Q: Do I have to format Samsung 840 Pro 516GB on my late 2011 MacBook Pro?

Same for Mavericks.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-partition-your-hard-drive-on-mac-os -x-snow-.html

The partition is a way of splitting up the drive. There's no need to do that, just use one. That's one volume. For that volume, you want a GUID partition, which I think is the default, and a type of "OS X Extended (Journaled). DO NOT use case sensitive.

Here are some User Tip articles that you may find useful:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4741

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3044

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4571

Ciao.

Read the first article I listed and look at the links to TRIM information.

Ciao.

Bear008 wrote:

 

So is formatting and partioning the same thing?

No.  Formatting a HDD structures it so that the OSX can use the HDD. 

Partitioning divides the HDD in order to allow the HDD to function as two or more HDDs.  Often this will be done to allow two (or more) operating systems on the same MBP.  (Such as two Apple OSX's or install Windows)  Each partition (also refered to as a volume) will be formatted separately to accommodate the requirements for what the partition is to be used for.

And this is all done by the Macbook?

All of this is done in Disk Utility.

Erse is used for formatting:

Partition is used for Partitioning:

My Macbook never came with a CD as it is a late 2011 one. Does that matter?

No.

Ciao.