HuntsMan75

Q: Replace Hard Drive with SSD

System Info: MacBook Pro running OS X 10.9, mid 2009, 13", PN MB991LL/A (2.53 GHz), 8GB RAM

 

I started having some problems with my system, mainly slow downs, especially when using Safari. I got a copy of Scannerz (http://scsc-online.com/Scannerz.html) and it confirmed drive platter damage. I know some of these units are supposed to have cable problems but Scannerz tested that too and found no problems with the cable, so this is a bonafide drive problem (it's 6 years old, you know).

 

I'd like to go ahead and replace it with an SSD and have some questions:

 

  1. Maybe I'm getting models mixed up but I seem to remember something about a drive thermal sensor on Apples not being compatible with generic drives. I know I read that somewhere I just don't remember where?
  2. I assume, if #1 above isn't a problem, that I can basically use any SATA SSD. Now I know I should get the fastest interface possible, but are there any caveats or incompatibilities that some brands of SSDs may present?
  3. What about stuff like trim and wear leveling. WIll this be in a driver for the SSD or does the OS take care of it automatically?
  4. Are there any brands/models to stay away from?
  5. Should I replace the cable too? I've heard they can get bad.

 

Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Apr 4, 2015 12:06 PM

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Q: Replace Hard Drive with SSD

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  • by MrWilliams201,

    MrWilliams201 MrWilliams201 Apr 17, 2015 11:21 AM in response to spudnuty
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apr 17, 2015 11:21 AM in response to spudnuty

    It's too bad someone doesn't make some software to automatically do this. In any case, you can't just dump your home folder on the Data partition because the OS will write some things into the ~/Library folder. Mail on Snow Leopard doesn't appear to be compatible so Mavericks would do an automatic upgrade and then the mail wouldn't be visible to the Snow Leopard partition. This isn't a problem in my case because I don't use Snow Leopard for mail. Also I noticed a lot of other stuff from various apps, both Apple and non-Apple in the ~/Library partition so it and the base users folder stay on the SSD.

     

    If anyone wants to try it my advice is to obviously do backups and keep backups.

  • by MrWilliams201,

    MrWilliams201 MrWilliams201 Apr 17, 2015 6:53 PM in response to MrWilliams201
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apr 17, 2015 6:53 PM in response to MrWilliams201

    I should also add to make sure that what you do have on your system's separated drive is compatible with newer releases. I'm mentioning this because if I understand it, the new iPhoto on Yosemite, which I guess is called "Photos" (???) apparently does some type of upgrade. Whether it preserves the existing photo library is something I don't know, but if it modifies it heavily you can probably count on it not being compatible with earlier version.

     

    Just saying.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 17, 2015 7:00 PM in response to MrWilliams201
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 17, 2015 7:00 PM in response to MrWilliams201

    MrWilliams201 wrote:

     

    I should also add to make sure that what you do have on your system's separated drive is compatible with newer releases. I'm mentioning this because if I understand it, the new iPhoto on Yosemite, which I guess is called "Photos" (???) apparently does some type of upgrade. Whether it preserves the existing photo library is something I don't know, but if it modifies it heavily you can probably count on it not being compatible with earlier version.

     

    Just saying.

    It creates a new library from the iPhoto library, which remains intact and can still be used in iPhoto if you wish.

  • by ZV137,

    ZV137 ZV137 Apr 18, 2015 11:40 AM in response to MrWilliams201
    Level 1 (54 points)
    Apr 18, 2015 11:40 AM in response to MrWilliams201

    MrWilliams201 wrote:

     

    It's too bad someone doesn't make some software to automatically do this. In any case, you can't just dump your home folder on the Data partition because the OS will write some things into the ~/Library folder. Mail on Snow Leopard doesn't appear to be compatible so Mavericks would do an automatic upgrade and then the mail wouldn't be visible to the Snow Leopard partition. This isn't a problem in my case because I don't use Snow Leopard for mail. Also I noticed a lot of other stuff from various apps, both Apple and non-Apple in the ~/Library partition so it and the base users folder stay on the SSD.

     

    If anyone wants to try it my advice is to obviously do backups and keep backups.

     

    I don't think it's really necessary to have software to do that for you. In most cases you can use OS X itself to create aliases and then copy the alias into the desired location. If you're moving data off of one volume to another, however, you need to be aware of the fact that a normal copy by dragging a file or folder from one volume to another volume may not preserve the resource forks and permissions for some files which might be problematic. If memory serves me right that can be done by copying first using a command line tool like ditto or the newest version of rsync which would need to be downloaded. Maybe copies by dragging a folder to one location to another might preserve resource links and permissions nowadays, but it didn't use to.

