How do I replace the hard drive in my Macbook Pro

Okay...
I need more space on my computer, so I want to replace the hard drive. I have no OSX install disk, but my computer is running Lion from the app store download. Can I just back up my data onto my new hard drive, and literally just swap them out? Also, how should I back up my drive? should I use a hard drive enclosure with my future drive, and just use time machine or something? Would time machine back up everything? Would the drive become bootable? Please help!

The best way to do this is buy your new drive. Get the largest you can buy, and don't buy anything from Western Digital, just a recommendation. The Samsung 1TB is pretty sweet. Put that drive in a external encloser (they're inexpensive). Using CarbonCopyCloner, clone your internal drive to your external one. This is the cleanest way to do it.
Then, boot to the cloned drive, just to make sure it works. It's just a test. Shut down. Replace drive (you can find the instructions for your MacBook Pro, by searching the support section of this website, the manual is there).
Start up with new drive. Make sure everything is fine. Use old drive in external enclosure as either a data drive or scratch drive for Photoshop or whatever you do.
I would set up Time Machine going forward with your new drive. You need a drive at least as large, and probably 50% larger than your internal drive.

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I just replaced the hard drive on my macbook pro, reformatted new hard drive and copied over a backup from time machine now I have a kernel panic message (you must restart) - what do I do now?

i just replaced the hard drive on my macbook pro, reformatted new hard drive, installed a back up from time machine and now have kernel panic ( you must restart your computer) what do I need to do?

If you're able to boot, launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the page that opens.
Select the most recent panic log under System Diagnostic Reports. Post the contents – the text, please, not a screenshot. For privacy’s sake, I suggest you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header and body of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.) Please don't post "shutdownStall" or "hang" reports.
If you can't boot in the usual way, try a safe boot. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
Be sure your Mac is shut down.
Press the power button.
Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
During startup, you’ll see a progress bar, and then the login screen, which appears even if you normally log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Safe mode is slower than normal, and some things won’t work at all.

Does replacing the hard drive in a MacBook Pro early 2011 void AppleCare?

Does replacing the hard drive in a MacBook Pro early 2011, as described in the manual, void AppleCare?

here's one of the provisions....
Warrantors cannot require that only branded parts be used with the product in order to retain the warranty.[2] This is commonly referred to as the "tie-in sales" provisions,[3] and is frequently mentioned in the context of third-party computer parts, such as memory and hard drives.

I just replaced the hard drive on myn Macbook pro and am now trying to import my address book and calendar from the cloud but have not ben successful

I am seeking how to bring my data from the cloud to my laptop after having had the hard drive replaced

Open System Preferences > ICloud
Make sure Contacts and Calendars are selected.
iCloud should sync your data automatically.

Replacing the hard drive in a macbook pro 17"

anyone know which of these would be best for my 750gb to 1tb upgrade?
any specifics on the specs i should look for?
these are all from the macsales website
thanks
1.0TB WD Scorpio Blue 5400RPM 2.5" SATA HD 8MB Cache
1.0TB HGST Travelstar 5400RPM 2.5" SATA HD 9.5mm with 8MB Cache
1.0TB HGST Drive, OWC Express USB 3.0
1.0TB Samsung Spinpoint 5400RPM 2.5" SATA HD 9.5mm with 8MB Cache
they all come with the kit and an enclosure for the drive you are taking out

it's a 2011 17" macbook pro with a 2.2 Ghz intel core i7 and 4 gb memory
more info...
Model Name:
MacBook Pro
Model Identifier:
MacBookPro8,3
Processor Name:
Intel Core i7
Processor Speed:
2.2 GHz
Number of Processors:
1
Total Number of Cores:
4
L2 Cache (per Core):
256 KB
L3 Cache:
6 MB
Memory:
4 GB
Boot ROM Version:
MBP81.0047.B27
SMC Version (system):
1.70f5
Serial Number (system):
C02F****F92
Hardware UUID:
A85F0212-6FBF-5468-B773-FBB0EF190898
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State:
Enabled
<Serial Number Edited by Host>

Reformat the hard drive on my macBook Pro 10.5.8

how do i reformat the hard drive on my macBook Pro 10.5.8 - dvd player doesn't work - otherwise what is the best way to delete stuff off the hd - thanks a million. I want to keep the os on it.

