Nevadasmith

Q: I have a 2011 MacBook Pro (Snow Leopard OS X 10.6.8). Can I upgrade to Yosemite and replace HDD with SSD and, if so, how much would this cost at my Apple Store?

I have a 2011 MacBook Pro (Snow Leopard OS X 10.6.8 w/ 2.2 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo and 2GB memory). Can I upgrade to Yosemite and replace HDD with SSD and, if so, how much would it cost for my local Apple Store to do it?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Aug 27, 2015 2:36 PM

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Q: I have a 2011 MacBook Pro (Snow Leopard OS X 10.6.8). Can I upgrade to Yosemite and replace HDD with SSD and, if so, how much woul ... more

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  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Aug 28, 2015 3:23 AM in response to Nevadasmith
    Level 6 (14,350 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 28, 2015 3:23 AM in response to Nevadasmith

    You may have to contact them directly, to see if they have hardware options

    available for the older MacBook Pro to their tech service, and if such upgrade

    would even be done in the Store. The use of an independent AASP or Apple

    authorized service provider, may be a more likely candidate for this operation.

     

    If I had a four year old MacBook/Pro that is out of warranty needing upgrade,

    I'd certainly check out the competition; some upgrades you may be able to

    perform yourself by use of iFixit.com repair guides for MacBook/Pro, or look

    into OWC macsales hardware upgrade parts pages, and at the bottom, they

    have free videos of repair & replacement installations. Also, good support on

    items you may consider; ask questions about stuff before you try a DIY... etc.

     

    The RAM memory macsales.com recommends for the MacBook/Pro has been

    tested and guaranteed to work in the computer model(s) you have, and they

    are reputable, and offer other replacement and upgrade parts. You should be

    able to do the work yourself; or have a good AASP (some will) install any part

    you want. Some independent authorized services are better at this than others.

     

    So the idea there, in your area, is to ask around because cost may vary and

    some shops (incl Apple Store) may not stock parts for your model; or it may be

    considered too old for the Apple Store to offer upgrade service. Though some

    Apple Stores may send out such service orders, in certain areas, if too old for

    in-house, or other reasons. As a fellow Apple user in a different region than

    you, I could not state what pricing would be in either location, with accuracy.

     

    PS: you've posted a MacBook/Pro inquiry into the standard MacBook ASC;

    your model is not generally addressed here, btw. -- A host may relocate it.

     

    In any event...

    Good luck in this matter!

  • by Lexiepex,

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Aug 28, 2015 3:50 AM in response to Nevadasmith
    Level 6 (10,477 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 28, 2015 3:50 AM in response to Nevadasmith

    It is very easy to do it yourself, see video on iFixit or OWC.

    1. take 2x4GB Ram, OWC or Crucial, $60-70 price range.

    2. SSD, price depending mainly on the size: 240GB around $200, 480GB around $300.

    You will be surprised about the speed.

    tips: make sure that you partition the SSD as 1 partition GUID-Partition-Table  Mac OS Extended (journaled). Do never set the Trim command.

    We have several 2011 MBPs, are as good as new, they are worth it in my opinion.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Aug 28, 2015 11:31 PM in response to Nevadasmith
    Level 6 (14,350 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 28, 2015 11:31 PM in response to Nevadasmith

    After correctly identifying your '2011 MacBook Pro' one of the following ifixit repair guides

    may give you some ideas on how to go about the process of part replacement or upgrade:

     

    • MacBook/Pro Repair guides - iFixit.com:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook_Pro

     

    • How to identify MacBook Pro models - Apple Support

     

    • Laptop Accessories and Upgrades (Apple portables)

    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/powerbook-ibook-macbook/

     

    • OWC Video Installation Guides for memory, HDD, SSD, & more...:

    http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

     

    Hopefully you will read and see how good the instructions and available inexpensive kit +

    tools are for these models of Mac; others are not as easy for a user to access or upgrade.

     

    Good luck in any event...!