Adding a harddrive to an apple notebook

burnedfaceless · Mar 1, 2013

There is no apple store here. This summer I plan to install a harddrive to a macbook pro a newer model that is thin like the airbook and features no cd drive.

How difficult is it to add a hard drive? I'm assuming I just buy a terabyte hard drive cheap install it and I'm set right?

edit: any tutorials would be nice. plan to run everything through bootcamp not sure if that changes the bios settings or whatever I have to do. Never done this period. I can sodder or do whatever I need to do.

pigoo3 · Mar 1, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
edit: any tutorials would be nice. plan to run everything through bootcamp not sure if that changes the bios settings or whatever I have to do.

If you want a tutorial...go to:

iFixit: The free repair manual

Regarding "bootcamp"...if you have any questions...read these:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ru...4239-running-windows-mac-switchers-guide.html
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ru...otcamp-save-yourself-possibly-hours-time.html

Regarding "Bios settings". Mac's don't have Bios.

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 1, 2013

pigoo3 said:
If you want a tutorial...go to:

iFixit: The free repair manual

Regarding "bootcamp"...if you have any questions...read these:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ru...4239-running-windows-mac-switchers-guide.html
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ru...otcamp-save-yourself-possibly-hours-time.html

Regarding "Bios settings". Mac's don't have Bios.

- Nick

Nick I can't thank you enough for your reply.

I was wondering - do I have to replace my hard drive? I was hoping to just add a second drive.

pigoo3 · Mar 1, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
I was wondering - do I have to replace my hard drive? I was hoping to just add a second drive.

Three questions for you:

1. We have no idea why you want or need to replace the hard drive in your MacBook Pro...you never told us??

2. We have no idea (exactly) which MacBook Pro you have other than you said that it was "newer". This may or may not make a difference. We need to know it's exact specs. to identify it.

3. If it is possible to upgrade the storage capacity in your MacBook Pro...why are you waiting until this Summer to do it...when it's really only a 15-20 minute (maybe less) process??

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 1, 2013

pigoo3 said:
Three questions for you:

1. We have no idea why you want or need to replace the hard drive in your MacBook Pro...you never told us??

2. We have no idea (exactly) which MacBook Pro you have other than you said that it was "newer". This may or may not make a difference. We need to know it's exact specs. to identify it.

3. If it is possible to upgrade the storage capacity in your MacBook Pro...why are you waiting until this Summer to do it...when it's really only a 15-20 minute (maybe less) process??

- Nick

It's a money thing Nick. My parents buy me things for school. Being that upgrading space is for installing other operating systems it's an unnecessary upgrade. OSX does everything I need it to it's mainly for nerdy purposes.

Model A1398 EMC 2512

Basically I have 500 GB (less than actually) If I devote 60 to two other operating systems it's nearsighted to do it on this hard drive. If anything I don't want to upgrade until I have at least a terabyte. I also have a terabyte time machine drive so I don't want to go over (those things are cheap though and I can devote it to Windows back up).

The fact you said it's a quick process is encouraging.

Actually I may have some spring break money. Thanks for your help but I also have to budget beer you know how it is man.

burnedfaceless · Mar 1, 2013

Also I want to make this computer last until after graduate school which will be probably five years. My RAM is pretty good if I put in a new hard drive and research osx maintenance I should be good.

pigoo3 · Mar 1, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
Model A1398 EMC 2512

For future reference...the best way to refer to your computer model (so that we understand what it is)...it's a:

15" Core i7 2.3ghz retina-MacBook Pro.

It would be best to enter this info into your Mac-Forums profile...then we will always know what you have...and then you won't have to type this info over & over when you have questions.

First let me mention that since this is a retina MacBook Pro (no optical drive)...your upgrade options are much more limited than with the non-retina MacBook Pro's.

Regarding ram upgrades (which you didn't exactly ask about)...you cannot upgrade the ram on this computer. So if at some point in the next 5 years you find you need more ram...there's not much you can do about it.

As far as the hard drive/storage capacity upgrades. In non-retina MacBook Pro's (with an optical drive/CD drive)...you can remove the CD drive...and install a 2nd storage device (an SSD or a hard drive). With the retina MacBook Pro's you cannot do this...since there is no CD drive to remove to make room for a 2nd storage device.

Your retina-MacBook Pro came with 512gig of "flash storage". Flash storage is not a hard drive...these are two different storage technology terms and are not interchangeable. So with your retina MacBook Pro...the term "hard drive" should never be used...UNLESS...you are talking about an external hard drive plugged into your computer.

According to Apple...the storage for your computer (flash storage) is not or was not meant to be upgraded by the owner...but in theory it is possible to do it...if appropriate upgrades can be purchased.

For your computer (which currently has 512gig of flash storage)...at the time of purchase/configuration...a 768gig flash storage device could have been installed (by Apple). This flash storage upgrade (at the time of purchase) would have cost an extra $1000 dollars...YIKES!!!

