MacbookPro (Early 2008) SSD installation

rp2000

rp2000

rp2000

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Anyone got any experience of this? I know I will have to pull apart the machine to get to the HDD but just wondering whether anyone has done this and can share any tips/pitfalls etc. Changed plenty of HDDs on "windows" laptops but never on such a closed/compact system like a macbook.

Also my machine is a SATA1 based MacbookPro and the new drives are all SATA2. I assume I won't get the maximum possible performance, but apart from that it should be OK right?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18237751 <---Thread with more SSD specific query here.


rp2000
 
startrek2 said:
yep no problems .. easy peasy.. dont worry bout it plenty of you tube video there to help as well
Click to expand...

Watched a video and it seems doable, albeit a bit fiddly.


rp2000 said:
Hi,

I am thinking of getting an SSD for my macbookpro and have a few questions, hopefully simple enough.

1) My MacbookPro has SATA1 which has 1.5GB/s bandwidth. Am I right in assuming any SATA1 or SATA2 disk should work in the machine (i.e. is it backwardsly compatible).

2) I read talk of new firmwares etc for certain SSDs, are these normally flashed with Windows tools? If so not sure what I would do to update it as my MacbookPro does not have an easily accessible HDD.

3) Unless my maths is wrong SATA1 has a throughput of 187.5 megabytes per second (theoretically) and the drives I am looking at advertise read/write speeds of approx 275/250 respectively. I know these are for peak conditions with sequential files, am I likely to see any issues using it in a "slower" system?

4) Any tips on what SSDs to look at and which to avoid? I notice Intel "Mainstream" ones have read/write of 100or200/75 whereas a lot of OCZ/Kingston/Patriot ones are 2.5 times that speed. Why would anyone even buy the old Intel ones anymore, or is there more to it than sheer numbers?

fyi I am looking at a 160Gb drive, maybe the OCZ Vertex 2x series. Budget is £200 max but umming and ahhing between 120gb (within budget) or 160gb (slightly over budget)

Edit: There seem to be loads of different types of SSD made by OCZ, a lot in same capacities, anyone able to give me a one liner on which range/model to buy?
Click to expand...

Anyone got any answers, thoughts on the above? No-one answered in the Hard Drives section :(


rp2000
 
Vortex 2E will be fine, in the MBP. SATA is back compatible too.

Only note I have is when taking out Apple's HDD remove the little black rubber pads, they help fit the HDD snug / help vibration but since its SSD just use them to help keep it tight, the side plastic bracket is a little fiddly but easy enough, you'll be done in 5 minutes!

:)
 
AmTechFox said:
Vortex 2E will be fine, in the MBP. SATA is back compatible too.

Only note I have is when taking out Apple's HDD remove the little black rubber pads, they help fit the HDD snug / help vibration but since its SSD just use them to help keep it tight, the side plastic bracket is a little fiddly but easy enough, you'll be done in 5 minutes!

:)
Click to expand...

OK. I am doing some reading and on OCZ forums they mention aligning drives etc. Is this complicated (do you have an SSD in your Mac?). I was hoping to somehow just clone my existing HDD to the SSD, is this the best way or is Time Machine or some other backup plus re-install of Snow Leopard better?

The drive will cost close to £200 notes so I want to make sure I have a plan and all compatibility issues mapped out in advance of buying it.


rp2000
 
ive got them in all my macbook/pro's now i have 4 in total.. never had issues aligning or fitting,, unlike vibrations from 7200rpm drives..

i use crucial and intel drives

carbon copy cloner and superduper will clone your drives ,,

easy job fella dont worry about it ,,
 
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I'm about to get a brand new MBP - is it really as simple as taking out the old HD, putting the SSD in and installing Snow Leopard?

If anyone's got a few minutes, a full step-by-step guide of everything after the physical installation of the drive would be much appreciated, i.e.

- first boot
- formatting the drive
- alignment
- installing OS X
- etc.
 
^It's a piece of cake. I did it fine on mine.

Put new SSD in, insert DVD and boot from that - follow install instructions - viola.

