Installing new SSD using SuperDuper!

Question

Level 1

0 points

Installing new SSD using SuperDuper!

OK, so I'm more or less computer illiterate, so I apologize for coming off ignorant and/or incompetent; I'm from the generation that pretty much only uses computers to find free "adult" stuff. I'll try to make my question short and clear.

I bought a new Samsung 850 EVO SSD to upgrade my Mac. I then also bought an external HD, because a buddy of mine said he just upgraded his Mac to an SSD by cloning to an external and then putting in the new SSD. Well, that buddy is at work all night and I'm halfway through the process and lost in the sauce.

I plugged in the external HD, downloaded SuperDuper! and cloned the Macintosh HD to the external. This is where I don't know what to do. I mean, I know I will need to remove the cover, touch the metal frame to discharge static electricity... and then using a T6 bit, remove the current HD and then install the new SSD. But then what? When I hit the power button will it just pop up and ask if I want to use the connected HD? If it's important to know, I has a mid-2012 MBP running El Capitan 10.11.1

Thanks!

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Oct 31, 2015 6:53 PM

Reply

Answer 1

DPF85 Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2015 7:16 PM in response to DPF85

Just realized this should say "Need help installing new SSD using SuperDuper!" My bad.

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 31, 2015 7:30 PM in response to DPF85

DPF85 wrote:

When I hit the power button will it just pop up and ask if I want to use the connected HD? If it's important to know, I has a mid-2012 MBP running El Capitan 10.11.1

Thanks!

You can see how to video at OWC. http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

It is an exact Clone, the computer will not know you switch drives. So yes when it is all back together, just boot it up.

Reply

Answer 3

Duane

Level 10

124,293 points

Oct 31, 2015 7:49 PM in response to DPF85

If I understand correctly, you have an external HD and a SSD to replace the internal drive. Two different devices.

After you get the SSD installed, connect the external HD and boot your MacBook Pro. It will boot off the external HD. Now use SuperDuper to clone the external drive to the internal SSD. In SuperDuper, configure it to do the clone and then boot from the SSD.

Reply

Answer 4

Oct 31, 2015 8:10 PM in response to DPF85

DPF85 wrote:

I plugged in the external HD, downloaded SuperDuper! and cloned the Macintosh HD to the external.

This was the my understanding?

Reply

Answer 5

Nov 1, 2015 1:20 AM in response to DPF85

Why are you using an external drive at all?

I bought a ssd and a USB to SATA III cable.

Plugged the cable into the SSD and the macbook pro.

Cloned the drive directly onto the SSD, opened up the macbook pro and swapped out the drive.

Booted up without issue.

Reply

Answer 6

DPF85 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2015 6:54 AM in response to Johnathan Burger

No stores here in town have the USB to SATA in stock, and my buddy used to work for Apple and he said he did it using a cloning program and an external, so I tried to go the same route. He's now a cop and works the late shift, so last night he was working, and now he is sleeping. I probably should have waited until today when he was awake and not working. Probably just going to stop being impatient and order the cable.

Reply

Answer 7

DPF85 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2015 7:03 AM in response to Duane

Correct, two different devices. I used SuperDuper! to clone the original HD to the Toshiba external HD.... then I switched the original HD with the new Samsung SSD, rebooted and, based off of the instructions from the OWC website (even though the SSD isn't OWC) it said to hold down Command-R and then I would have access to Disk Utility. However, the Mac went straight into Internet Recovery without giving me any options. Once that finished, I had access to Disk Utility and I erased and formatted the new, blank Samsung SSD into Mac OS Extended (Journal).... closed that out and got back to the OS X Utilities window, and selected "Recover OS X".... it gave me the option to select the new SSD, or the USB external HD (where the clone is saved), but when I tried clicking the USB it told me "Cannot recover because a newer version is installed." I had no other option. So I clicked on the new SSD just to see what happens, and the Mac started recovering Mountain Lion (the OS that was on there when I first bought the MBP). I waited over 2 hours and once it got down to 20 minutes left, it suddenly stopped and said "error - failed to install OS X Mountain Lion" and the only option it gave me to click was an X that said "Quit." Clicking that took me back to the OS X Utilities window.

I think I might just have to quit being impatient and order a USB to SATA cable and wait for it to be shipped.

Reply

Answer 8

Duane

Level 10

124,293 points

Nov 1, 2015 7:08 AM in response to DPF85

With the external drive connected...

Hold down the option key and reboot.

Select the external hard drive to boot from.

Now use SuperDuper to clone the external drive to the internal SSD. In SuperDuper, configure it to do the clone and then boot from the SSD.

Reply

Answer 9

DPF85 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2015 7:14 AM in response to Duane

Thanks, I will give this a try in a few hours once I'm back at my house. I'll give another update after I attempt it. I appreciate it!

Reply

Answer 10

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Nov 1, 2015 8:05 AM in response to DPF85

Unless things have changed, Super Duper does not clone the recovery partition. If that still is the case, Disk Utilty>Restore is a better option since the recovery partition will also be created.

Note that Samsung Evo 850 SSD s have been problematic with some Mac users. Note that the Samsung web site fails to mention Mac compatibility.

Ciao.

Reply