     

    It would be nice to know an easier way to do this using just OS X stuff without command line tools, if it's possible.

  • by ThomasB2010,

    ThomasB2010 ThomasB2010 Apr 20, 2015 11:09 AM in response to ZV137
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apr 20, 2015 11:09 AM in response to ZV137

    If you do Time Machine backups you could open up Time Machine, find the folder you want to move, then drag it to the new location. Kind of an archaic way of doing it but I think it would work.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 20, 2015 2:16 PM in response to ThomasB2010
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 20, 2015 2:16 PM in response to ThomasB2010

    ThomasB2010 wrote:


    but I think it would work.

    Test your suggestions yourself, it is very unprofessional to ask a stranger to do it for yu.

     

    When you know it works (or not) then you will know whether to suggest it.

  • by ThomasB2010,

    ThomasB2010 ThomasB2010 Apr 20, 2015 5:59 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apr 20, 2015 5:59 PM in response to Csound1

    Restoring files or folders is what Time Machine is supposed to do, it's hardly rocket science. I don't need to test this because I've done it before, however Mr. Williams may have some type of peculiar conditions I'm unaware of. It would make no sense whatsoever if TIme Machine couldn't restore files to a different folder or drive….that's sort of it's primary purpose.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 20, 2015 6:07 PM in response to ThomasB2010
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 20, 2015 6:07 PM in response to ThomasB2010

    An untested backup is just that, untested. I prefer to know that my backups work rather than assume it. YMMV

     

    Your willingness to take a guess at what 'might' work does you no credit, and shows a great lack of respect to the OP's

  • by MrWilliams201,

    MrWilliams201 MrWilliams201 Apr 21, 2015 10:48 AM in response to ThomasB2010
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apr 21, 2015 10:48 AM in response to ThomasB2010

    Using Time Machine is how I've been doing the data transfers all along, so yes, it does work.

  • by HuntsMan75,

    HuntsMan75 HuntsMan75 Apr 22, 2015 11:21 AM in response to MrWilliams201
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apr 22, 2015 11:21 AM in response to MrWilliams201

    I sort of like that dual drive idea, especially with a fully usable partition containing the OS for backup/emergency boot. Just for clarity, this is a MacBook Pro and not something like an Mac Pro tower (the old type that had slots for additional drives, etc.) so I assume that the HDD went into the optical drive's slot. Is that correct, and while I'm at it, would it really matter which device (HDD or SSD) went into which location?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 22, 2015 11:29 AM in response to HuntsMan75
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 22, 2015 11:29 AM in response to HuntsMan75

    Put the fastest drive in the main bay, HDD in the optical slot. Replace both drive cables while you are there.

  • by HuntsMan75,

    HuntsMan75 HuntsMan75 Apr 22, 2015 5:02 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apr 22, 2015 5:02 PM in response to Csound1

    Is replacing the cable mandatory or recommended?

     

    I know I've read numerous times that the SATA cables on MacBook Pro's can have problems, but are the problems present in all MacBook Pro's or just a few, specific models. Every time I've read about the problem I've never seen it mentioned, on say, a MacBook or other computers, at least not much. But then again, I haven't been tracking it all that closely either.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 22, 2015 5:10 PM in response to HuntsMan75
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 22, 2015 5:10 PM in response to HuntsMan75

    Recommended, but highly, they are a known failure point, often when a much faster drive is fitted. And they're cheap.

     

    You'll be in there disconnecting one end of them anyway.

  • by ThomasB2010,

    ThomasB2010 ThomasB2010 Apr 23, 2015 11:19 AM in response to HuntsMan75
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 11:19 AM in response to HuntsMan75

    Replacing the cables for the sake of replacing the cables isn't needed if there's nothing wrong, and it's probably a waste of money. The only benefit I could see would be you would have a set of spares on hand in the event they go bad.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 23, 2015 12:04 PM in response to ThomasB2010
    Level 9 (50,412 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 23, 2015 12:04 PM in response to ThomasB2010

    How do you know if the cables are good until trying out a much faster drive? The problem is known to affect 2009/2010 MBP's, read some of the posts on this forum, the OP can make his own mind after he has read them too.

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