Upgrading MBP 2.2 i7 8gb w/ SSD and OWC DataDoubler

I finally Caved, and ordered a Data doubler from OCW . Along with a Corsair Forse Series GT 120gb SATA III.
But, I went against my morals, and used Amazon.com to order both(normaly would support Newegg) , I have a prime membership, and decided the free shipping was worth the pennies to be pinched. The total cost to my Piggy Bank was $238.98. (not horrible)
So the basic Plan Is to Change my HDD to the Optical Location, install the SSD to the front Bay
The difficult part, will be organizing, my programs.
I would not consider myself, an expert on what I will be attempting, but If anyone has suggestions or similar experiences please, feel free to share.
Step 1. Problem 1. How to install Lion on the SSD. without a optical Drive. ( I have to ways around this, Open the Case up twice, or borrow a external CD/drive)
Step 2. Ill be formatting the SSD into 2 and possibly 3 partions,
One For th OSX, A Bootcamp Partion for my Windows 7, and if I have the space, and time, and last minute a little spotfor Ubuntu .
Step 3. Run the OSX Install Dvds. ( any Idea how to get these ISO)
Step 4. Windows 7 (ISO)
Step 5. Use the 500gb hhd, as my internal storage for Media, Files. (then will figure away to always have an easy back up of the 500.)
Wish me luck.

I have just a slightly newer model (late 2011) and I've upgraded to 16GB of RAM and a Crucial m4 series 512GB SSD. It makes all the difference in the world when I'm plugged-in and using multiple CS6 apps, Word, Outlook, Firefox, etc. I've found that the most RAM that is actually in use is about 12-13GB's. But the RAM upgrade and, in particular, the SSD upgrade are no-brainers. The Crucial is now selling at Amazon for about $350 - see here - and I paid $600 for it 3-4 months ago!
I have Corsair RAM and it works great - were I to do it again, I'd probably spend the extra $50 for Crucial.
Good luck,
Clinton

Similar Messages

Has anybody had problems upgrading MBP 13inch (2010) to 8Gb RAM?

Hi Folks,
I'm new to the Apple Support Communities. I've searched the discussions on this issue but couldn't find something exactly the same. I installed two 4Gb, PC3-8500 DDR3-1066MHz memory sticks in my MacBook Pro 13 inch (2010 model), but it wouldn't boot up. I then re-installed one of my old stock 2Gb sticks and the MacBook Pro booted and showed 6Gb memory under System Profiler. The memory runs fine and I've checked the RAM using Rember and it passes all the tests. I've had no freezes or other weird behaviour on the MBP with the 6Gb configuration but I just can't get it to boot with both 4Gb sticks installed. Does anybody know what's going on here?
Thanks!

I have exactly the same problem like you, just got my new 8gb (4gbx2) DDR3-1067Mhz, PC3-8500 from Vgen and I can't use both ram in my mid 2010 mackbook pro. I've checked the requirements before buying the ram with apple support and bought the ram as suggested by apple support regarding ram upgrading (I also read some posts saying that some people who upgrade the ram with 4GBx2 PC3-10600 instead of PC3-8500 had problem to boot but it boots fine if they combine 1 PC3-8500 + 1 PC3-10600). funny and wierd thing is both new ram are working fine because I tried to combine each new ram + 1 stock ram and they were installed fine, clockspeed is correct which is PC3-8500..I contacted apple store and they ask me to do the reset parameter ( Hold 'Option' + Command + P + R then boot, keep holding until you heard 'dong' sound twice and then release) but still not working either.
Then I also try to install only 1 single ram, both old stock ram were booting but both new ram won't boot...the only working method is to install 1 stock ram + 1 new ram (total only 6 GB of Ram)...this is really frustrating and it's ******* me off because I have followed instruction and bought the exact ram as required and suggested by apple and it's not working....**** it....how can thing like this happen..geez...Please somebody from apple explain this and give us solution...
Note : since bought items are not refundable so I try to call the store where I bought the new ram and had them agree to replace 1 pcs 4GB PC3-8500 ram with PC3-10600 ram and will see if it works with 2 different clockspeed Ram installed in my MBP Mid 2010 and will post the result again later after.
I'm using MBP 13" With Lion OSX 10.7.1 and 6 GB RAM (Apple, I want my other 2 GB Ram back)

