12-14-2010, 10:31 PM

Hey guys, I have a question for YOUR opinion.

I'm not sure if I should get a better hard drive for my mid 2009 MBP. I currently have a 160 gb hard drive but I do a lot of videos and have TONS of pictures which I want to keep secure while also opening space in my hard drive.

The question is, should I get a faster hard drive that has maybe 500 gb or less but more than 160 gb to switch it out with my current hard drive and then turn my current hard drive into an external or just skip all of that and just buy a simple external to put stuff and my backups? (I'm not completely sure how time machine works as I have never used it before so I don't know how much space it would take up) suggestions? btw good brands for hard drives or externals?

thanks! highly appreciate the help!

12-14-2010, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by andresr

Hey guys, I have a question for YOUR opinion.

I'm not sure if I should get a better hard drive for my mid 2009 MBP. I currently have a 160 gb hard drive but I do a lot of videos and have TONS of pictures which I want to keep secure while also opening space in my hard drive.

The question is, should I get a faster hard drive that has maybe 500 gb or less but more than 160 gb to switch it out with my current hard drive and then turn my current hard drive into an external or just skip all of that and just buy a simple external to put stuff and my backups? (I'm not completely sure how time machine works as I have never used it before so I don't know how much space it would take up) suggestions? btw good brands for hard drives or externals?

thanks! highly appreciate the help!

Well do you find that saving and accessing files on your current system is slow? If so, upgrade your HD and like you said, turn the old one into an external.

If you are fine with access speeds, pick up a 1TB external HD that has firewire (for increased speeds, again, if you want the speed), if not a simple USB 2.0 WD 500gb(ish) external would be fine.

12-14-2010, 10:52 PM

its kind of slowish at times... actually kind of a lot but I've sort of gotten use to it. One question though, what if I do get a new hard drive thats hmm more than 160gb and I somehow happen to be using more than 160GB on the one installed in my mbp, would my external have to be bigger than the actual amount im trying to backup or does it only restore main things and not applications? thanks!

12-14-2010, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by andresr

its kind of slowish at times... actually kind of a lot but I've sort of gotten use to it. One question though, what if I do get a new hard drive thats hmm more than 160gb and I somehow happen to be using more than 160GB on the one installed in my mbp, would my external have to be bigger than the actual amount im trying to backup or does it only restore main things and not applications? thanks!

Well if you use TimeMachine I think it just does apps, preferences, things like that. If you use CCC or SuperDuper it is an exact clone.

A faster hard drive will also increase your boot speed.

If you're used to the slow hard drive, get a big 1TB external with Firewire and just use that to transfer. It seems like you would be going through more trouble buying a new internal and buying a new external (if you get more than a 160gb 7200 rpm drive).

12-15-2010, 06:13 PM

Like I don't have anything to complain about the speed, as many of us do.. I use to have a PC so the speeds I get on my mac are like magic to me since of course are A LOT faster than my old computer, I haven't had time with another mac thats faster therefore any faster than what I have seems unreal lol I think faster everything seems really nice and I wont really use the external that much only to back it up and maybe put movies on it so I would rather spend more $$ on something I use more often than something just keeping my information (but that obviously works good). I will look into it, Thanks for your help! btw I saw your forum on upgrading the HD... bookmarked just incase hahah