11-07-2009, 12:23 AM

I am upgrading the HD on my MB PRO 15 ". I have the 200 GB standard HD, and am looking to go to 500 GB. What HD type am I looking for? I assume 2.5" SATA, but any special specifications? I have worked on PC's before, but this is my first work on my Mac. Any suggestions that have worked well for you? How hard is install? Thanks!

11-07-2009, 01:48 AM

Yep your correct. Its 2.5 sata. There are no special specifications. Installation is as simple as changing the ram. There are many youtube instructions on how to do it and it is also in the manual that comes with the mbp. It also doesnt void the warranty.

11-08-2009, 11:17 PM

What do you think about this Hard Drive?http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Western%20Digital/WD6400BEVT/

11-08-2009, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by sushi45

Yep your correct. Its 2.5 sata. There are no special specifications. Installation is as simple as changing the ram. There are many youtube instructions on how to do it and it is also in the manual that comes with the mbp. It also doesnt void the warranty.

Actually there are 9mm height, otherwise it won't fit.

11-08-2009, 11:29 PM

That would work perfectly. You can save some money if you buy that same drive from Newegg. Now if you're willing to sacrifice some space for speed, then you can get a 7200RPM 500GB drive and for only $108

11-08-2009, 11:32 PM

I just wanted to make sure, b/c I've heard different things, is it 9mm or 9.5mm?

11-09-2009, 01:00 AM

9.5mm

11-09-2009, 01:02 AM

Here's a link that will guide you to a sweet manual on how to put it in.

I would also recommend upgrading to a 7200 RPM as well. It will make a noticeable difference in boot time and some application launches, and will make a huge difference when moving large files to an external HD or something.

/ my .02

Good luck.

11-09-2009, 04:26 PM

My only concern at 7200 RPM is heat, as my stock HD is already fairly warm when running heavily...

11-09-2009, 05:53 PM

I haven't noticed any additional heat or drop in battery levels since upgrading to 7200RPM. If anything, a 7200RPM drive should reduce heat since it'll be accessed for shorter periods of time compared to a 5400RPM drive.

If you're really worried about heat, then I would suggest maxing out the RAM on your computer. It'll reduce overall hard drive access by the OS.

11-10-2009, 10:49 AM

Ok...Last Question...Once installed, I will need to reinstall my OS, and then from there it should be as simple and using Time Machine reboot correct? What are the steps involved there?

11-10-2009, 10:59 AM

Why not download superduper, spend $20 on an external 2.5" sata chassis.. and clone your current drive to the old one? MUCH easier

11-10-2009, 12:06 PM

x1 with what Dysfunction said. I used SuperDuper this weekend to upgrade my MPB to a Seagate 500, 7200 rpm drive. Simply, simple, simple. Zero glitches. iFixit provided the instructions step by step. Flawless.

I will add that the only thing that slowed me down was a trip to Radio Shack. for a T6 torx screwdriver/head. I tried it with another kind of head for a couple of screws and it didn't work.

11-10-2009, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by gatrball

Ok...Last Question...Once installed, I will need to reinstall my OS, and then from there it should be as simple and using Time Machine reboot correct? What are the steps involved there?

If you have a Time Machine backup, then it's very simple to get back up and running. Just boot from your install disc and after selecting your language, go to the top menu bar and poke around till you find the option to restore from a Time Machine backup. Select that and you should be right back to where you left off in no time.