About to Upgrade MBP...... Checklist Review Appreciated ;)

Hey Everyone,
I'm finally getting my first mac - a late 2011 13" MBP from a co-worker (who has retina ****) for a little less than a refurb - and am contemplating (well, preparing) to do an upgrade. [kind of ironic, one of the reasons I'm dumping BYOPC for a Mac is so that I don't have to worry about taking the time to do upgrades and the odd problems that sometimes result, eating away hours, and so I can outsource all my computer problems to the genius folks, but here I am doing upgrades to save a measly few $100.....]
First, I have some experience with this upgrades - I've done BYOPC for over a decade now, going through at least 5 systems, and used to be an apprentice admin, doing constant HDD/RAM switches on multiple machines on a SunOS network (back in the days when wooly mammoths walked the earth - but I'm not old enough to remember dinosaurs ).
Anyway, it's a stock 4GB+HDD 13" late 2011 MBPl, and I'm looking to upgrade to a 128GB OCZ Vertex 4 SSD, and then 8GB RAM (one then the other.....). A checklist is in order - would someone mind going over it to confirm that I haven't messed something up terribly?
I will be taking out the existing HDD (which has nothing of my own on it) without backing anything up on it.
What I will be getting:
1. SSD: 128GB OCZ Vertex 4 SSD (Vertex 4 VTX4-25SAT3-128G 128GB SATA 6.0GB/s Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) with Indilinx Everest 2 Controller from Microcenter)
Q: Bare SSD, without additional cables, brackets, Norton Ghost, etc. is what I want, yes?
2. Memory: Corsair 8GB DDR3-1333 (PC3-10600) CL9 Dual Channel SO-DIMM Laptop Memory Kit (Two 4GB Apple Memory Modules), again from Micro center
Q: Corsair's mac memory is fine, yes?
3. T6 torx screwdriver
4. standard phillips head screwdriver
5. Spudger
Q: this is all I need, and I don't need anything else, yes?
What I will be doing:
a. Removing HDD and replacing with SSD
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Late-2011-Har d-Drive/7656/1
b. installing MacOS onto the SSD
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-Mac-OS-X-v10-5-Leopard/751/1
c. Once above is confirmed to work, installing RAM:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Late-2011-RAM /7651/1
Q: those lists are all I need, yes?
Final Question:
Finally, re: SSDs: is there any advantage for the Samsung 830 vs. the OCZ Vertex 4? Only thing I can think of is if the whole thing goes south the folks at the Genius bar *might* be willing to work with the Samsung since it's allegedly what's in the 15" Retina. Also, is crucial vs. OCZ vs. Samsung (or for that matter any other SSD), assmuing similar specs? From what I've researched, OCZ Vertex 4 seems to be generally as good as the others. Thanks,
Marc

Marc, in addition to the other suggestions, I would recommend a static wirst strap, you can even make one with a length of flexible wire and an aligator clip. Srip a length of wire long enough to wrap around your wrist, attach an aligator clip to the other end, and use that to attach yourself to the metal, power supply contact, or something else while working. A lot of people just recommend touching the metal before starting but a wrist strap makes life a lot simpler by keeping you at the same static potential as the computer the entire time your fingers are inside.
There have been several great comments about Corsair memory the past few weeks...haven't seen anyone complain about it so looks like a good choice. Right up there with Crucial and OWC.
Good luck and have a good time with your computer.

To overhaul/upgrade MBP or buy new?

