I need help with backing up before SSD upgrade

1. Get an external drive.
2. Partition and format it for OS X.
3. Clone your current startup volume to the external drive.
4. Replace the HDD with the SSD.
5. Boot from the external clone.
6. Partition and format the SSD for OS X.
7. Clone the external drive to the SSD.

Then install the SSD and partition and format it. Install OS X on it. Connect the external drive and copy whatever you want onto the SSD and leave the remainder on the external drive. You will need a way to install only OS X on the SSD:

Install Mavericks, Lion/Mountain Lion Using Internet Recovery

Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.

Boot to the Internet Recovery HD:

Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-OPTION- R keys until a globe appears on the screen. Wait patiently - 15-20 minutes - until the Recovery main menu appears.

Partition and Format the hard drive:

1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your newly installed hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.

Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion. Mavericks: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion, Mavericks and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

This should restore the version of OS X originally pre-installed on the computer.

The installer provides an option in the form of a link below the default volume that is labeled Show Other Disks. Click on it to select the SSD.

If you are going to use Internet Recovery to handle installing on the SSD, then the only thing you will need is an external enclosure in which to put your old HDD. You won't need to clone it. But if you need to, then use Disk Utility to clone it via the Restore option:

Clone using Restore Option of Disk Utility

1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.

2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.

3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag

it to the Destination entry field.

5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to

the Source entry field.

6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the original HDD.

I also recommend any one of the following utilities for cloning and backups:

Suggested Backup Software

1. Carbon Copy Cloner

2. Get Backup

3. Deja Vu

4. SuperDuper!

5. Synk Pro

6. Tri-Backup

Others may be found at MacUpdate.

Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.