Old hd in new MBP

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Can I buy a new MBP 13" and run it from the hd out of my old MBP 15" from 2008 (logic board failure) by opening it up and doing a straight swap.
 
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If the old MBP was running Mavericks it would likely work as long as your new MBP wasn't the Retina variant, but that isn't the best option. An older hard drive will be less reliable, and an OS that has maybe been upgraded many times isn't the best choice. I would add the old hard drive to a caddy or USB case, then migrate in the user and apps to the new MBP. One issue you may have is if any of the software you had installed was tied to the S/N of of the old MBP.
 
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Thanks Steve.
When my original MBP failed, I bought a second hand exact same model. I swapped the hd and it worked perfectly.
No software issues with office, adobe cs or anything else.
I upgraded so to Mavericks and it has been fine for a year until the logic board failed a couple of days ago.
I could keep buying up old MBP 's off ebay but I know they are all doomed!
I just want to know that I can pull off the same trick with a newer MBP that doesn't have the logic board issue.
 
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Suggest you make many more inquiries as the 2008 model had a SATA 1.5GB/s speed and the new Retinas are 5GB/s PCIe x2.
 
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chas_m

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Can I buy a new MBP 13" and run it from the hd out of my old MBP 15" from 2008 (logic board failure) by opening it up and doing a straight swap.

I doubt that would work, and if it did it would awfully slow (but again, I don't think that will work -- too old a drive, wrong OS version, apps from 2008 will likely break on modern OS, etc). Your new MBP can't run anything older than the OS version it came with, which would currently be Mavericks.

It seems like you're far more concerned with the data/documents/files you produced with the old software than everything else on the drive, so why not just put that 2008 in an external case, grab the files you want, and run them on the upgraded software?
 
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actually did anyone fail to mention the new macbook pro's are mini pci E so it won't work
 

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Can I buy a new MBP 13" and run it from the hd out of my old MBP 15" from 2008 (logic board failure) by opening it up and doing a straight swap.

Unless you plan on buying the only remaining MacBook Pro 13" machine that is not a retina, forget it. None of the retina machines use spinning hard drives. The 2012 MacBook Pro 13" is the only model that remains which is not a retina and still being sold by Apple.
 
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Yes! It is the last of the non-retina machines I am talking about.

A business advisor at Apple said it would work with that model.

The hd OS is mavericks and it and all my software had all been updated and ran fine before the logic board failed.

What I'm desperately trying to establish is whether there are any other issues or reasons why it wouldn't work.

Tha apple guy said I'd be able to boot it from external using thunderbolt or just open it up and swap the hdds.

What is a mini PCI E and how would that affect my evil plan?

Any help gratefully received.
 
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most of the newer macbook pros are not sata but ssd so make sure its sata or you can't transfer your drive mini pci e look it up in google images
 
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Ah, yep I know what mini PCI E is now.

Not an issue on the last of the non flash machines.

Phew.
 
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Thanks John.

I'm gonna try it and report back whether success or failure!

Cheers.
 
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Wideshut, I'd still avoid moving the old MBP HD into the 2012 13" MBP unless the old HD was very new and a higher spec than in the new product. Disks with spinning platters have reliability issues, the older they are the higher the chances of failure. Also any HD moved over would no be covered under Apple's hardware warranty. FYI, the PCIe flash storage SSD's are a long thin PCB, populated on both sides, interface on one end and held the the logic board by a single screw at the other. OWC sell (expensive, but cheaper than Apple's prices), but not for all Mac's. Not an issue with the MBP you are interested in.
 
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It worked!

Did a straight swap of hdd from old MBP 15 into brand new MBP 13.

Just had to update Mavericks to 10.9.5 and enter my email passwords and everything works fine.

My surgeons hands were shaking a bit with the Torx T6 but it's all good now.

Like seeing an old friend in a new frock.
 

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