Hey guys, apologies in advance for submitting such a commonly asked question, but circumstances are always unique so I hope I can still appeal to the collective brain trust for some feedback
Quick rundown: I have a Spring 2010 MBP 15-inch (version 6,2) with anti-glare screen. Ram is maxxed out to 8gb.
I am not a power user. I’m a writer, so I use Word, Safari (usually when I should be using Word ;)), Evernote, FaceTime, and do some light Photoshop work. I occasionally use iTunes and watch movies. This computer has been fabulous. When I bought it new, it was obviously overkill for my needs, but I wanted the size, antiglare-screen and keyboard real estate, so I went big and have been very happy.
I’m coming up on the 5-year mark and the most pressing issue for me is battery life is, of course, getting very bad, at <2 hours. It’s also running a bit slower lately, and I wonder if it’s because I only have about 10% of the HDD left, or that Mavericks (need to upgrade to Yosemite perhaps) just doesn’t like how old my laptop is. It’s maybe both?
I was thinking I could do one final upgrade to eke out 2 or even 3 more years of this workhorse - and perhaps that’s overly optimistic, but again, with my light user needs, it seems realistic. The upgrade would be installing a new 512GB SSD and a new battery, with total cost being about $360
Talking to my tech-savvy buddy, he’s a strong proponent of me just dumping the old computer and getting a new MBA 13 or MBP 13, but I feel like I’d miss the screen size and the anti-glare screen (i work in bright environments about 30% of the time). I understand the Retina screen is awesome, but I’m not a photo/video guy, and I understand it still has a layer of glass that would give off a good bit of glare.
That aside, I also know I could do what i did 5 years ago and throw down for a new rMBP 15 with all the bells and whistles, but I feel like it would be a waste of money given my light usage, and I also feel there’s still some good life left in my old MBP 15, especially if i upgrade it.
I know this sounds like I’ve already made a decision to just upgrade the old rig, but I really am open to any and all suggestions. So, what are your guys’ thoughts?
Thanks for reading!
Dan

OK, you sound as though you've thought the SSD thing through, so go for it. As for the backup instead of paying BackBlaze each month buy a backup drive instead so your data are right there when you need them and won't take hours to get over the Internet. If you buy a 500 GB SSD then you just need a 500 GB backup HDD. OWC has just your ticket: OWC 500GB Mercury On-The-Go Portable FW800&400-USB3 for $125.99. Here's some good backup software to use with it:
Suggested Backup Software
1. Carbon Copy Cloner
2. Get Backup
3. Deja Vu
4. SuperDuper!
5. Synk Pro
6. Tri-Backup
Others may be found at MacUpdate.
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.

MACBOOK PRO 2.6Ghz 8GB RAM 750 GB(Upgraded MBP 2012) an alternate for RETINA MBP 15 or NOT?How good is its potential, reliability ?

I am a student and an aspiring filmmaker.I am also into digital cinematography (Canon 550D) and now will be venturing into editing. I am in DIRE NEED of help
I have a few problems regarding the purchase of Macbook pro.I live in Kolkata(India).I have been waiting for the past 1 and a half years to buy a Mac but after the release of Retina Macbook pro 15.I am left confused. Its near unupgradability and unreparibility rumors, delayed delivery, and 1st generation hardware issues especially the lack of Optical drive made me reconsider my decision of buying one.
I want to know whether I can go for the top model of Non Retina - 2.6Ghz 8GB RAM 750 GB 1 GB Nvidea as an alternate choice for Retina MBP pro or NOT ?
I wanted to buy the Retina Base model. Though it is very recently launched and there is a big risk buying it because they say it is unrepairable and unfixable as 'everything is glued into the motherboard' dialogue scares me. Something goes wrong after purchase and they send it back to US, is what the Apple officials said. Moreover they don’t keep one on a demo at Apple stores in kolkata. I have searched almost everywhere and have been to many resellers in my city but no use.
NOW,I am very sceptical about custom ordering a Macbook 15 non retina with High-Res 1680X1050p from US.I don’t know how much custom duty or expenses I have to pay and is it safe or not. Time is also a factor. Sadly, I have to buy one in Kolkata (my city) it seems.
I am opting for Macbook Pro 15,2.6 Ghz,8GB RAM. Buying it for the sole purpose of editing(audio, video, photos).I need something which is fast along with a good screen size. My original decision was to buy the 17inch but after the launch of Retina and the upgraded 15 inch, I am only looking forward to the upgraded models. Many say 13 inch is fast, but it features a dual core with a maximum of 2.9Ghz clockspeed. I on the other hand want a quad core i7 with good upgradability options and a good screen size. The 13 inch may be a favorite for many, but I want nothing less than a 15 inch. One good option I get with non Retina 15 is its upgradability, while many say Retina MBP 15 can be made upgradable in future but that time is yet to come and by the time the whole web becomes ‘retina friendly’ and all applications supporting its 2880X1800 resolution, I may end up waiting only. Yes the picture quality remains unbeatable when compared to Retina Pro and it will always be. Though friends, I am a student, I want something which is fast, can run almost anything and future dependable. Retina Mac book Pro in India is 2799 USD - Base model. I cannot pay that amount just for the screen. As far as speed is concerned, I plan to get an OWC SSD and a 16 GB OWC RAM in the future resulting in greater speed when comparing the configuration with Retina 15.That problem is solved.
My problem here is this: The web is filled with reviews and videos of Retina Macbook Pro and the upgraded Macbook Pro 15 is just no where, if you even find a few videos, they only feature unboxing videos of Macbook pro 15 (i7-2.3Ghz-4GB-500GB-500MB Nvidea).Other videos compare the 2.3ghz model with Retina 15 pro. They are not elaborate like the 15 Retina Pro reviews.
I want to know about the real performance, potential, pros, cons of Macbook Pro 15 (i7 2.6Ghz 8GB RAM 750 GB 1GB Nvidea graphics).
So my question to you is what is your opinion on the 15 inch non retina ? HOW FAST do you think is the new upgraded 15inch non retina i7-2.6Ghz-8GB-750GB model really is ?I have read on many mac forums and seen on a particular youtube video that 15inch 2.3Ghz model takes an alarming 40 seconds to start because of traditional hard drive ! A normal DELL Inspiron starts at 15 secs max with i3+4 GB RAM and this particularly confuses me about the whole quad core processing and stuff and speed when running applications like C6,FCP,Lightroom etc is to be determined in regard to the model I want to buy.
A. Is it necessary to buy APPLE CARE WARRANTY when buying a laptop from Apple. What are the benefits and how is it different form the normal customer care ?
B. Please enlighten me on some nice headphones from Sennheizer under 90 USD.I am considering Sennheiser HD 439.I am not a bass freak and I want something to use for listening to voice, loud clear. In short, a headphone for all purpose. I heard the HD 449 is not that good compared to HD 439.They say it is Jazz oriented. Another confusion !
Finally, If you know anyone who knows about this configuration (15inch 2.6 8GB RAM 750GB) and its performance than please help me out my friends. Any small detail, input, you feel like please let me know. Please help me be sure and satisfied am buying my Macbook Pro very soon and I am awaiting your response.

