Replacing the HDD with SSD and reinstalling Mountain Lion

AMDeeb wrote:

Hello,

...every time Apple releases a new OS, I download it from the Mac App Store and put it on a USB so that I can boot from it, whether to reinstall the OS or in case I faced Hard Drive problems...

...The question is, do I have to download a newer version of Mountain Lion (say 10.8.3) from the Mac App Store knowing that I will be restoring from Time Machine?

Maintaining a USB flash (?) drive to boot from is an excellent idea. You can download a new ML installer, which will be the latest version of ML, and create a new flash boot drive, boot from the current flash drive and update that to 10.8.3, or install the SSD and booting from the flash drive install ML on it, and if it isn't 10.8.3, update it once you restart and boot from the SSD. Then use Migration Assistant to restore from TM.

Since you want to restore what's on TM to the SSD, the SSD needs to be booted from to receive the restored files and to do that, the SSD has to have an OS on it. And since you'd want to have the SSD's OS updated to the latest ML version eventually, you might as well do that first, since, to some degree, it's also a test of the SSD's functioning. Since you already have the Combo updater, you could just run that, and since it's only a bit over 800 MB, it might even fit on the flash drive. I don't believe that migrating from a TM file made by and containing 10.8.3 data would be problematic when initiated from a 10.8.0 installation (which is I think what you're asking), but there may be some subtle software changes we don't know about that could come back and bite. So starting the migration after updating to 10.8.3 would be the safest bet. At the same time, Setup Assistant brings your existing account stuff over to just reestablish your existence on the SSD, while Migration Assistant is run after a new account has been set up on first boot, so I'd think Setup Assistant is the better way to go.

In which case, how about this: when you run the Combo updater, you are given a choice of which drive you want to install it on. If I remember the sequence correctly (it's been a while since a fresh install), you run the installer, which transfers files to the target disk, and then reboot. The installation takes place on the target disk which then reboots again to begin the setup process. When the startup chime sounds the second time, use the option key to run Startup Manager and pick your flash drive to boot from again. If you already have the Combo updater on the flash drive, run it from there and pick the SSD as the target. When it's finished, if it doesn't start from the SSD, choose that as the Startup Disk (check to see that it says 10.8.3 in Preferences) and when it boots, start the Setup Assistant process using TM.

Or is the flash drive only an installer, meaning it doesn't actually have ML installed on it so you can't use it like an actual boot disk from which you can do normal boot disk things?

AMDeeb wrote:

...Yes the Flash Drive is ONLY an installer, it is like the built-in Recovery partition with 10.8.0 offline installer.

I was afraid of that. If you can find a larger flash drive (prices have been dropping quite a bit), for the future you could install ML on it to boot from. The advantage is that you can have additional tools on it that aren't available from an installer/Recovery partition, such as DiskWarrior, which can't be run from the disk that needs fixing.

Just run a recovery and set destination to "SSD" drive (should be on usb/sata adapter)

Next install SSD (save original for spare) and boot.

use time machine and restore backup.

thats it.

i just got my mac and did it in an hour.

thanks

A slightly different idea:

When I replaced my internal drive in my MBP with an SSD, I purchased a kit from OWC (macsales.com) which also included an external enclosure. I installed the new SSD in the external disclosure and connected it to the MBP. After formatting the new drive, I cloned my entire internal HD to the new SSD using CarbonCopyCloner. After that, I removed the internal HD, installed the new SSD in its place, and booted - done. I also installed the old internal drive into the new external enclosure and now have an instantaneous bootable backup.

since I will be moving from HDD to SSD, I think it is better to install fresh copies of OSX (then restore using Time Machine) and BootCamp, right?

I don't see why it should make a difference - I cloned from a 5400 rpm drive to an SSD and it worked like a charm.

Kingston HyperX 3K 480GB (Bundle Kit), so it comes with an external USB enclosure as well as software to clone my drive

According to their data spec sheet, the software supports Windows.

Personally, I would not purchase anything Kingston; I've had problems with two of their products and there are posts here detailing problems with their RAM. Having said that, if you can't or don't want to cancel the order, you will need cloning software: either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper (note that SuperDuper cannot clone the recovery partition whereas CCC will create/update it).

I purchased my kit from OWC:

http://macsales.com/

They guarantee their products to work with Macs and have very good customer service.

From other posts here, I'd go with Crucial; personally I like Sandisk, but do not know anything about their SSDs, so I can't offer a qualified opinion.

Regardless of which drive you choose, the easiest way is to put the new drive into an external enclosure, clone your hard drive to it, uninstall the hard drive, and install the newly cloned SSD. Very easy and seamless. Remember to format the new drive first (that will also erase any unnecessary software included/installed on it) and then clone your system to it.

FWIW, I have a Kingston SSDnow v300, 240 gig drive

in my 2011 Mac Mini Server and it has been working quite well

for me. I did however, cloned and ran the drive via my Seagate

Thunderbolt adapter for about a month before I finally made

the move to install it.

Cloning is by far the easiest way to go.