Foofighter62091 wrote:
there are two main ways to format the drive: 1.) Erase the drive in disk utility, or 2.) Partition it. Is there a difference, and if so is one better?
Those are potentially three different terms there:
- "Erase" just means delete the disk directory file so that even though there might still be millions of files on the drive, there is no longer any record of where they are. Using the drive will gradually write new files over the old ones.
- "Partition" means to divide the drive into multiple volumes. Each volume can be mounted or dismounted separately as if it was a separate drive, even though there's just one real drive. Partitioning used to require erasing the whole drive, but now you can at least adjust partition sizes without erasing at all.
- "Format" can mean Erase, but there is also a "low-level format" that remaps the entire drive, blocking off bad sectors and optionally writing over old data so it can't be read. That would go well beyond a typical Erase.
Now, what you want to do with any new drive for your Mac is to select it in Disk Utility and make sure it has been formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If it's formatted as anything that does not start with Mac OS (like Fat32), you need to format it as Mac OS X Extended (Journaled). From there, you can partition it if you want, but it is best not to partition unless you have a specific need to.
Foofighter62091 wrote:
My second question is once I take the back of the computer off is it necessary to disconnect the batter?
I have never disconnected the battery when replacing the drive in current MacBook Pros, but I guess if you do it might be safer. In old models where the battery was removable, I did take it out then.
Foofighter62091 wrote:
Finally, I've noted that anything I've read says to ground yourself by touching the case of the computer. Is this referring to the back portion that I removed or the main body of the computer?
You need to ground yourself in the electrical sense. That means some part of your body should touch some part of the computer that is metal and leads to the ground, to dissipate any static charges. The best way is to use a grounding strap that is connected to a grounded metal fitting in the room like a pipe. I touch the metal part of the power cord (the end you plug into the laptop). I believe touching the computer case has no effect if the case is not grounded (like a desktop plugged into the wall) because the static has nowhere to go, but someone with more electrical knowledge should clarify that.
However you ground yourself, during the operation you should stay in one place like your chair and avoid shuffling your feet, especially on carpet. Once I'm handling components I will not walk across the room until I put down the component, and when I come back I won't pick up the component again until I first touch a ground.