Well, are you talking about a 750 Hard Drive or SSD? If SSD (quite expensive) it will certainly be as fast. One option is to get the smallest HD they have and with the Non Retina you can upgrade the HD to an SSD later or now but save a little money. Check with iFixit or OWC for instructions. HD's do take longer to start up and load, but once open, the processor and video work just the same as on the Retina model. The SSD speed is nice, but really not critical. So you have to wait a minute for your computer to boot up. The other big question is you need to find out if the non-retina model will take 16GB of ram. According to OWC's site, it will, 16GB for 150USD. Once you get programs open and resident in ram, everything will fly.

How do I merge two seperate HD's into one. I upgraded my MBP to an SSD and installed a hybrid in the optical bay.

I intially planned to use my cloned system on the SSD and the Hybrid to be used as backup, media, whatever else. But I only had access to certain program on another MBP and so I cloned it to a partition on the Hybrid. So basically I have two seperate computers each isolated from one another. I have two startup disks, 2 seperate everything. And I have to be careful when syncing my dropbox and a myriad of issues when swithing from one to the other. So does anyone have any questions about this or any suggestions as to how I can merge the 2 so that I can run the initial configuration I desired. Oh and the performance between the Momentus XT hybrid and the Intel-520 ssd are getting closer and closer as time goes by that I almost don't notice a difference, grnted my MBP is only backward compatible to 3gbs so I don't get the performance of the 6gbps capabilities of the intel. But GD its awesome.
I really would appreciate any suggestions. the machine is 15" MBP mid 2010 with 10.8.2.

I don't know that copying them from an external would be any different than doing it internally because they are physically seperated. I have tried many different configurations. It won't let me erase or format the SSD so that I can clone the Hybrid to it. Which is what I prefer to do but I haven't boot from the recovery or an external and tried doing it that way. But even then I have to boot from each seperately, what is holding me up is I've lost both product keys to office and adobe ms 6 due to the fact of not only having them so long and always upgrade using dmg's as well as upgrading os's so often. So those programs are only available on one computer. Which happens to be on a seperate internal disk. A slick unix script would be nice. I am just really tired of trial and error and would like to get back to using my stuff.

