Replace dead hard drive on Macbook Pro 13" mid 2009

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Replace dead hard drive on Macbook Pro 13" mid 2009

My hard drive finally died I have the following: Bootable USB Flash Drive with OS X ElCapitan, a current TM Backup on a USB and a New SSD drive and the Original Discs that came with the computer. My questions are 1) What is the easiest method to install the new drive, 2) Do I have to go all the way back, with the Original OS X disks and then update each Upgrade (mountain lion, snow leopard, yosemite etc) to get to ElCapitan? Excuse me if this has been asked before but I couldn't find an explanation and this is my First Attempt at replacing a hard rive. Thank you for any information.

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Nov 26, 2015 7:21 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Andrew Wolczyk

Level 5

5,249 points

Nov 26, 2015 8:21 AM in response to gcatal01

Boot from the USB and install El Capitan on to the SSD. That would be the easiest way.

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Answer 2

Nov 26, 2015 8:30 AM in response to gcatal01

This video will demonstrate how to remove and install a HD/SSD in your Mac. You'll need to partition the SSD with a GUID partition table and format it Mac OS Extended (Journaled) before installing OS X since it's probably set up for Windows. With that done, you should be able to install El Capitan directly by booting from the Flash drive (Option key down at the chime) and running the installer. Since the original OS X install disks were likely OS 10.5, you'd need to get to at least Snow Leopard to download a fresh installer of El Capitan but you wouldn't need to go through the intermediate versions.

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Answer 3

GhonaZ

Level 3

572 points

Nov 26, 2015 8:48 AM in response to gcatal01

You can try to: replace the harddrive using instructions from Ifixit or OWC.

Then you can either try to:

1. insert the original installation CD and boot up while holding down C to boot into the installer. Select disk utilities from the help programs and format your SSD to mac OSC extended (journaled). then proceed to install your original OSX. After successful installation you can insert the USB with el capitan and install el capitan (or you can install it via the appstore). you have no need to install all the other OSXs you can directely update to El Capitan. Then you can proceed to transfer your files.

2. Insert your Bootable USB with El Capitan. hold down alt upon start up and select your bootable installer. Then format your SSD to mac OSX extended (journaled). And install your OSX

Hope this helps!

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Answer 4

Nov 26, 2015 9:23 AM in response to gcatal01

You need to be able to run Installer/Utilities from somewhere. This can be any one of:

To install the original version:

• Internet Recovery (available in most 2011 and later MacBooks, not available for your pre-2010 MacBook)

• the original DVDs

To re-install last-running version:

• Recovery Partition on your old drive (this may not be working, and if you remove the old drive first, it will not be available)

... you can run your new drive in an external enclosure to Install Mac OS X, and it is bootable from there.

• a properly-made Installer/Utilities USB stick from DiskMakerX (or the createinstallmedia Terminal command in Yosemite and later)

• a working Time Machine Backup later than 10.7.3 should include a bootable Recovery partition

• a 1GB or larger USB stick copy of Recovery made with Recovery Disk Assistant

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