Macbook late 2008, re-installing issue

Hi,
I have a Late 2008 MacBook, 13 inch aluminum running OS X 10.9.5.
I would like to wipe the disk clean and re-install the software before I pass it on. I have tried inserting the disk that came with it but it will not run. I'm guessing this is because the OS X software has been updated and the disks are now obsolete. Can someone confirm this is the case and how I can get around this?
I have tried holding down the C key and the T key on separate occasions with the disk inserted and restarting.
I get to the language choice and click English, but then a little window appears saying MAC OS X cannot be installed on this computer.
Thanks in advance.

You need to start the MacBook holding the C key so you boot to the DVD with the original Mac OS X installer. Then after going through the questions and answers part, you need to go to Utilities and select Disk Utility. Select the internal hard drive, usually named Macintosh HD.
After highlighting the HD, select either Erase or Partition from the buttons top center of the main window pane.
After erasing the hard drive, now you can select Install Mac OS X.

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Hello Robejarp
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MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) - Technical Specifications
http://support.apple.com/kb/SP500
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Upgrading MacBook Late 2008

I’ve had my MacBook 13″ Late 2008 now for three and a half years, and it has been used every day since I bought it, and with every passing day, it’s getting slower and slower. I’ve checked with every forum out there to find methods for speeding it up, but nothing works! I’m therefore convinced my hard drive is failing. I want to get a new one, and better memory than the standard 2Gb while I’m at it, rather than buy a whole new MacBook. Luckily, I have a few pennies saved up and want so splash out to get the creme de la creme of upgrades. Any advice on the latest gadgets? Both for hard drives and memory? Can SSD's be put into the late 2008 laptop? Thanks, C

You are also able to upgrade to Mountain Lion.
Upgrade Paths to Snow Leopard, Lion, and/or Mountain Lion
You can upgrade to Mountain Lion from Lion or directly from Snow Leopard. Mountain Lion can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $19.99. To access the App Store you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.6 or later installed.
Upgrading to Snow Leopard
You must purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.
After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store. Access to the App Store enables you to download Mountain Lion if your computer meets the requirements.
     Snow Leopard General Requirements
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       3. 5GB of available disk space
       4. DVD drive for installation
       5. Some features require a compatible Internet service provider;
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       6. Some features require Apple’s iCloud services; fees and
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Upgrading to Lion
If your computer does not meet the requirements to install Mountain Lion, it may still meet the requirements to install Lion.
You can purchase Lion by contacting Customer Service: Contacting Apple for support and service - this includes international calling numbers. The cost is $19.99 (as it was before) plus tax. It's a download. You will get an email containing a redemption code that you then use at the Mac App Store to download Lion. Save a copy of that installer to your Downloads folder because the installer deletes itself at the end of the installation.
     Lion System Requirements
       1. Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7,
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Upgrading to Mountain Lion
To upgrade to Mountain Lion you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or Lion installed. Purchase and download Mountain Lion from the App Store. Sign in using your Apple ID. Mountain Lion is $19.99 plus tax. The file is quite large, over 4 GBs, so allow some time to download. It would be preferable to use Ethernet because it is nearly four times faster than wireless.
     OS X Mountain Lion - System Requirements
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         1. iMac (Mid 2007 or newer) - Model Identifier 7,1 or later
         2. MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer) - Model Identifier 5,1 or later
         3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         4. MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer) - Model Identifier 2,1 or later
         5. Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         6. Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         7. Xserve (Early 2009) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
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     Are my applications compatible?
         See App Compatibility Table - RoaringApps.
     For a complete How-To introduction from Apple see Upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion.

Hard drive upgrade 13" aluminum macbook late 2008

I want to upgrade my hard drive on my 13" aluminum macbook (late 2008) and I can't seem to find any documentation that suggests how large of a hard drive I can install on the computer. I would like to do at least 500 gb, but more is good. Anyone have any info for me?
Thanks!
Jeremy

You can install any drive up to 1tb easily. For a hard drive try Newegg.com http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=380&name=Laptop-Hard-Dr ives&Order=PRICE
Or OWC http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/
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Do I have all the parts to replace my HDD with a new SSD on my Macbook (late 2008)?