Get your PRAM battery replaced. It may fix your optical drive in the process, if it is over 4 years old.
Read my FAQ*:
http://www.macmaps.com/diskfull.html

How much should it cost to replace a hard drive on a MacBook Pro.

How much should it cost to replace a hard drive on a MacBook Pro? I think the drive that failed was 500gb.

This is an international community. Prices vary from country, state, city, etc.
You should call the repair shop of your choice and ask for an estimate. Make sure the estimate includes taxes, labor costs, etc.

DIY: Is it possible to replace the Hard Drive on a MacBook?!

It seems it is permitted to replace the Hard Drive on a MacBook (13"). I found Apple "Hard Drive Replacement Instructions 073-1045 Rev A" dated 26 Jan 2007.
OK this is very basic-- but my question is: When you get the Hard Drive and Install it-- can you boot from an external HD and then FORMAT THIS DRIVE? Where to PURCHASE the drive?
Thanks as I prefer to do this as my data is backed-up and to wait 15 days to have Apple do this in Belgium... I need this Mac!
Thanks for any comments.-- Again, key question is: WILL THE HD be unformatted or ??? and how to format. I have an external drive (several) or can boot from the DVD.
THANKS!
Steve

You'll find a good tutorial here: http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/installation.cfm.
Be sure to prep the new drive properly:
Extended Hard Drive Preparation
1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disk. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.)
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled, if supported.) Click on the Options button and set the partition scheme to GUID, then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled, if supported.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process will take 30 minutes to an hour or more depending upon the drive size.
Now you can clone your external drive to the new internal drive:
How to Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility
1. Select the internal volume from the left side list.
2. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (journaled, if available) and click on the Erase button. This step can be skipped if the destination has already been freshly erased.
3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
4. Select the internal volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
5. Select the external (startup) volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
For added precaution you can boot into safe mode before doing the clone.

Is it possible to change the hard drive in a macbook pro, if so where from? and how?

is it possible to change the hard drive in a macbook pro, if so where from? and how?

secondrow wrote:
whats a green drive? thnks
Green is a marketing term for a drive designed for lower power use, lower noise, and lower heat. The side effect is that it's not as fast. Black drives are designed for highest performance, so they might use more power and run hotter and noisier. I upgraded my Apple Time Capsule with a green drive, but I put a black drive in my Mac Pro.
Kappy wrote:
7200 RPM drives are faster than 5400 RPM drives.
As in cars, RPM is not the sole determinant of performance. In some cases, a newer drive at a lower RPM is faster than an older drive at a higher RPM, when the newer drive uses better technology. I have heard that some of today's high-capacity 5400RPM drives are faster than 7200RPM drives of lower capacity simply because the very high density of a 1TB drive means more data passes under the head even at a lower RPM. Certainly there have been times in Apple's past when new lower RPM drives were faster than higher RPM drives of the previous generation, a notable example being when 4200RPM perpendicular recording drives were introduced and beat 5400RPM drives.
Yes, generally RPM can be used to compare, but it is important to realize it isn't always true.

I just replaced the hard drive for my Mac Pro, and I am trying to restore what is on my Time Capsule, but it wont connect, and only is giving me the pinwheel of death. What do i do?

I just replaced the hard drive for my Mac Pro, and I am trying to restore what is on my Time Capsule, but it wont connect, and only is giving me the pinwheel of death. What do i do?