MBA (fully upgraded) vs. MBP 15" (+ hi-res, 128 GB SSD)

Hi All,
I'm trying to decide on my first computer (that I own, anyway.) I'm a junior electrical engineering student, and managed to get by on campus computers and my mom's work laptop (2009 MBP 13".) But it's nice having my own computer for obvious reasons. Here's what I would be doing on whichever MacBook I get:
-Schoolwork, obviously (papers, spreadsheets, some circuit designing/programming, surfing, etc.)
-Music listening/movie watching
-Some gaming. I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I will dual boot and play. On Steam I own The Orange Box, BioShock 1+2, GTA IV, Dead Space, Mirror's Edge, and Batman: Arkham Asylum.
-Some Pixelmator, GarageBand, Logic Express, iMovie, etc.
The obvious choice is a MacBook Pro, I know, but I have a few caveats. I love the size/portability of the MacBook Air, and the optimizations that give it great performance for its size. Also, the 256GB blade flash memory is very hard to match for its price. If I get the Air, I'll upgrade the processor, RAM, and storage to the fullest. Still, the C2D seems a bit old and less future proof.
But if I go with a Pro, I'm going to get the base 15" with a hi-res glossy screen and a 128GB SSD. I want an SSD for its durability and speed (although I read somewhere that the blade flash mem is faster than a standard 2.5" SSD.) The 256GB SSD would be ideal, but it's so expensive (from 3rd parties, as well.) Of course I'd get a Quad-core and Thunderbolt, AMD GPU, etc. Again, I'm only a casual gamer, but it's nice playing with a good discrete GPU, etc.
I like the new MBP update, but I just wish the SuperDrive were removed (I don't need it), flash storage became standard (and expanded), and the chassis was made Air-like thin. I see no point in getting the MBP 13", because I may as well get the MBA 13".
Compared to the Air, is the MBP 15" really that much less portable, and really that much more disproportionate in speed for its size, even with an SSD? And how does the Air perform with the games and apps I've mentioned? I just don't want a big heavy relatively slow (but still fast) slab, or an under-equipped under-powered less future-proof luxury item.
Either way, I'm going to wait until summer so I can get Lion pre-installed (as a college student, I'm rich enough to get a Mac, but poor enough to want to save.) I kind of already decided on the MBP 15", but the Air is just soo tempting.
Any advice?
Thanks,
Michael

I like the MBA 13 inch base model, and I think it is a great computer. However, if you have the money, I totally recommend the MBP 15 inch. It is blazing fast. I think you should get a 64 or 32 GB Flash and an optibay. If you don't use your optical drive a lot, it is a great replacement so you can have the OS on the SSD, and all your main files on the big drive. It works well for a lot of people that I know of. The Air is light, and its screen is great. If your 2009 MBP worked fine for whatever you do, then the Air will be perfect. If you have trouble accomplishing some tasks on that computer, get the 2011 Pro. Good luck, and keep in mind you can return it within two weeks

Upgrade MBP with SSD+HDD to Mountain Lion

I have a MBP mid-2009 with 4Gb RAM, which I replaced the HDD with an SSD and moved the HDD to the optical bay. The current Snow Leopard OS boots from the SSD (all system files are in the SSD), however I keep the home folders (/Users) in the HDD. This is because my SSD is small while I have a lot of large personal files. Now I want to upgrade the OS to Mountain Lion (required to run certain apps). My main concern is whether the ML upgrade will break my system configuration (perhaps lose files, unbootable), because my SSD+HDD system configuration is nonstandard. Any experience or tips are very welcome. Thanks!

