MacBook Pro - Questions about hard drives in notebooks

5mg3 · 5mg3 #1 (**permalink**)

10-19-2009, 05:32 PM

Does anyone have much experience with the SSDs supplied with the new Mac Book Pros?

I have read that they wear down over time by writes. How quick does this happen?

Do the drives have the wear levelling facility? Or, can you get software to make the drive do so?

Best

deus_ex_machina · deus_ex_machina #2 (**permalink**)

10-19-2009, 08:29 PM

I heard the cells last up to 10,000 writes a piece, enough to last 30-40 years with avg use, but YMMV.

according to this, wear leveling is already in place with the SSDs that Apple sells, so despite Mac Pros being listed, I'm certain the technique is in the MBPs as well.

5mg3 · 5mg3 #3 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 02:51 AM

Are the drives (both SSDs and HHDs) hot swapable? Is it easy for a user at home to change the drives without causing any problems?

Kevin6432 · Kevin6432 #4 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 03:28 AM

I mean.. hot-swapable is probably a bad term to use. You can change them out, but not without a little difficulty. I just upgraded my HDD recently and it wasn't exactly like poppin' in another stick of ram. But you can put in a SSD to replace your HDD without any modification or software change.

Just make sure you go to ifixit.com and print out one of their guides and make sure you have the right tools. And also, if you are going to be doing this soon, when you take off the cable from the drive to the logic board, be gentle. I had to pay 40 bucks and wait a week because I broke my cable trying to get it off the logic board.

Good luck!

cwa107 · cwa107 #5 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 10:27 AM

I would also spend a significant amount of time researching the various SSD models as performance varies widely. The worst thing you could do would be to plunk down $400+ on a drive that makes your system 'stutter' as some of the drives are known to do.

Read this article before you start shopping:

AnandTech: The SSD Anthology: Understanding SSDs and New Drives from OCZ

Raz0rEdge · Raz0rEdge #6 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 10:35 AM

Please ensure that you are using the right terminology when asking a question. Hot swappable when it applies to hard drives (either traditional platters or SSD) refers to pulling a live drive out of a running machine and replacing it with another one (or the same one) without it causing any harm to the OS/machine..

Only servers comes with the necessary hardware protection to allow you to hot swap a drive at any time. Desktops/laptops don't have that protection, so here you're just talking about swapping the drive out..

Regards

Kevin6432 · Kevin6432 #7 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raz0rEdge

Please ensure that you are using the right terminology when asking a question. Hot swappable when it applies to hard drives (either traditional platters or SSD) refers to pulling a live drive out of a running machine and replacing it with another one (or the same one) without it causing any harm to the OS/machine..

Only servers comes with the necessary hardware protection to allow you to hot swap a drive at any time. Desktops/laptops don't have that protection, so here you're just talking about swapping the drive out..

Regards

Can't you do it with the current Mac Pro?

5mg3 · 5mg3 #8 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwa107

I would also spend a significant amount of time researching the various SSD models as performance varies widely. The worst thing you could do would be to plunk down $400+ on a drive that makes your system 'stutter' as some of the drives are known to do.

Read this article before you start shopping:

AnandTech: The SSD Anthology: Understanding SSDs and New Drives from OCZ

I was thinking of getting my Mac configured with one of Apples SSDs. Do we know what models Apple use/supply? Are they good?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raz0rEdge

Please ensure that you are using the right terminology when asking a question. Hot swappable when it applies to hard drives (either traditional platters or SSD) refers to pulling a live drive out of a running machine and replacing it with another one (or the same one) without it causing any harm to the OS/machine..

Only servers comes with the necessary hardware protection to allow you to hot swap a drive at any time. Desktops/laptops don't have that protection, so here you're just talking about swapping the drive out..

Regards

Well I did mean hot swap until you have corrected me! I read somewhere the new MBP had a hot swapping facility! Sorry!

cwa107 · cwa107 #9 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5mg3

I was thinking of getting my Mac configured with one of Apples SSDs. Do we know what models Apple use/supply? Are they good?

Every person I've seen on this forum that has one factory-equipped has been happy with it. And no, I'm not sure what brand/make/model they are.

5mg3 · 5mg3 #10 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin6432

Can't you do it with the current Mac Pro?

Yeh, I thought so too! Cant remember where I read this, will have a look around.

Can anyone enlighten?

cwa107 · cwa107 #11 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5mg3

Yeh, I thought so too! Cant remember where I read this, will have a look around.

Can anyone enlighten?

Yes, the Mac Pro has hot-swappable drive bays. Note that this is the desktop machine, not the MacBook Pro.

