What do I need to change a hard drive? Where can I get them?

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What do I need to change a hard drive? Where can I get them?

My late 2011 MBP hard drive failed last week and I need to replace it. I know how to do that, I just don't know what to do after.

I left everything that came with my macbook back in canada, except the chargers ofc. I'm in Asia right now.

I would've brought it in the nearest apple store, but the only apple store in the country is 5-6 hours away.

So yeah. I was thinking Mavericks/Yosemite, but do I need to install a previous OS for that first? How can I even install an OS? I'm guessing after the replacement, command+r won't work anymore, right? Do I need something else to install? If so, how and where can. I get it?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), Intel i7 blah blah 4GB of RAM

Posted on Jul 23, 2015 7:37 AM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Jul 23, 2015 8:07 AM in response to LaGeass

Here is a representative sample of compatible SATA HDDs/SSDs that will fit your MBP:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/internal_storage/hard_drives_and_SSD

Here are video instructions for installing a HDD into your MBP. Select the applicable one.

http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

Note that 'blah blah' specifications are very difficult to understand.

Ciao.

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Answer 2

Jul 23, 2015 8:17 AM in response to LaGeass

You may be able to boot into Internet Recovery to install the OS.

Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - Apple Support

Assuming your computer came with at least Lion it already has it. If it did not, but was updated, it should have been automatically added to it.

Once you install the hard drive, the computer should technically boot directly into Internet Recovery, as there will be nothing else to boot into then.

If it does not, and your computer originally came with Snow Leopard instead of Lion, you will need a set of Snow Leopard Full Retail installation DVDs to proceed.

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