Apple SSD to replace HDD on my new Macbook Pro 15"

Hey guys,

I know, I'm getting a Mac, I'm such a conformist tw*t but hey, I'm a musician who needs Logic Pro. I'm thinking of getting the 2.0Ghz 15" MBP but I'm not prepared to pay a disgusting amount for more RAM or an SSD preinstalled...

So basically I'd love some advice on replacing the HDD for a sexy SSD. Which model would you recommend? The OCZ Vertex 3?

Watched this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv91m2z6DPY)...am I right in thinking to reinstall the OS I need the HDD still intact to transfer it??

Or can it be done by just replacing the HDD only...assuming I'll need an OS CD to do that?

Sorry for the nooby questions, I'm so inexperienced, I've built my own PC but that's like lego really. I'd really appreciate your help!

Thanks in advance

Timmy

|P6T Deluxe V2|Intel i7 920|6Gb Corsair RAM|Dell 2209WA 22"|Sapph ATI 5850|Win 7 64bit|

 

If you wanted you could put the hdd where the optical bay (converter needed) for storage and then the ssd (crucial m4/corsair force 3 or gt/vertex 3) for OS and applications where the hdd used to be. That is if you can manage without a optical drive

 

http://arstechnica.com/apple/guides...an-aging-macbook-with-a-solid-state-drive.ars

He does it with an old Facebook, dunno if its a pro.

 

Argh! *macbook

 

X25-M/Intel 320 series. Anything else is a huge risk right now. There are known issues with Crucial C300/m4/Intel 510 Series, as well with Sandforce 2xxx based SSD's, where many have issues with SSD's stopping in middle of instalation, if you can find them in the first place at all. Or freezes because of LPM....

Simply put, if you want a SSD in Macbook, don't bother with SATA3 drives yet.

Crucial m4 : http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Solid-State-Drives-SSD/M4-512gb-Macbook-Pro-15-i7-2-3-2011/td-p/45848
Crucial c300 : http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Solid-S...0-work-in-the-new-2011-Macbook-Pro/td-p/37304
http://www.hardmac.com/news/2011/04...-the-sata-iii-problem-on-the-2011-macbook-pro
Intel 510 is the same.

 

I'd also steer away from the SATAIII drives, there's reports of weird behaviour under OS X. I've got a Vertex 2 installed in my Mac Pro and it works fine, TRIM support and everything.

 

Got a Vertex 2 in my MB 08. Only runs at 1.5Gb/s but still a lot faster than my old HDD.

 

Nah I'd prefer having an optical drive!

So, could I insert the SSD into a Hard-Drive docking station and use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the system and then replace it?

 

Yep. CCC is a common method of copying data on to a new drive, works fine.

Or, if you want to start from scratch, bung in an OS disc and hold down c whilst booting to boot from the disc. Once in the installer you can access Disk Utility to format your new SSD as HFS+(Journaled).

 

Crucial will guarantee the M4 will work with a MBP, so if you get problems you should be able to get a refund without any problem. They said the last-but-one firmware update fixed the main issues with some 2011 MBPs, and the newest one from a few days ago seems to have resolved a temporary freezing issue found in Windows too.

TRIM support will need a hack as far as I know.

 

TRIM support is native in Lion, only needs a hack on Snow Leopard or earlier if you're using a non-Apple SSD.

 

Are you sure? All the things I've read say that the hack is needed on both 10.6 and 10.7 for 3rd party SSDs.

 

Ah okay, because I tried Lion in the store and I hate it with a fiery passion, why would I want to scroll up to go down, WTF is that...

Yeh I'd much prefer to install snow leopard, what is the hack may I ask Cei?

And the hack for TRIM support teppic? Gosh I'm so ignorant atm eek!

 

Depends on the exact model of drive, some are working natively, others need 10 seconds in Terminal under Lion. Apple appear to be expanding support for third party as time passes.

Tele1952: the inverted scrolling is an option under trackpad, called 'natural scrolling'. Just turn it off, like I did within 30 seconds of installing. I'd definitely recommend Lion over Snow Leopard, especially as it's now at 10.7.1 with bug fixes applied.



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The hack for TRIM:
http://www.machrome.com/2011-07/enable-trim-support-for-third-party-ssd-on-lion.mac
http://www.mactrast.com/2011/07/how-to-enable-trim-support-for-all-ssds-in-os-x-lion/

 

If you want a clean installation of Snow Leopard with TRIM I guess you could do it this way: fit the SSD but install OS X to an external USB disk, then boot up from the external disk, apply the updates to 10.6.8, run the TRIM hack, and then use CCC to copy everything to the SSD.

 

Why bother? If you're going for a clean install, easiest way is:

1) Stick new SSD in, take old drive out
2) Stick in recovery disc, install OS X on to SSD
3) Update OS X, enable TRIM if needed
4) If you have any data on the old drive, stick it in an enclosure and connect over USB and run Migration Assistant or manually copy data over.

CCC is invaluable when you're upgrading a Mac that's been running for a while, and you want to retain everything. For a clean install it's just hassle.

 

The main reason being that when you install OS X it's going to be creating and deleting a huge number of files without any TRIM support - the same goes for the updates to 10.6.8 (and others, like iTunes and Safari).

 

Fair point, though it won't harm the SSD in the long term.

 

Sounds like sound advice, I'll bear that in mind.

Researched a little on the Vertex 3, they say most of the problems happen on the 13" and 17" models due to the stock hard drive cable...not sure if I should risk it?

 

I wouldn't risk it. I tried a Corsair SandForce SSD in my Macbook Pro (2011 13") and it failed twice when I tried to install OS X. It's a really common problem with SATA3 drives.

The Crucial M4 firmware update apparently resolves that problem -- they removed 'guaranteed' support for the newer Macbook Pros and then re-added it after. I haven't tested it in mine but I'm thinking of getting one, especially now the 128gb drives are about £140.