You will have to format the SSD before you install SL, but you can do it via the disk utility after you put the SSD in.
 
the only difference i did is i use it from usb stick seems to install a lot faster that way..

as i said before planty of videos to show how to take it apart and re-install it..

if you want to do fresh install the use usb or dvd if not just carbon clone or superduper..


if you really feel funny put the ssd in a external usb and load it from there then choose that to boot from ,, you can see it all working before you take it apart to install it.. you juts hold boot option to get to which one you wish to boot from
 
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startrek2 said:
ive got them in all my macbook/pro's now i have 4 in total.. never had issues aligning or fitting,, unlike vibrations from 7200rpm drives..

i use crucial and intel drives

carbon copy cloner and superduper will clone your drives ,,

easy job fella dont worry about it ,,
Click to expand...

Cheers, I think I will just do a fresh install of Snow Leopard to get rid of excess crap. Might just backup the whole HDD to Time Machine first.

Is installing SL from USB that much faster? I have the original SL disc and also a USB drive. The drive has read speeds of about 20MB a sec, will that load SL significantly quicker than DVD?

Any particular reason you use the Crucial or Intel drives over the OCZ ones?

I am hoping for some performance like:


rp2000
 
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i didnt look your speed test but boot time on my white macbook is 15 seconds from start sound to google on loaded,,, id say 13 seconds but im being kind,, also opening programs is fast

mac dont support trim so i think its a case of fast is fast.. also intel come with 5 yrs warranty,, no brainer for similar price stuff

my macbook with SSD





as for usb install i use corsair 32 or 64gb ones there appear quick and deffo faster than dvd reading,, a 20mg one may not be much faster itself i think in your case.
 
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startrek2 said:
as for usb install i use corsair 32 or 64gb ones there appear quick and deffo faster than dvd reading,, a 20mg one may not be much faster itself i think in your case.
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I will load the Snow Leopard onto my 8GB Sandisk and see how I get on. I assume the 32 and 64gb Corsairs are really expensive? I am after a new Large capacity USB stick that is fast, but don't want to spend much more than £1 per GB tbh.


rp2000
 
certain auction site a couple of weeks was selling them for £24 for 32gb or 64gb was £35 ,, but theres another selling duracell 32gb ones £29.99 supposed to be fast as well..

you need 8gb minimum... i have a sandisk i used as well 8gb i keep juts with snow leopardd on it it works fast about 18-20 mins as apposed to 25 ish of dvd
 
Shadowness said:
^It's a piece of cake. I did it fine on mine.

Put new SSD in, insert DVD and boot from that - follow install instructions - viola.

You will have to format the SSD before you install SL, but you can do it via the disk utility after you put the SSD in.
Click to expand...
Sounds nice and simple, no messing around with IDE/AHCI like in a Windows machine.

I'm definitely going to upgrade mine (when I get it) to an SSD once Apple can confirm that TRIM will be supported by their OS.
 
i have to say trim doesnt really effect the performance (fast boot times already opening progs fast with no trim support now) as its so much nicer than win os no slow downs like you get from there,,

trim is not the holding point for me not to get ssd.. but of course thats your choice..
 
I do think that times; they say the life-span of SSDs can be anywhere between 3 and 10 years - I'll have upgraded my laptop in that time, for sure.

Might just take the plunge. What sort of size would be appropriate for a MacBook Pro? I really don't intend to install all that much stuff (Football Manager 2011, Office, Browsers, maybe Photoshop) - 60GB-80GB?
 
Just an update, I installed mine today. :) OSX now boots with 3.5 spins of the loading wheel!! All apps open with exactly 1 bounce in the dock. X-bench scores seem low to me, but everything feels really fast (although I did a fresh install so that may be part of the reason as well).


rp2000
 
so does x bench mean its not working for you.. ?

it boots i assume in the 15 second range and it loads apps quick as .. good job simple to do youll love it down the line allways fast boots and apps etc,, it dont seem to slow down like a spinning drive..

beast of a upgrade on any pc really you can make
 
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