-center/debunking-ssd-myths.html
They are pretty cheap these days.
Around $100 for 500gb is not unreasonable.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=500gb+ssd
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-NAND-50...8198500&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=500gb+ssd&psc=1
Not bad. Plus the cost to install it.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Honestly if you can hold a screwdriver and get the correct ones its a 15 minute job that anyone can do on that machine.
Here is a very detailed guide for you.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Replacement/10761
If you have a hard drive caddy (or usb to sata cable) you can even use carbon copy cloner to create a complete copy of your current setup on the new SSD using USB and then just swap out the drives and off you go.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.