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How do I replace and install OSX on my new SSD?
From what I read here are the steps I'm planning on taking.
1) Detach the old HDD
2) Attach new SSD.
3) Turn on computer and use the bootable usb drive to install OS X.
Does that work, I think I read somewhere about maybe formatting the SSD before I can use the bootable usb. Any input or help would be awesome. Thanks.
I'd prefer to do a clean install of yosemite and not carbon copy my old HDD

Hi Bradtk24,
On this site you will find the requirements for the physical change that you want to make.
These pages will give you insight into the processes required for the software side of things. It might be slightly dated, but the principles remain valid.
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Hi all,
I am looking to upgrade my macbook late 2008 aluminum, i have done a little research and found a few parts which i want to install in my macbook. I just wanted to know if my mac was compatible with the following hardware:
Hard Drive:
Samsung Spinpoint M8 1TB 2.5 inch SATA II 8MB 9.5mm Hard Drive
Memory:
Komputerbay 8GB (2x 4GB) DDR3 SODIMM (204 pin) 1066Mhz PC3 8500Al
My macbook specs are:
Model Name:          MacBook
Model Identifier:          MacBook5,1
Processor Name:          Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:          2 GHz
Number Of Processors:          1
Total Number Of Cores:          2
L2 Cache:          3 MB
Memory:          2 GB
Bus Speed:          1.07 GHz
I am thinking of installing these by myself, if this possible? And if so how could i go about doing this?
Thanks for reading, i would appreciate any help.

Here are video instructions on replacing the hard drive on the Aluminum Unibody http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbookpro_13_unibody_hd/
Here are video instructions on replacing the RAM on the Aluminum Unibody.
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_unibody_mem/
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I have a MacBook Late 2008 Aluminium and want to increase my storage what should I buy a new HDD or an SSD? I want it to work faster too, can you please recommend specific products that I can consider

I have a MacBook Late 2008 Aluminium which has 160GB currently. I want more storage and to speed up my computer. What should I get HDD or a SSD?
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If you have a cable that connects and external HDD to the MBP, it will do. If it is something like this, an enclosure will not be needed for the swap:
An enclosure allows you to use your old HDD for storage or backup purposes. The cable will not.
Here are instructions as to how the swap can be performed using DISK UTITY. Substitute You cable for the enclosure in same:
INSTALLING A NEW HDD IN A MBP
1. Make certain that you have backed up all of your important data.
2. You will need a HDD enclosure. One with a USB connection will do. A 9 pin Firewire is better.
3. Install your new drive in the enclosure and connect it to your MBP.
4. Open DISK UTILITY>ERASE. From the left hand column drag the new drive into the 'Name' field. Make sure that the format is 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)'. Click on the 'Erase' button.
5. Click on the 'Restore' button (on top). Drag the old drive into the 'Source' field and the new drive into the 'Destination' field. Click on the 'Restore' button on the bottom right hand corner.
Depending upon the amount of data you are transferring, this may take a couple hours or more. A Firewire will speed up the transfer. This will result in both drives having identical information on them.
6. After the data transfer has completed, you may swap the drives. Start the MBP and you have finished the installation. The initial boot may take a bit longer than you are accustomed to, but that is normal.
7. When you are satisfied that the new hard drive if functioning properly, you can erase the old drive and use it for any needs that you may have.
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Ciao.

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Has anyone resolved the whirring sound from the Macbook late 2008 Optical Drive Self-diagnostic yet?

Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
Do the following:
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
If the hard drive does not appear in the DU sidebar list then it has died and will have to be replaced. No need to proceed beyond this point.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

Is it possible to upgrade the graphics card in my aluminum 13-inch Macbook (Late 2008)?

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Thank you.

The graphics card on a MacBook is part of the logic board not a separate card so it can't be upgraded.

Should I fix or replace my MacBook (late 2008)?

