Macbook 2007 SSD upgrade

[xzerocoolx]

Hi

I have just purchased a macbook 2007 as I wanna just have a cheap laptop of apples to play around with but I would like to put an SSD in to it, which I can see I can see is simple but my question how do I reinstall an the OS and where do I download the OS so I can install it on the SSD.

 

[pigoo3]

What OS version do you want to install...and since this is a 2007 MacBook...those OS version choices will be limited.

- Nick

 

[xzerocoolx]

Not sure which is the latest it can run so the most up to date OS that macbook can handle

 

[MacInWin]

Do you know what version it has right now? Did it come with any CDs? Will it boot? If so, boot and then click on the  in the upper left corner of the screen and then About This Mac and tell us what the resulting window shows.

 

[xzerocoolx]

it currently running 10.7.5

 

[ferrarr]

Since it has Mac OS X Lion, you will need to boot into Recovery, and install the OS onto the SSD before you install it into the MB. You will need some type of enclosure (USB or FireWire) or connector to accomplish this.

The other option is to get OS X El Capitan, How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support, as that is the most recent OS X version it will run? After you have downloaded the "Install OS X El Capitan", installer you will want to quit out of the installer, and create a bootable USB thumb drive. Recommended app for creating a bootable USB, is an app that used to be Lion Diskmaker, now it's Diskmaker X, DiskMaker X, you may need to look for an older version to run on your older OS?

 

[pm-r]

I have just purchased a macbook 2007 as I wanna just have a cheap laptop of apples to play around with but I would like to put an SSD in to it,

Don't forget those MacBook models have unlimited bus speed, ie: Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s), so you may need to buy one that has guaranteed backwards compatibility, as most will be 3 Gb/s at least which should work, some 6Gb/s might be a bit dubious.
Specific specs of the various models can be found here:
Apple MacBook Specs (All MacBook Technical Specs): EveryMac.com

Typical model:
MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.2 13" (White-SR) Specs (Late 2007, MB062LL/B, MacBook3,1, A1181, 2200): EveryMac.com

• Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s)
• Maximum MacOS: X 10.7.5*

You may want to get an older version of Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) and then you should be able to just clone the one drive to the new SSD after formatting it with Apple's OS X Disk Utility:
Mac Backup Software | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software


- Patrick
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[xzerocoolx]

In regards to the SSD
Would this one work ok
Dell Lite On 03YYV3 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive Model LCS-256L9S-11 | eBay

 

[MacInWin]

Can't speak to that one, but you could contact OWC (Macsales.com) to see what they recommend for that model. They are experts on Macs and would know what is compatible.

 

[pm-r]

In regards to the SSD
Would this one work ok
Dell Lite On 03YYV3 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive Model LCS-256L9S-11 | eBay

It would probably work but I would Google about that model being used in a Mac and see what you can find.

Being a LiteOn model, you'll certainly be on target for going cheap and creating a cheap Mac, and there's no indication of how many hours it already has on it as it was made in June 2015 and no doubt formatted and erased at least a few times I would guess.

You may want to consider spending a little bit more and Jake makes a very good comment and advise.

Also consider a four-year-old solid state drive is probably going to be quite substantially slower then a newer but a little bit more expensive faster SSDrive. But the technology has improved greatly in just the last few years, and especially in speed except for those who make a drive based on cheap money only. Also equals slow old technology chips.

Your call but I would sure make sure it has a return policy but you may pay for what it is worth in shipping alone!!!


- Patrick
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[ferrarr]

@pm-r, the SSD is going into a 2007 MBP, so speed increase will not be seen.

 

[MacInWin]

Bob, what makes you say that? The read/write speeds of the SSD will be significantly faster than a spinner so there should be a perceived improvement on all disk activity, particularly boot. Why do you think there would be nothing to be seen?

 

[ferrarr]

Bob, what makes you say that? The read/write speeds of the SSD will be significantly faster than a spinner so there should be a perceived improvement on all disk activity, particularly boot. Why do you think there would be nothing to be seen?

I only meant from the linked older SSD, to the newer tech Patrick was referencing, that’s all.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[MacInWin]

Ah, Ok, Bob, thanks. In the OPs case, the challenge is that a more modern high-speed drive may not be able to slow down to his bus speed, so he needs to find one that can go that slow. Which is why I suggested asking the experts to see what they recommend.

 

[pm-r]

@Bob

@pm-r, the SSD is going into a 2007 MBP, so speed increase will not be seen.

Actually Bob, there'll be a fairly substantial speed increase but not hugely dramatic, and one of the reasons I mentioned the bus speed of those models, Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s). I put a 3 Gb/s SSD into my 2007 15in MBPro, mainly to try and gain some longer battery life.

The other concern was making sure a faster 3 Gb/s SSD, or even some 6 Gb/s units were backwards compatible with the 1.5 bus speed.

If I recall correctly, the bootup time was around 15-17 seconds with the SSD and about 60-90 secs with the original HDD spinner. Overall performance was quite acceptable and fairly speedy, and definitely more than fast enough for my use but I didn't do much of any graphic or high-end use.

Actually my cousin is now using that machine after her 2008 MacBook died. She hated the smaller MacBook Air replacement and took it back to the store.


- Patrick
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[jpdemers]

There were some Toshiba SSDs that were inherently incompatible with the Mac's hardware. I'd look into that before buying an old Toshiba SSD - or just avoid the brand entirely.
Easiest way to swap, by far, is to use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the old HD to the SSD, then swap the drives. You don't need an enclosure, just a SATA-to-USB connector, and those are cheap and easy to find on Amazon or eBay.

 

[pm-r]

Easiest way to swap, by far, is to use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the old HD to the SSD, then swap the drives. You don't need an enclosure, just a SATA-to-USB connector, and those are cheap and easy to find on Amazon or eBay.

+1!!! And I can't belive how cheap the SATA-to-USB connector/adapters are these days.

As for Carbon Copy Cloner, they will need an older version:
Download CCC 3.5.7
Download Carbon Copy Cloner | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

Mac OS's Disk Utility.app will be needed to format and/or petition the new Drive for Mac use.



- Patrick
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