You shouldn't have any problems. However, I will suggest the following:
Repair your hard drive and permissions before upgrading.
Make a backup of your current system, preferable a bootable one, just in case.
After you download Mountain Lion, you might wish to do this:
Make Your Own Mountain/Lion Installer
1. After downloading Mountain/Lion you must first save the Install Mac OS X Mountain/
    Lion application. After Mountain/Lion downloads DO NOT click on the Install button.
    Go to your Applications folder and make a copy of the Mountain/Lion installer. Move
    the copy into your Downloads folder. Now you can click on the Install button. You
    must do this because the installer deletes itself automatically when it finishes
    installing.
2. Get a USB flash drive that is at least 8 GBs. Prep this flash drive as follows:
a. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
b. After DU loads select your flash drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left
      side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
c. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one.
      Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the
      partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until
      the process has completed.
d. 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.
e. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the
      button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
f. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to an hour depending upon the flash
     drive size.
3. Locate the saved Mountain/Lion installer in your Downloads folder. CTRL- or RIGHT-click on the installer and select Show Package Contents from the contextual menu. Double-click on the Contents folder to open it. Double-click on the SharedSupport folder. In this folder you will see a disc image named InstallESD.dmg.
4. Plug in your freshly prepared USB flash drive. You are going to clone the content of the InstallESD.dmg disc image to the flash drive as follows:
a. Double-click on the InstallESD.dmg file to mount it on your Desktop.
b. Open Disk Utility.
c. Select the USB flash drive from the left side list.
d. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
e. Select the USB flash drive volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
f. Drag the mounted disc icon from the Desktop into the Source entry field.
g. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
When the clone is completed you have a fully bootable installer that you can use without having to re-download Mountain/Lion.
Note: The term Mountain/Lion used above means Lion or Mountain Lion.
As an alternative to the above (you still have to do your own download of Lion/Mountain Lion) you can try using Lion DiskMaker 2.0 that automates the process of Steps 2 through 4.

What kinda SSD and RAM do I need to upgrade on my MBP 15" i7, Mid 2010

Hi I need help to upgrade to SSD and stronger RAM on my MBP 15" i7, mid 2010.
I like to know where to buy about 500GB SSD and I wanna 8 GB RAM(I think that is the max) on my MBP.
What is the best of Samsung or Crucial?
Hope somebody can help me out.
Thanks a lot
Best regards
Hay Duong

Look at the owc or crucial website for all you need.
http://www.macsales.com/
http://www.crucial.com/

I have a MBP retina display, early 2013, 512GB SSD storage& I want to upgrade it into a 768GB SSD storage, would that be possible WITHOUT replacing my current storage disks with the new 768GB ?keeping the 512GB&only adding a 256 GB disk?! please advise (:

I have a MBP retina display, early 2013, 512GB SSD storage& I want to upgrade it into a 768GB SSD storage, would that be possible WITHOUT replacing my current storage disks with the new 768GB ?keeping the 512GB&only adding a 256 GB disk?! please advise (:

The main error in this position is thinking ANY sized SSD can be "storage"
Any Macbook SSD should be idealized as a working platform computer system, containing all your applications, documents, and weekly-use necessary files; and all media files such as ‘big-data’ (music/PDF collections/video/pictures), unless directly needed in the near future, should be kept off the computer and on external storage USB or likewise bare hard drives.
You cant do what you want without removing the internal SSD
Officially, it is not possible for an end user to upgrade the storage in any Retina Display MacBook Pro model after purchase
Get a nice 1TB USB external HD for $65

MBP 2011 slower with 8GB than 6GB

Hey everyone,
First post here so go easy no me ;-)
I have recently purchased a MBP i7 2.3Ghz with 4GB RAM and a 750GB hard Drive.
When i bought the machine I wasn't that impressed with the speed compared to my old MBP but i installed a 4GB card (Crucial DDR3) to put me up to 6GB and the speed difference is amazing. Having seen this i thought i'd install another 4GB (to have 2 x 4GB to take me to the 8GB max) to have the quickest machine possible without a SSD.
The machine recognises that it now has 8GB RAM but it actually slowed the machine down hugely. Can anyone explain why? Is it possible to correct this?
Thank you for your help!
Stodge

Hi there, Thanks for your help.
The 4GB cards are
"Crucial Sodimm Laptop Memory Upgrade (4GB,204-pin,DDR3 PC3-10600,Cl=9,1.5v)"
The 2GB cards are the ones that come with the MBP.
"hynix, 2GB 1Rx8 PC3-10600S-9-10-B1 DDR3"
The issue i have is that 8GB might not be faster than 6GB, but it certainly shouldn't be a LOT slower should it? Kappy says that no speed tests work, which is fine, but surely it shouldn't be slower, especially when putting in just one of the 4GB with the original 2GB is a LOT faster than the original 4GB (2 x 2GB) setup.
Thanks

MBA 2012 13 i7 8Gb or MBP 2012 13 i7 8Gb

Hi at all,
I need a suggests to choose between MBA 2012 i7 8Gb and MBP 2012 13 i7 8Gb ( anche after I put in SSD ).
I've already a iMAC mid 2011 27" i7QC 3,4.
I heavy work with .NET and Windows for web programming and legacy, mobile applications for iPAD/iPhone and soon, too.
So, I will execute Win7 with Parallels ( or at most with Bootcamp, but I don't like )...
What's your opinions.
Thank you.
Bp

