Torx bit size for hard drive replacement?

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Level 1

98 points

Torx bit size for hard drive replacement?

I was in the process of replacing the hard drive with a new 320GB unit in my santa-rosa based Macbook following these instructions http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook13inch_HardDriveDIY.pdf when I discovered that I need a torx screwdriver to take the hard drive out of the cage.

The smallest torx I have is a T-10 which is too large so now I have to buy one. What size do I need to buy? I am guessing a T-5 but the instructions do not mention the need for a torx bit so I want to double check the size from someone who has done this before I go to the shops.

Macbook 2.2Ghz Santa-Rosa, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Feb 6, 2008 9:42 PM

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Answer 1

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Lee A.

Level 1

20 points

Feb 6, 2008 9:52 PM in response to Happy Dad

It is a T-8.
EDIT: Let me know how that goes. I just got my 320GB drive in today, but it was dead on arrival, apparently. It's not a widespread issue, I just think I got some bad luck. Mine won't erase most of the time, mounts part of the time, and fails during OS X install. I've gotta wait until OWC opens up in the morning and get an RMA.

If yours goes fine, I'll know its just my bad drive and I haven't messed anything else up (I'm not sure how one could mess this up, as easy as it is, but you never know, right?)

Message was edited by: Lee A.

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Answer 2

Happy Dad Author

Level 1

98 points

Feb 7, 2008 4:31 AM in response to Lee A.

Thank you.

I purchased a WD passport from Newegg as at the time it was about $40 cheaper than buying the bare OEM drive plus I would end up with a case for the Mac's 120GB.

People on forums had stated that it was easy to pry the case open so I went for it. I must say that working out how to open the case was daunting as no one posts detailed instructions on how to do it. I kept on thinking that I was going to break the case as mine was fitted extremely tightly. The first evening I gave up on it and figured that even it I broke the case it would still be cheaper than an oem drive. Last night though I finally figured it out and with two butter knifes I managed to pry the case open. The bottom line is that you just have to be really tough on the case and my first night I was being too wimpy for fear of breaking it.

I also put in 4GB of RAM from OWC. That was the easiest upgrade I have ever done! I'm do not know how Apple can justify mega $ for the memory when OWC was only $98.

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Answer 3

Dave B.

Level 4

2,080 points

Feb 8, 2008 7:49 AM in response to Happy Dad

What part of the procedure involved prying the case open with 2 butter knives? Here are the instructions with pictures, same as your link pretty much:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/MacBook-Core-Duo/Hard-Drive-Replacement/86/5/

Maybe I missed what you were saying. I haven't done a hard drive replacement myself, but when I have upgraded RAM I saw the hard drive easily accessible and in the pictures above it looked very quick and easy.

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Answer 4

Andrew D

Level 1

27 points

Feb 8, 2008 8:02 AM in response to Dave B.

I assumed he was talking about getting the case of the WD passport open to get at the hard drive in there rather than the one in his Mac.

I love it when you find a random way of doing something (i.e. the butter knives) after ages trying more conventional methods.

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Answer 5

First Magus

Level 7

21,278 points

Feb 8, 2008 8:29 AM in response to Dave B.

I believe he was referring to the external enclosure. there are a few that that is the easiest way to get the pieces split. Some have a little slot for a coin some don't.

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Answer 6

Happy Dad Author

Level 1

98 points

Feb 8, 2008 9:57 AM in response to First Magus

Yes I was referring to the taste of "breaking" into the case of the external WD Passport 320GB disc drive.

Getting into the MacBook was easy! 🙂

Well I got the T-8 bit and swapped the drives; the 320 going into the Mac and the Mac's 120 going into the WD Passport case. Putting the 120GB in the WD case was straight forward. Al you had to do was ensure that you also transfer the foil wrapping and the sticky pads from the WD drive to the Mac's drive so it is suitable protected from static and shock.

After that I booted using the Leopard install disk, used Disk Utilities to partition the drive into a 20GB segment for Windows and the rest for the Mac. Then I started a restore from the old drive (now plugged in as a USB drive in the passport) and watched TV for a couple or so hours. After that I had a fully working Mac with 4GB ram and 320GB of Hard disk.

So apart from getting into the WD Passport case, everything was very simple. As someone who recently when to OSX from Windows I really must say that life is a lot better on this little MacBook! 🙂

One side note, my upgrades cost a total of about $260 for 4GB RAM and 320 GB hard disk and an external enclosure for the old hard drive. Considering Apple offers 4GB RAM for $850 and do not even offer a 320GB (the 250GB is $225), Apple must be smoking some weed to continue advertising such insane prices!

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