Friday, June 12, 2009

Macbook Pro Hard drive upgrade

Thought I would post a blurb about something I did a few months back. Yep, it was another tech-filled adventure by yours truly. I was in need of an upgrade on my computer to run and play with some new operating systems such as Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux, but with my current 160GB hard drive, I was pushing the limits of its storage capacity. So as soon as my warranty expired on my Macbook Pro (MBP), I went on the hunt for a bigger, faster internal hard drive.

Was there something seriously wrong with the one I had? NOPE.

Was I looking for something to test my inner-tech hunger by pulling out all stops and tearing apart my laptop to increase the capacity and performance? YES.

I didn't have to look too hard find some other instructions, DIY guides and tutorials on how to upgrade it (as most hard-core geeks do this all the time). All I needed was a trusty site I have used in the past -  http://macsales.com/. I've used this site for both purchasing stuff (many sticks of RAM throughout the years, a replacement ipod battery kit (see this post) as well as some killer external hard drive enclosures) as well as just using for reference/guidance when attempting to install new /replacement hardware. The great thing about this site is the FREE video tutorials. If you have a need for upgrading an Apple product, they probably have a video instructional guide to help you along.

To get into the geek-tails, I scored a 320Gb, 7200RPM, 16MB cache, Seagate Momentus internal 2.5" SATA hard drive, model ST9320421AS. I got this at http://newegg.com for $85 at the time (at the time of this post, the same drive is $69!!) Using this video guide from MacSales, I tore apart my MBP, installed the drive and re-assembled it in about 45 minutes flat. This was one heck of a deal and should last me a LONG TIME. If you have a Mac (or PC for that matter) that is running low on hard drive space, I encourage you to save a few bucks and install a hard drive yourself!

For your visual pleasure, I have attached some pics of the momentous event: