Can I salvage a good HDD from a early 2008 Macbook Pro?

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Just recieved the news from the Apple Store repair people that the logic board on my daughter's 15" Macbook Pro needs to be replaced/repaired at $310. Because this Mac is approaching 5 years in age with heavy use, my thoughts were to put that money towards a new Mac. Buy, here's the problem:

For the last 4 years, this Mac has been busy at school and in the work environment. Employers have installed a bunch of software on the Mac for being able to use it at work, such as: Windows 7 Ultimate on a Bootcamp partition, AutoCad for Mac and Windows, full Adobe Suite, Mac Works Suite, Rhino, revit, 3D Max and others. Now that she is no longer in school or interning, her use of this software is minimal but would like to still have access.

Is there any way to buy a new Mac and re-use the HDD from the old Macbook Pro from within the newer Mac. The old HDD has OS X Leopard now. Can a new machine boot from both Leopard and Lion?

Sorry to grasp at straws, but we are in need of serious help. Some serious Mac advice is needed for our sanity. :Grimmace:
Thanks in advance for any direction we may go.

Ran
 

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Is there any way to buy a new Mac and re-use the HDD from the old Macbook Pro from within the newer Mac. The old HDD has OS X Leopard now. Can a new machine boot from both Leopard and Lion?

Yes & no. A new Mac computer will not be able to boot from Leopard (that OS is too old).

What you can do is use the old MacBook Pro's HD as an external "data" drive...or as a backup drive.

- Nick
 
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Yes & no. A new Mac computer will not be able to boot from Leopard (that OS is too old).

What you can do is use the old MacBook Pro's HD as an external "data" drive...or as a backup drive.

- Nick

MY worst fear is not being able to use the software accumulated the last 4 years.

According to the upgrade chart to Lion, this Macbook Pro is capable of the upgrade. Would it be possible to upgrade the older OS in some way then boot off an external inclosure from a new Mac? Hate to think we are dead in the water.

Sorry for not being more knowledgeable in the Mac ways. My worst 4 years were my daughters 4 years of college on Win XP Pro. Bought her this Macbook for graduation and it's been no problems since.

I would consider even fixing the logic board in order to upgrade to Lion, then buy a new Mac.

Thanks so much - just need some help before we respond to the Apple Store.
 

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MY worst fear is not being able to use the software accumulated the last 4 years.

According to the upgrade chart to Lion, this Macbook Pro is capable of the upgrade. Would it be possible to upgrade the older OS in some way then boot off an external inclosure from a new Mac? Hate to think we are dead in the water.

Yes this MacBook Pro may be capable of being upgraded from Leopard to Lion...but depending what versions the software is that's installed on the hard drive...the software may not be compatible with Lion (the software versions may be too old to be compatible with Lion).

If this software is that important to you (and assuming that the software is too old for Lion)...I would say you have two choices:

- get the MacBook Pro repaired ($310 is actually not all that bad for a logic board replacement)...some can cost as much as $600-$750.
- purchase another Macintosh computer of similar vintage to your 2008 MacBook Pro (as long as it can run Leopard). Then use the hard drive with the software on it either as an external drive...or install it as an internal drive.

- Nick
 
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Yes this MacBook Pro may be capable of being upgraded from Leopard to Lion...but depending what versions the software is that's installed on the hard drive...the software may not be compatible with Lion (the software versions may be too old to be compatible with Lion)...
.
- purchase another Macintosh computer of similar vintage to your 2008 MacBook Pro (as long as it can run Leopard). Then use the hard drive with the software on it either as an external drive...or install it as an internal drive.

- Nick

Nick, you have given me another avenue. Youngest daughter is in her final year at a university with a late 2008 Macbook and Leopard. Buy her the new Mac and give oldest daughter the 13" Macbook with your idea.

Only glitch would be going from a 15" Macbook Pro to a 13" Macbook, maybe.

Fingers crossed here ;D

RJ
 
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Yes this MacBook Pro may be capable of being upgraded from Leopard to Lion...but depending what versions the software is that's installed on the hard drive...the software may not be compatible with Lion (the software versions may be too old to be compatible with Lion).


- Nick

Are you referring to the Mac software?

The Windows software wouldn't matter on the Bootcamp partition would it?

Maybe salvage something :eek:
 

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Nick, you have given me another avenue. Youngest daughter is in her final year at a university with a late 2008 Macbook and Leopard. Buy her the new Mac and give oldest daughter the 13" Macbook with your idea.

Only glitch would be going from a 15" Macbook Pro to a 13" Macbook, maybe.

Didn't know that you had a 13" MacBook until your last post.;)

Yes...removing the HD from the 15" MacBook Pro...and installing it into the 13" MacBook should work (fingers crossed). As long as you have the ability to remove & install the HD's from both computers.

Good luck,:)

- Nick
 

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Are you referring to the Mac software?

The Windows software wouldn't matter on the Bootcamp partition would it?

Maybe salvage something :eek:

Yes...I was referring to the Macintosh software in that earlier post. But if you're talking about installing the HD from the 15" MacBook Pro into the 13" MacBook...then this doesn't matter...since no OS changes will be occurring.

- Nick
 
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Yes...I was referring to the Macintosh software in that earlier post. But if you're talking about installing the HD from the 15" MacBook Pro into the 13" MacBook...then this doesn't matter...since no OS changes will be occurring.

- Nick

Music to my ears :D

At least now we have a Plan A.

Might look into a Plan B of paying the $310 to fix the logic board, then upgrade Leopard to Lion and see what Mac software can make the jump. I do remember the Adobe Suite and Mac Works Suite she bought and has the disks.

Kismet...every time I get close to buying my own Mac the need comes for spending money on the girls :Confused:
 

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Kismet...every time I get close to buying my own Mac the need comes for spending money on the girls :Confused:

Could still happen. There have been three Mac's mentioned in this thread:

- broken 15" MacBook Pro
- 13" MacBook
- a "new" computer

With two girls...there would seem to be a possible 3rd computer with no designated owner!;)

- Nick

p.s. Just as a "watch-out". If you took that $310 that would be used to fix the 15" MBP...and added $200-$300 to it...you could get a newer (but still used) Apple laptop of some sort...or even get a new Mac-Mini...which start at $599 (or $519 refurbished):

Refurbished Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 - Apple Store (U.S.)
 
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Personally I don't need the newest and bestest; with a refurbbed Mini I could use some of the old parts sitting around (monitors, keyboards, etc)
 

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Personally I don't need the newest and bestest; with a refurbbed Mini I could use some of the old parts sitting around (monitors, keyboards, etc)

The Mac-Mini I linked is the "newest and bestest"...it's just refurbished (versus new)!:) Maybe it's "too good" for you then!;)

You're right about the old keyboards & monitors...a very good way to get some use from them!:)

- Nick
 
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One thing to consider if you intend to boot the MacBook Pro hard drive on another Mac or migrate its contents to a another Mac, is that some software will stop functioning as it's original activation was linked to the defective MBP's S/N. Adobe creative suite is one such program. You may be able to activate on another Mac, it all depends wether its second activation was used by whoever installed the software.
 

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