On their own: how to replace / upgrade HDD / SSD and RAM in a MacBook Pro

Just as there is for Mac lots of RAMAnd would not be out of disk space. There will always be, than it can fill.

Apple offers options for individual configuration of your notebook and desktop PCs with enhanced capacity RAM / HDD / SSD, but the money for the components takes twice as much as they are, if you buy independently. In addition, the Russian and Ukrainian realities of the order of Custom configuration results in a "pretty penny" in addition to the increased cost of the "brand" of iron. Although it is the same firm, as well as purchased at any well-known company that sells computer components. Is that the best tested and contains the latest version Firmare, which is important in the case of SSD, but later on this.

In any case, if the United States to upgrade HDD will result in $ 100 in Russia or Ukraine, it will cost all of $ 150 or even $ 200 in the framework of the order of individual PC configuration. The conclusion is simple - in the case of the MacBook or MacBook Pro is much cheaper to change the equipment on their own. Unfortunately,

MacBook Air this does not apply. It RAM soldered to the motherboard and SSD this format difficult to find for sale sane money, plus screwdriver to parse require special and rare - Pentalobe (5-petal flower). Today I would like to talk about replacing the drive in the MacBook Pro, a little walk through the RAM upgrade and a way to quickly transfer personal data from your old HDD / SSD to the next.

Clone better than the backup

In acts as a guinea 15-inch MacBook Pro 2011 Year of release. It is already settled "Leo", aka OS X LionBut I have not yet moved to its use, lack Snow Leopard, plus it's a laptop for me time provided a good companion to the point until you come ordered MacBook Air the last generation. That is, somehow alter the composition of the software on its HDD is not desirable, so you can quickly return everything to original appearance, if necessary. Thus, the modernization drive start, we can say, from the end - with the personal data transfer. This will greatly save time.

On the Windows platform for a complete clone of the system and other sections there are third-party utilities, but in Windows 7 such a function was already built into the system. In Mac OS X as a standard "Disk Utility" I knew how to do it from the very first release. And everything is implemented is very simple, even a novice will understand. The only problem may arise in connection to a laptop embedded 2.5-inch drive via USB. Options to solve a few. I used an external pocket for the HDD, as shown in the photo above, and inherited from the old MacBok Pro brand hard drive, with it and decided to work instead of temporary storage of the laptop. External pocket - a piece is relatively inexpensive and useful on the farm for the storage of media content on high-capacity hard drives, instead of optical disks. For the price per gigabyte HDD is already close to the DVD-discs. You can also raskurochit old USB-drive and use this stuffing. On the other hand, some such devices can be easily disassembled, and breaking it is necessary nothing. The latter method is not very useful, but it is possible, in principle, it would still be easier than the standard procedure of data transfer by changing the internal drive of which we will discuss later.

A standard external USB-drive of sufficient capacity - it is a clone of the system partition, then in laptop changing HDD, the unit is collected and is included with the button held down Alt (Option), then the volume will be the choice for download. Naturally, it indicates an external storage device. After the system is booted with it, then using the "Disk Utility" produced inverse cloning operation. In addition, all this can be done when there is a bootable disk Mac OS X. If you boot from it, you will also be able to run "Disk Utility" (found under tools in the top menu) and have all of the same operations as in the environment of OS X.

Note the screenshot above. There's clearly stated what should be done for a complete clone of the system partition. In particular, you should run the "Disk Utility", select any drive and go to the section "Restore". In the "Source" by Drag-and-drop over tighten the current system partition - it will be done with a clone, in the field "Designation" overtighten the new drive, if it is able to connect via USB, or any an external HDD, but keep in mind that all data on it They will be deleted. That is, it is necessary beforehand to attend to their preservation. Necessarily need to check the "Delete destination", suggesting no simple removal data (if any), but also the formatting section in the right format (Mac OS Extended (Journaled)). After all selected, press the "Restore". In my case, about 100 GB slightly more than an hour copied data, although initially the system indicates that it will take three hours.

Naturally, all these operations are similarly produced and c SSD, if the user decided to install such type of drive instead of HDD. By the way, the right decision - a huge boost in performance and a much more remarkable than the increase in RAM from 4 to 8 GB. The only caveat is that you may have to update the SSD firmware to implement support TRIM command. It was originally present in Windows 7, and Mac OS X appeared, starting with the release of 10.6.8. Very useful for solid-state drive command that allows to avoid a significant reduction in device performance during filling and long-term use. In general, before installing the SSD, I wish to advise first read thematic forums and determine the model. One of the best options on the market offers Intel.