These flash storage upgrades I do not believe are easily available at this time (they may be in the future...and they eventually will most likely be less expensive). As a student...if you have to budget for beer...I'm thinking that spending $1000 (or more) to upgrade your retina-MacBook Pro's storage is out of the question!

You mentioned wanting to upgrade to 1 terabyte. I'm not even sure 1 terabyte internal flash storage upgrades for retina MacBook Pro's even exist at this time. But if they did/do...I would "guestimate"...that they would probably cost $1000+ (based on the current costs of 500gig and 768gig upgrades Apple offers)...which are $300 for the 512gig upgrade...and $700 for the 768gig upgrade (prices have come down from their original levels).

The "best" storage upgrade path for you at this time...is to continue what you are doing...which is using external "traditional" hard drives.

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 2, 2013

pigoo3 said:
For future reference...the best way to refer to your computer model (so that we understand what it is)...it's a:

15" Core i7 2.3ghz retina-MacBook Pro.

It would be best to enter this info into your Mac-Forums profile...then we will always know what you have...and then you won't have to type this info over & over when you have questions.

First let me mention that since this is a retina MacBook Pro (no optical drive)...your upgrade options are much more limited than with the non-retina MacBook Pro's.

Regarding ram upgrades (which you didn't exactly ask about)...you cannot upgrade the ram on this computer. So if at some point in the next 5 years you find you need more ram...there's not much you can do about it.

As far as the hard drive/storage capacity upgrades. In non-retina MacBook Pro's (with an optical drive/CD drive)...you can remove the CD drive...and install a 2nd storage device (an SSD or a hard drive). With the retina MacBook Pro's you cannot do this...since there is no CD drive to remove to make room for a 2nd storage device.

Your retina-MacBook Pro came with 512gig of "flash storage". Flash storage is not a hard drive...these are two different storage technology terms and are not interchangeable. So with your retina MacBook Pro...the term "hard drive" should never be used...UNLESS...you are talking about an external hard drive plugged into your computer.

According to Apple...the storage for your computer (flash storage) is not or was not meant to be upgraded by the owner...but in theory it is possible to do it...if appropriate upgrades can be purchased.

For your computer (which currently has 512gig of flash storage)...at the time of purchase/configuration...a 768gig flash storage device could have been installed (by Apple). This flash storage upgrade (at the time of purchase) would have cost an extra $1000 dollars...YIKES!!!

These flash storage upgrades I do not believe are easily available at this time (they may be in the future...and they eventually will most likely be less expensive). As a student...if you have to budget for beer...I'm thinking that spending $1000 (or more) to upgrade your retina-MacBook Pro's storage is out of the question!

You mentioned wanting to upgrade to 1 terabyte. I'm not even sure 1 terabyte internal flash storage upgrades for retina MacBook Pro's even exist at this time. But if they did/do...I would "guestimate"...that they would probably cost $1000+ (based on the current costs of 500gig and 768gig upgrades Apple offers)...which are $300 for the 512gig upgrade...and $700 for the 768gig upgrade (prices have come down from their original levels).

The "best" storage upgrade path for you at this time...is to continue what you are doing...which is using external "traditional" hard drives.

- Nick

Nick updated my profile under mac specs.

I wasn't sure about the flash storage. I have less than 200 gigabytes of music. That's all I really have. If I could find a way to store the music on my flash storage I would have no need to upgrade.

Let me know who to ask. I'm a converted windows guy. Using Windows just for web design (20 gigs would probably be fine). I'd feel more comfortable putting more on there but that's more work for me. Also no web design currently. Any further paid assignments may make use of dream weaver on osx so text edit is basically for php and JavaScript.

Linux is for exploring security vulnerabilities but basically Windows could do that if I mustered up the effort to run bootcamp again.

Thanks again. I was so confused when I saw 500 GB.

If this belongs to another forum area I'll be good. Otherwise I anticipate learning.

pigoo3 · Mar 2, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
Nick updated my profile under mac specs.

Good deal.

This helps many times when questions are asked! You may also want to add what OS version you're running.

I read the rest of your post...but it seemed like a bunch of statements...and I wasn't sure (confused) if you had any further questions. If you have any further questions on this topic...please post.

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 2, 2013

pigoo3 said:
Good deal. This helps many times when questions are asked! You may also want to add what OS version you're running.

I read the rest of your post...but it seemed like a bunch of statements...and I wasn't sure (confused) if you had any further questions. If you have any further questions on this topic...please post.

- Nick

Your response time is legendary.

How do I access my flash drive. I have a Macintosh HD on my desktop. Pretty sure it's not the flash drive.

pigoo3 · Mar 2, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
How do I access my flash drive. I have a Macintosh HD on my desktop. Pretty sure it's not the flash drive.