You will need to boot from some alternate boot device to accomplish this, if you did not initialize the drive before installing it.
If you have another Mac, you may be able to use FireWire target disk mode.
If your MacBook has a DVD reader and you have a Mac OS X Installer/Utilities DVD, such as the one that shipped with it, you can boot from that DVD, answer only the "what Language" question, and wait a quarter minute for the MenuBar to be drawn. Then examine the Utilities menu or the Installer menu and Find Disk Utility.

The hard drive on my Macbook Pro is getting full (mainly due to the size of my iTunes library). Can I store it on my time capsule and if so, how is it done ?

The hard drive on my Macbook Pro is getting full (mainly due to the size of my iTunes library). Can I store it on my time capsule and if so, how is it done ?

You can store your iTunes library on a Time Capsule. So that you can access on your local (home) network (I wouldn't recommend access via the internat), (off site.....to slow).
If you do decide to put your libray on Time Capsule I'd recommend doing this.
Option 1:
1. Don't use TC as a Backup (Time Machine).
2. Connect a USB drive to your TC or Computer and backup to the drive. Backup when a change is made to the library (adding Apps, Songs you get the idea).
Option 2: (What Im doing)
1.   Two Time Capsule's connected via ethernet cable (roaming mode, bridge).
2.   Use TC1 as a Time Machine backup
3.   Use TC2 as network drive. (The information on TC2 does NOT get backed up to TC1).
3a. Connect a USB, FW, drive to your desktop computer (if you have one) use SilverKeeper to schedule backups.       Silverkeeper will look at TC2 and back it up to a external or internal HD. I've been doing the or some time now. Or connect to your TC and do an archive.
I have this setup because I don't trust Cloud base services and I want access to my files (in Sync) on TC where ever I am, as long as there's a internet connection. It's expensive, but does exactly what I expect.
The most important thing is to safe guard your data in case of a failure.
In your situation it would probably be better to get a high speed SD or thumb drive, however I've never been successful in backing up those type of drives with TM. What ever you decide to do make sure you have a GOOD duplicate (backup).

How do I split my hard drive on my macbook pro to add windows7 proffessional

Where do I find info on how to split/partition my hard drive on my macbook pro so I can add windows7 pro. ?
my wife is taking an intro to computers course and needs to be able to access windows programs.

Hi,
the BootCamp support site http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/ and the BootCamp Installation Guide to be found there.
Read the Guide carefully and make sure to have/make a backup of your OSX before starting.
Regards
Stefan

I just changed the hard drive on my macbook pro 13" and it won't turn on. I need to put the latest operating system on it.

i just changed the hard drive on my macbook pro 13" and it won't turn on. I need to put the latest operating system on it. It had OS8 on it

dtrewitt wrote:
It had OS8 on it
Ummmm no it didn't. iOS only runs on iPhones, iPads and iPods.

Graphic card problem maybe? Since when I have changed the hard drive to my macbook pro and I installed all the new softwares, my mac is very slow and the screen gives crazy pictures,could maybe be the graphic card, does anybody have experienced this?

Graphic card problem maybe? Since when I have changed the hard drive to my macbook pro and I installed all the new softwares, my mac is very slow and the screen gives crazy pictures,could maybe be the graphic card, does anybody have experienced this?

after a restart it works for a time, but always slow. I went to the Applestore this afternoon and the made a check and said it would be the logicboard and they would have to change it for CHF 600 and it would be ready in 10 - 15 days

Can the hard drive in my macbook pro with retina be upgraded?

Can the hard drive in my macbook pro with retina display be upgraded to a larger hard drive? I have a 2.6 Ghz processor, 8 GB of Memory. I have a 250 GB drive and would like a larger drive. Thx.

There are two answers to this:
No, if you want to keep your warranty on your product by doing it yourself.
Yes, if you consider using a IT pro (not Apple) which can give you an warranty on the work done.
Official bottom line: Apple does not support this.

How do I replace the hard drive in my Macbook Pro

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