5mg3 · 5mg3 #12 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 05:03 PM

If you install/change the drive or upgrade memory DIY, does it effect your warranty or Apple care at all?

deus_ex_machina · deus_ex_machina #13 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwa107

Every person I've seen on this forum that has one factory-equipped has been happy with it. And no, I'm not sure what brand/make/model they are.

According to cwa's article, Samsung provides the SSDs for Apple.

SSD article section with Samsung

cwa107 · cwa107 #14 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deus_ex_machina

According to cwa's article, Samsung provides the SSDs for Apple.

SSD article section with Samsung

Oops, that's right. It's been awhile since I read that article.

cwa107 · cwa107 #15 (**permalink**)

10-20-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5mg3

If you install/change the drive or upgrade memory DIY, does it effect your warranty or Apple care at all?

No. They are considered user-upgradeable parts (although that wasn't the case with the previous generation machines).

deus_ex_machina #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 06, 2004 Location: Tejas Posts: 1,720 Mac Specs: 2GHz Mac Mini 2GB RAM 160GB 10.6.2 \| MDD DP 1.25GHz G4 1.5GB RAM 10.4.11 \| 233MHz iMac G3 10.3.9	10-19-2009, 08:29 PM I heard the cells last up to 10,000 writes a piece, enough to last 30-40 years with avg use, but YMMV. according to this, wear leveling is already in place with the SSDs that Apple sells, so despite Mac Pros being listed, I'm certain the technique is in the MBPs as well. EOF website portfolio Last edited by deus_ex_machina; 10-20-2009 at 12:50 PM. Reason: missed a zero
	QUOTE Thanks

Kevin6432 #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 10, 2008 Location: Dallas, but school in Arkansas Posts: 92 Mac Specs: 15" MBP 2.2 2GB	10-20-2009, 03:28 AM I mean.. hot-swapable is probably a bad term to use. You can change them out, but not without a little difficulty. I just upgraded my HDD recently and it wasn't exactly like poppin' in another stick of ram. But you can put in a SSD to replace your HDD without any modification or software change. Just make sure you go to ifixit.com and print out one of their guides and make sure you have the right tools. And also, if you are going to be doing this soon, when you take off the cable from the drive to the logic board, be gentle. I had to pay 40 bucks and wait a week because I broke my cable trying to get it off the logic board. Good luck! 15 inch MacBook Pro 2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo w/ 3GB ram and 160GB 7200 RPM HDD. Apple OS-X Snow Leopard / Boot Camp - Windows XP
	QUOTE Thanks

cwa107 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Dec 20, 2006 Location: Middletown, Pennsylvania Posts: 25,917 Mac Specs: 15" MBP, Core i7/2GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB Crucial M4 SSD	10-20-2009, 10:27 AM I would also spend a significant amount of time researching the various SSD models as performance varies widely. The worst thing you could do would be to plunk down $400+ on a drive that makes your system 'stutter' as some of the drives are known to do. Read this article before you start shopping: AnandTech: The SSD Anthology: Understanding SSDs and New Drives from OCZ Liquid and computers don't mix. It might seem simple, but we see an incredible amount of people post here about spills. Keep drinks and other liquids away from your expensive electronics!
	QUOTE Thanks

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5mg3 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 16, 2009 Posts: 7	10-19-2009, 05:32 PM Does anyone have much experience with the SSDs supplied with the new Mac Book Pros? I have read that they wear down over time by writes. How quick does this happen? Do the drives have the wear levelling facility? Or, can you get software to make the drive do so? Best
	QUOTE Thanks

Raz0rEdge #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 17, 2009 Location: MA Posts: 5,815 Mac Specs: 27" i7 iMac with 16GB RAM and 1TB HDD, iPhone 3G & 4, iPod Nano 16GB, iPod Shuffle, iPad 2 16GB WiFi	10-20-2009, 10:35 AM Please ensure that you are using the right terminology when asking a question. Hot swappable when it applies to hard drives (either traditional platters or SSD) refers to pulling a live drive out of a running machine and replacing it with another one (or the same one) without it causing any harm to the OS/machine.. Only servers comes with the necessary hardware protection to allow you to hot swap a drive at any time. Desktops/laptops don't have that protection, so here you're just talking about swapping the drive out.. Regards
	QUOTE Thanks

5mg3 #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 16, 2009 Posts: 7	10-20-2009, 05:03 PM If you install/change the drive or upgrade memory DIY, does it effect your warranty or Apple care at all?
	QUOTE Thanks

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