If I have the model of your MacBook Pro correct...it's internal storage is "flash storage". So what you're calling your "Macintosh HD"...is the flash storage.

This retina MacBook Pro (stock configuration) came with 256gig of flash storage. But you said that you had 500gig earlier in the thread...so you must have upgraded it at time of purchase.

If for some reason I'm wrong...please elaborate.

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 2, 2013

pigoo3 said:
If I have the model of your MacBook Pro correct...it's internal storage is "flash storage". So what you're calling your "Macintosh HD"...is the flash storage.

If for some reason I'm wrong...please elaborate.

- Nick

I thought I had 512 GB of flash and 500 GB of another storage. Very confusing I guess I'll boot two operating systems unless I have a terabyte.

burnedfaceless · Mar 2, 2013

I remember reading that I had 500 GB of standard and 500 of flash at least that was the computer the sales person sold me. Am I missing something here?

pigoo3 · Mar 2, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
I remember reading that I had 500 GB of standard and 500 of flash at least that was the computer the sales person sold me. Am I missing something here?

I really have no exact idea how your retina MacBook Pro is setup...you need to provide this info.

First of all...retina MacBook Pro's have no traditional or "standard" hard drive...just flash storage. Now it could be possible that your internal flash storage is partitioned...but in order to have what you mentioned above (500gig + 500gig)...you would have to have 1 terabyte of flash storage.

Another possibility is that you have 512gig of internal flash storage...and maybe it's partitioned into two partitons...256gig + 256gig in size each.

1 terabyte of flash storage (as far as I know)...is not available at this time. And if it was/is...it would be extremely extremely expensive.

Unless you can provide info to the contrary...I think that you have 512gigs of internal flash storage.

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 2, 2013

pigoo3 said:
I really have no exact idea how your retina MacBook Pro is setup...you need to provide this info.

First of all...retina MacBook Pro's have no traditional or "standard" hard drive...just flash storage. Now it could be possible that your internal flash storage is partitioned...but in order to have what you mentioned above (500gig + 500gig)...you would have to have 1 terabyte of flash storage.

Another possibility is that you have 512gig of internal flash storage...and maybe it's partitioned into two partitons...256gig + 256gig in size each.

1 terabyte of flash storage (as far as I know)...is not available at this time. And if it was/is...it would be extremely extremely expensive.

Unless you can provide info to the contrary...I think that you have 512gigs of internal flash storage.

- Nick

Nick you are awesome man I will get the receipt see what they rang me up for and reply to this thread if there are any problems (I can't find).

In the meantime I have to walk to Wal Mart to create a Windows 7 .iso and buy some beer. 20 GB flash should allow me to keep everything.

Great success like Borat put it so elequotantly put it once.

pigoo3 · Mar 2, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
Nick you are awesome man I will get the receipt see what they rang me up for and reply to this thread if there are any problems (I can't find).

Please do that..and then reply. I'm curious to know exactly what you have.

Thanks,

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Mar 11, 2013

pigoo3 said:
Please do that..and then reply. I'm curious to know exactly what you have.

Thanks,

- Nick

Nick it specifically says 512 GB on the receipt. They hooked me up too I got a great price.

pigoo3 · Mar 11, 2013

burnedfaceless said:
I remember reading that I had 500 GB of standard and 500 of flash at least that was the computer the sales person sold me. Am I missing something here?

burnedfaceless said:
Nick it specifically says 512 GB on the receipt. They hooked me up too I got a great price.

Having 512gig is what I pretty much figured you had...since there is no way to have two separate storage units in the retina-MBP...and since 1 terabyte of internal flash storage is not yet available.

You keep mentioning that you thought you had 1 terabyte of storage (500gig + 500gig)...and that's why we needed to get this straightened out. Good to hear things are clear now.

- Nick

chas_m · Mar 15, 2013

Let me clear this up for you guys.

It is NOT POSSIBLE for a Retina MacBook Pro to have a *hard drive* in it. You have a 512GB SSD (aka "flash storage") in that machine, and nothing else as regards storage.

Thus, your *only* option for an *internal* storage upgrade is to get a larger SSD and have a Mac Tech perform the upgrade. This will cost HUGE BUCKS.

Your best option is to continue using external *hard drives* which offer much more storage and are way cheaper.

Hope that helps.

burnedfaceless · Mar 27, 2013

Well I have a ton of flash drive storage available. I guess I'll buy a terabyte drive just in case it gets slow.

Nick is it possible to add ram to this computer? I have 8 gigabytes already.

My goal is to stretch this computer five years and run osx updates up to the point where I buy a new computer.

Is this a possible or feasible goal?

edit: how much should I put in if I do?

Adding a harddrive to an apple notebook

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

Well-known member

chas_m

Guest

burnedfaceless

Shop Amazon