Hello,
My MacBook (late 2008) has been running slow for some time now. I think it might be time for a new hard drive... or maybe a new Mac, but not too sure what is the root cause. Here is the data pulled from EtreCheck. I'm looking for some expert advice, whether to hold off buying a new Mac, or if it might be cost effective to upgrade some of the inside to make it as good or better than new... and what the cost might look like to do so. Thanks for your help!
The Specs:
Hardware Information:
          MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)
          MacBook - model: MacBook5,1
          1 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2 cores
          2 GB RAM
Video Information:
          NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - VRAM: 256 MB
Audio Plug-ins:
          BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0
          AirPlay: Version: 1.9
          AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0
          iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3
System Software:
          OS X 10.9 (13A603) - Uptime: 17 days 13:46:18
Disk Information:
          TOSHIBA MK2553GSX disk0 : (250.06 GB)
                    EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
                    Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /: 249.2 GB (123.25 GB free)
                    Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
          HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS21N
USB Information:
          Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
          Apple, Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
          Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
          Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
                    Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
FireWire Information:
Thunderbolt Information:
Kernel Extensions:
Problem System Launch Daemons:
          [failed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist
Problem System Launch Agents:
Launch Daemons:
          [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
          [loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist
          [loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist
Launch Agents:
          [not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist
          [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist
          [loaded] com.Logitech.Control Center.Daemon.plist
          [loaded] com.rosettastone.rosettastonedaemon.plist
User Launch Agents:
          [loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist
User Login Items:
          GrowlHelperApp
          iTunesHelper
          Skype
          Dropbox
          KiesAgent
          KiesViaWiFiAgent
          HP Scheduler
3rd Party Preference Panes:
          Flash Player
          Flip4Mac WMV
          Logitech Control Center
Internet Plug-ins:
          AdobeAAMDetect.plugin
          Default Browser.plugin
          Flash Player.plugin
          FlashPlayer-10.6.plugin
          Flip4Mac WMV Plugin.plugin
          googletalkbrowserplugin.plugin
          iPhotoPhotocast.plugin
          npgtpo3dautoplugin.plugin
          o1dbrowserplugin.plugin
          OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin.plugin
          QuickTime Plugin.plugin
          Silverlight.plugin
User Internet Plug-ins:
Bad Fonts:
          None
Time Machine:
          Skip System Files: NO
          Auto backup: NO
          Time Machine not configured!
Top Processes by CPU:
               3%          WindowServer
               1%          EtreCheck
               0%          mds_stores
               0%          Microsoft Database Daemon
               0%          mds
               0%          aosnotifyd
Top Processes by Memory:
          57 MB              WindowServer
          53 MB              Safari
          45 MB              Messages
          43 MB              com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
          35 MB              com.apple.quicklook.satellite
          35 MB              Google Chrome
          20 MB              com.apple.WebKit.Networking
          20 MB              EtreCheck
          18 MB              Finder
          18 MB              mds
Virtual Memory Statistics:
          17 MB              Free RAM
          540 MB             Active RAM
          527 MB             Inactive RAM
          382 MB             Wired RAM
          10.01 GB           Page-ins
          1.15 GB            Page-outs

2 GB of RAM is the bare minimum of RAM for running 10.9 Mavericks. You can upgrade to 8 GB with the model 5,1.
These are good online stores for Mac compatible RAM
OWC1066MhzRAM
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3_Whi te-
They offer Mac tested RAM at very good prices.
Crucial Memory http://www.crucial.com/ - good place to buy RAM from all over the world. They also have an excellent memory selector that allows you to choose memory based on your computer's model
Data Memory Systems http://www.datamemorysystems.com/apple-memory.asp - another good, cheap place to buying RAM if you live in the U.S.
Here are video instructions on replacing the RAM on the Aluminum Unibody.
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/macbook_13_unibody_mem/
If you don’t have the tools to open up the MacBook OWC has a set for $5.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TOOLKITMHD/

Upgrade SATA drive for macbook late 2008

Hello!!
I am here to ask for help. Let me tell you a bit more about my Mac:
Late 2008 silver 13" MacBook 250GB 2GB RAM 2.4GHz IntelCore2Duo DDR3 MB467LL/A, currently at 10.5.8 OSx system (yes I know I need to update the software as well!)
I currently bought 4GB kit (2x2GB) RAM to upgrade on my silver MacBook (late 2008), and would also like to update my hard drive.
I have looked around on online shops for 2.5" 9mm SATA drive, and came across to 1TB for not too bad a price (between £85 to £100).
Anyone know whether if this is ok for my laptop?
Samsung, WD Scorpio Blue and Toshiba, all are at 5400rpm for 1TB. (However there is 750GB Seagate 7200rpm 16MB - recommended???)
Large memory/drive are usually much needed with me as I do use a lot of design work e.g. Adobe InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop...you get the drift .
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Looking forward to hear from you soon!
Thanks again,
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I have to say that I'm very pleased with the Hitachi 200GB 7200rpm drive.

Problem with replaced hard drive on macbook (late 2008, 13" aluminum)

i replaced my macbook (late 2008, 13" aluminum) hard drive and get a blinking folder upon reboot. I can't seem to reboot from the original disc that came with my macbook. What do I do next? I tried holding "c" down but still get the blinking folder

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Macbook Late 2008 Freezing/Unresponsive trackpad and keyboard

Macbook, Late 2008
Processor 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256 MB
Software OS X 10.8.5 (12F37)
This has been happening for months on end. I've repaired the disk repeatedly. My friend who's an ex-Apple Genius said it was the little watch battery on the Logic Board. Replaced it. Still happens. He told me to replace the fan. Still happens.
What happens appears as an absolute freeze. The cursor stops reacting to my trackpad and nothing happens when I press things on the keyboard. Anything on the screen that would naturally be moving/changing is frozen.
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Macbook late 2008, re-installing issue

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