Can I put hard drive from a 2011 model into a ~2008 model?

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Me, I'm a Windows guy. I have two identical laptops, and two other computers for parts. When one dies, I just switch hard drives from on computer to the other and I'm up and running again (assuming the HD is not the problem)

My wife uses a Macbook Pro for work, and hers is in need of a good amount of work. Charge board, track pad, keyboard.. probably other stuff.

Hers was purchased new in 2011.

For Christmas, she was gifted a used Macbook Pro by family, of identical size and case, same black keys. Estimated as a 2008 or 2009 model.

Can we simply pull the hard drive from her worn out machine and install it in the older unit and have all files, programs, OS, etc work on the new older unit like I do with my Windows machines?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Matt
 

Slydude

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To answer that question definitively we'll have to know a few more specifics about exactly which machines are involved and which versions of the OS are on both machines. I've done this with some models but the success/failure was heavily dependent on the machines, OS versions. and applications involved.

I'm amazed you were able to do this with Windows at all given how picky some installs can be about hardware changes.
 
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Thanks! I'll get those details asap. All I know for now is that the 'worn out' computer is running Snow Leopard... But won't know for sure about the other until we get it. Folks need to do a final backup...

As for my Windows guys... they're all the same model Lenovo T60, and being the way I am, all run XP. Yeah, I fear change :)
 

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