1 minute guide: replace your MacBook hard drive

Time-lapse photography makes this video easy to review multiple times before starting the job.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• macBook
• Mac
• hard
• drive
• replacement
• upgrade

[Houroudi]

my only computer is a macbook pro 160 gb and its running low. i just want to ask a question.

if i replace it, how do i get all of my data on to the new drive?

and does this void my warranty?

[RobinHarris]

@Houroudi

The easiest and fastest way is to use either Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper to clone your drive to the new drive before you replace it. You'll need an external enclosure or a USB universal drive adapter to temporarily mount the new drive in.

Then when you've installed the new drive your system will boot and everything will be as it was when you last logged off.

[MCMxx39]

Okay so me and my friend plan to switch computers. (we both have the same macbook). We want to switch our hard drives so we can keep our information on our computers. I have the western digital hard drive and my friend has the standard one that comes with the macbook. Would it do any damage to the computer if we switched?

[RobinHarris]

@MCMxx39

Nope.

[macrumpton]

Awesome tutorial.

My moms macbook hard drive is slowly dying, and I was thinking of replacing the 80GB Toshiba with a OCZ Vertex Series 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC Solid State Drive. Do you know if it would be compatible or not? Judging by the performance of the new MacBook Air it would give her MacBook that new computer feel.

Thanks again for the great info.

[RobinHarris]

@macrumpton Yes, it would be compatible and yes it would make the 'Book much snappier. You'd also get much of the benefit of the SSD with the Seagate Momentus XT which is a hybrid disk/SSD - and costs quite a bit less.

HTH,

Robin

[awesomeness2571]

@MtnXfreeride it's not youtube's fault...

it's your fault for not paying more money for faster service...

haha

[dais4444]

heyy um i have an oldish white macbook not sure what model, but it wont turn on just loads the start up screen and have been told its probably the hard drive. do you think i should replace it? could i do this myself?

[JacbMthias]

Thank you very much, I just restored an old computer, since my mom took my new :)

[LonelyVikingBand]

This was really helpful, thank you : )

[airaguanet]

@Houroudi Time Machine or Migration Assistant

[hivetyrant36]

@RobinHarris You can even do this on Disk Utility. Just tell it to restore and use your current HD as the target drive, and the new drive as the destination drive.

[litharos2317]

You are LEGEND MAN!!!! Very nice description of the procedure. I like your attitude.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND EVERYONE IN THE WOLRD!!!!!!

;-)

[zelgadiss]

Lol apple.is clever while.i was upgrading ram I though to myself where is that hdd?

[chowder2134]

@climbto450 You should get a new hard drive. They only last a couple of years.

[chowder2134]

@dais4444 Hi,

I have the same problem with the same macbook. I am replacing the hard drive my self with one I purchased from Newegg. It cost around $90. You should get a 2.5 inch for a laptop.

[climbto450]

My wife's white Macbook is constantly freezing up. Restarting it sometimes works, but usually does not. Do you think the hard drive is kaput?

[coxdavi3]

Hey so can I format the drive in disk utility and then restore my data from time machine?