I would go with the 13" MacBook Pro. You can install a SSD and RAM yourself and won't have to rely on those outrageous Apple prices. I also run Parallels instead of Boot Camp. I just recently upgraded to version 8 - with full Mountain Lion support. I've never had a problem with it. I don't like Boot Camp, either.
I would only buy the Air if you're primarily interested in a light piece of gear - the MBP isn't that much heavier and you have far more options with it than the Air.
Just my 2¢...
Clinton

Lenovo Yoga 11s SSD and RAM Upgrade - Great Results

Picked up a Lenovo Yoga 11s from Best Buy. I chose Best Buy for price, color, and processor. They had a slightly better deal than Lenovo.com. The clementine color looks great. Quality is great. I'm very happy with the purchase. It has the i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD.
I upgraded the SSD and RAM and found the upgrade relatively easy. Here is a basic step by step and results. (note the parts I chose increased the cost by close to $400. I chose these parts based on quality, performance, and power usage. There are cheaper alternatives, but I wanted an upgrade and money was not my concern.)
Upgraded Parts
RAM - Patriot Memory 8GB PC3-12800 1600MHZ CL11 1.35V - Purchased at Newegg, but could have saved a couple dollars on Amazon.
I chose this part based on previous experience with Patriot and the low voltage RAM. A lot of the RAM is higher voltage and I wanted to make sure I reduced heat and power usage. When you look for 1.35V RAM, there are not a lot of options...
MSata SSD Drive - Intel SSD 525 Series 240GB Drive
Intel SSD Page
I purchased through Newegg
I chose the Intel drive based on previous experience with Intel. They cost more, but I've found their performance to be good and reliability good. There is also a good review on this drive on Tomshardware Tomshardware Intel 525 Review. Toms review shows top performing drive and low power. I also looked at many other manufacturers and Intel had the lower power consumption. This means less heat and longer battery life.
Cloning Software
Intel provides a free cloning software from Acronis
My Digital SSD MSata external case
I purchased through Newegg.
Nice quality device. I used this to help in cloning the OEM SSD to the new Intel drive.
T5 Torx Screw Driver
I purchased this from Home Depot T5 Torx Home Depot
I read all the reviews, posts and issues around cloning the Win8 SSD drives. Many people have/had issues. I was prepared for problems. Another reason I chose Intel, as they have migration software that I felt would be top notch.
You need to have the Hardware Manual handy. I read how to remove keyboard and top cover. This is required to upgrade RAM and SSD. It was very easy. Take your time. Note, this is very different than the Yoga 13 youtube video for part removal. I think it's easier. Here is the link to download manual Yoga 11s Hardware Manual.
How to clone your SSD
I expect if you're doing this project you can learn how to use the Intel software for cloning. Read the web, watch their youtube video. Read the manual...
Remove your factory SSD and insert new Intel SSD (note, you must insert Intel drive in notebook for cloning. Do not try and clone on the USB external drive. Intel software will not detect drive properly). Create a bootable version of the Intel software on a USB drive. Install your factory OEM SSD in the external MSata SSD drive. Go to BIOS and set boot to support legacy, no fast boot, boot to USB.
Boot to the Intel Acronis app on the USB drive. Then connect your OEM SSD via second USB port.
Then follow the wizard on Intel's software. Cloning process took less than 5 minutes.
Unplug your USB devices, go to BIOS and set all all your boot settings back to factory UEFI, fast boot etc.
The PC booted to windows second try. The first time it said it has issues and went through a process to repair. It then said it failed. I rebooted again and it went straight to windows. Did all my windows updates and everything is fine.
Performance
Windows Performance Improvement
Memory - Factory score was 5.9 - Patriot Memory is 8.2 *** Nice Improvement
Hard Drive - Factory score was 6.2 - Intel 525 Drive is 8.2 *** Nice Improvement
This pc is crazy fast booting and shutting down. It boots in 7 seconds. Not sure it's really faster than OEM, but I've never seen a pc boot this fast.
Over all performance is fast. I installed Office 2010 pro from a USB drive in under 5 minutes. Web browsing is crazy fast. I'm super impressed with the speed of this pc. Much faster than I expected.
Size, Shape, Weight, color is great. Performance is great. Happy with upgrades and quality of parts. May be my best notebook purchase to date. I don't have any battery life numbers to report yet. Everything is new and I haven't really spent much time off the charger.
Issues I've experienced during this upgrade of parts
I first tried to clone the SSD drive by putting the Intel drive in the USB enclosure first. The intel software would not work as the PC detects the external SSD drive as a SCSI drive and Intel cloning software could not identify the drive as an Intel Sata drive. I called Intel and they had no advice or help. I also tried a few other cloning softwares that ultimately did not work. As a last resort I switched the drives and everything worked great. Lesson learned, swap the drives first and use Intel software to clone.
Factory restore - doesn't work. Not sure why the factory restore is not working on my new Intel drive. Windows works great! All the partitions are there. I suspect I messed up the OEM restore portion of the drive. At one point I thought I had booted to the Intel drive, and tried the restore (I had about 7 failed cloning tries before the final one worked as I outlined above). It went through the restore process and then failed. However, what I later found was that I had actually booted to the OEM drive in the external USB case and I may have corrupted the restore functionality.
I contacted Lenovo Support and explained I could not restore using the 1 key restore. They walked me through some basic troubleshooting and then opted to mail me factory restore disk. I have the disk and will keep them available for when/if I ever need to restore.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