RAM easy to build

Well, the drive has been prepared, it's time to disassemble the laptop. I recommend to put it upside down on something soft - a cloth made of microfiber or on neoprene case, as in my case. To remove the cover will need a Philips screwdriver 0. Bolts unscrewed with some effort, because they contain a seal (blue blots on a thread). As the extraction is desirable to place them on the table in the same way as they are arranged in the laptop, as there are several parts which differ in length.

The bottom cover from the first time can not give in - it sits very firmly and accurately. Use brute force is not necessary, gently enough to pull it up from the display hinge. As a result, the view opens the following picture:

The 13-inch model, all very similar, except that only one fan. There is access to the HDD and RAM too. Before climbing into the interior of the computer, it is necessary to remove from the body static charge, so as not to damage the delicate electronic components. You can touch metal part inside the laptop, for example, an optical drive housing, or touch the metal faucet in the bathroom or in the kitchen. If desired, change the memory, just spread the tendrils on the edges of the slot, RAM pripodnimut strips themselves and they will be easy to extract. New set neatly and tightly, I will put the bar at an angle into the slot (the slope is the same as was with details of the extraction), a little push forward, so that it came to it, then lower the RAM down to clicks. Please note that the latches in the end is directly opposite the corresponding cut-outs in the memory strips. Personally I faced with a situation where people just do not put the RAM into the slot, but he was able to lower it into the horizontal position. In fact, I put the strips on top. Results are expected, the PC is not started without RAM. Although it was in the Mac mini, but the design of connectors and fasteners for RAM there is identical to that in the laptop.

I should add that Apple previously recommended to disconnect the battery during replacement of components, even though it was at a time when laptops were completed with a removable battery (models produced before 2008 inclusive). Disconnect the power connector can be, and now as I did when I HDD and RAM in 2009 in his new at that time, the 13-inch "Proshko", but, as experience has shown, this is unnecessary. And in the official statement is no indication at this point no. A good friend is a technical specialist at the official Apple reseller art, and without disconnecting the battery they were replaced by dozens of bars and memory drives, no problems, the main thing - not to forget before it is completely off the laptop and not to transfer it to sleep, and also eliminates static charge.

With a little more hassle drive

Now we go to the HDD. He is not screwed tightly to the notebook, and lies in the special seats. To extract the drive unscrew the plastic strip at the edge of the drive (on the side of the optical drive). Philips screwdriver is also used 0.

After this, pull the strap and carefully remove the drive, disconnect the connector - it is easily removed.

By HDD four sides of the bolt screwed in the head 6 Torx. It should take care to advance the search for a screwdriver or attachments, as to dig them using a flat or shallow cross fail, bolts sit tight. Unscrew them from the old drive, fasten the new, simple as that.

Plastic strap can be re-stick to a new HDD or SSD - it is easy to transfer a dozen such operations without loss of adhesive properties.

After that connect the connector in place, mount the HDD in its mounting box and fasten the plastic bar. Well, here, you're all set:

As the saying goes, better to see once alive than 100 times read, respectively, offer watch a video of the entire process, the captured foreign colleagues with the nickname JaymarkTech:

Pay attention to the bottom cover on it can collect dust, and it should be removed.

If the system partition has been cloned to the new drive in advance, it is possible to include a laptop and enjoy the new clothes. Otherwise it is necessary to use a boot disk Mac OS X and a backup Time Machine (any version from USB-drives, as described above). simple procedure, but it takes more time than the cloning system partition through "Disk Utility".

It should boot from the system disk, run "Disk Utility", to break up the drive Forums, if you wish, or you can use one partition and format it to Mac OS Extended format (magazine). After this you can start installing Mac OS X. Then, it is desirable to set all system updates via the "Software Update" and you can knurl backup Time Machine. In the case of OS X Lion download (similarly, through the clamped Alt key) is made from a pre-created on any flash drive hidden partition. For this purpose there is a proprietary freeware Lion Recovery Disk Assistant. Further, the system is installed from the Mac App Store, that is, you need an Internet connection to download the data of about 3.5 GB. As a result, the next scheduled restore from a backup, as described above. But still easier pre-clone disk than tinkering with manual running and bounce the database from a backup Time Machine.

That's all. Nothing complicated about it - try, and you, dear readers, all the necessary work.