Replace HDD with SSD install help

Your link refers to using a time machine backup and a usb bootable install stick. Do you use time machine as backup? One of the easiest ways to do this is to download CarbonCopyCloner. Install it, connect the new drive externally. Set up the drive with disk utilities and then use CarbonCopyCloner to recreate the file on the new drive. Then boot to the drive to make sure its OK. If OK then install the new drive. https://bombich.com/download

My Ginger is correct. I've done a HD swap out a couple of times over the years and this is the method I use. It couldn't be easier.

I own a dock similar to this one at Amazon. I’m not recommending that model, just using it as an example. It is a great tool because I can drop a drive in it and easily remove it which makes performing tasks like this much easier. It also makes my backup regime less expensive because I back up to bare drives rather than drives in expensive enclosures. Anyway….

I recommend replacing an internal drive by preparing the drive before installing it. That lets me perform the migration and test booting with it before I open the computer and do the swap. In all the years I’ve worked on my personal computers I’ve had one dead drive on arrival that I remember and one failed migration that I remember but in my professional life as a tech I’ve come across dozens of defective drives. Replacing a drive is generally very easy but sometimes the data and/or power cable can be a weak link. In that case I want to limit how many times I mess with them. Knowing the drive is functioning and bootable does exactly that for me.

If I put the SSD in without any formatting and such is this possible or will it not work? Will I be able to execute any commands if I put in the SSD or will nothing happen since I don't have an OS on it yet?

Yes. You can install your SSD prior to partitioning/formatting it. As long as you boot into an external USB drive with an OS X installer, you can use Disk Utility to initialize the new SSD by adding a partition and formatting. Then you can Quit Disk Utility and Reinstall OS X. You can do the same if your MBP is Internet Recovery (Command+Option+R) capable.

Again, as long as you either boot into Internet Recovery, or boot from a USB thumb drive installer of OS X or even if you have a clone and boot from that. Either of these should see the new SSD drive (unpartitioned and unformatted) within Disk Utility so you can initialize it.

When I put my SSD in I thought my HDD was faulty so Carbon Copy Cloner or Superduper were not an option. I experimented with two methods. Internet recovery and restore from a Time Machine disk, which was directly connected to the Mac.

Internet Recovery

If you hold down Command + R when you restart the Mac it will initially look for a recovery partition on the SSD and when it doesn’t find it the recovery system should then switch to internet recovery (N.B. holding down Option+ Command + H should go straight to Internet Recovery). You will then be asked to select a WiFi network. Once connected it will download a Recovery system. This will take some time depending on your Internet connection speed. You should then select “Disk Utility”, click the “Erase tab” and then name and format (use Extended (journaled)) the SSD partition/s. You can then select “Re-install OS X”. Depending on you Internet connection speed this can take several hours. The problem with this method is that it installs the OSX that originally came with the Mac.

Time Machine

Time Machine disc already has the Recovery system. Hence, starting the Mac while holding down Command + R will load the Recovery system. It is safest to name and format the SSD and then select “Restore from Time Machine” select the latest update and re-install everything. I found that Time Machine renamed the partition to the original partition name so it would probably format a blank disk automatically. This has the advantage that everything is reinstalled. My understanding is that people prefer to use Carbon Copy Cloner to this method because it is considered more reliable.

Other Notes

I found that when I ran my Mac without the main disc but with the Time Machine disc connected it automatically found the recovery system on the Time Machine disc without the need of starting with Command + H.