I upgraded from the Yoga 13 to the 11S and am happy to report that the machines are so identical that apparently you can just yank the SSD from one and drop it in the other. I had upgraded my 13" to 240gB SSD + 8gB RAM and simply plopped the two components into the 11S and after about 30 seconds of Windows alerting me that it was 'setting up devices' the machine booted normally and has been working perfectly since!

Upgrade Macbook Late 2008 Unibody Hard Drive SSD or size?

I have a late 2008 macbook aluminum unibody..........it currently only has the standard 160 GB...and I'm at about 152 GB. I need to upgrade (already upgraded from 2GB RAM to 8GB), but now I need the bigger hard drive. My friend is telling me how great a SSD would be, but I can obviously get a much bigger drive if iI do a standard or hybrid. Please let me know if I should spend $$$$$$$ on SSD...or on Hybrid.........or if I should just get a regular HD?
More info: I'm a firefighter, who is a mortgage originator as a side job. I have NO INTEREST in PC's.......but for my Mortgage side job- I need to have a windows based option. at 152/160 GB used; 8 GB RAM - it is 'fast enough'. Any suggestions as to what type of HD I should get for this old boy? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!!

Get a regular HDD for your computer. It should be a notebook sized drive, SATA II-3.0 Gb/s, 7200 RPM. A Seagate XT500 Hybrid is a good trade-off of performance and price.

Upgrading to SSD and copying all content from old drive?

Hello,
I have a late 2011 Macbook Pro currently running 10.9 and wish to upgrade my original 5400rpm hard drive to an SSD.
My MBP did not come with any install disks and came with Snow Leopard installed. I have since upgraded to 10.9 Maverick.
How should I proceed in terms of copying my current drive (incl Software, Applications and documents) to the new SSD? Should I use Carbon Cloner? I have heard that a simple clone will not copy the restore partition which will be required in case of a restore in the future? I would want this as I have no disks.
Is there a step by step guide anywhere please?
I have the new SSD and a caddy so that I can plug it in if required. I should also add that I have a time capsule if that helps?
Thanks in advance.
S

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You can do it without any external drive. You just need a SATA to USB adapter to connect the old HDD to your Mac.
First of all, replace the HDD by the new SSD, and then, start up your Mac while holding down Command, Option (Alt) and R keys. This will make your Mac start up into Internet Recovery.
Then, you can use Disk Utility's Restore feature to clone the old HDD onto the SSD, but first format the SSD in "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" > http://pondini.org/OSX/DU1.html Then, use Restore > http://pondini.org/OSX/DU7.html
Finally, restart your Mac and unplug the old HDD, and OS X will start up.
Another way is to make a backup of your files onto the Time Capsule you mentioned you have got with Time Machine. See > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427 Then, install the SSD and follow the same steps to start up into Internet Recovery and format the SSD, but then, close Disk Utility and choose the option to restore the Time Machine backup

Upgrading MBP 2.2 i7 8gb w/ SSD and OWC DataDoubler

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