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Replacing the hard drive for my first-day Macbook
- Thread starter theMaccer
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It's a very simple process – I swapped the drive in my own MacBook and it took 5 minutes tops to physically switch the drives.
Just have a good read through the instructions beforehand so you know what you're doing.
Just have a good read through the instructions beforehand so you know what you're doing.
I did mine.
Some pointers:
I made sure the computer worked fine first. I updated the internal drive with the latest software updates, just in case I had to go back to it.
Make sure the new drive is 5200 rpm and has an 8MB cache.
Keep the old drive, if your computer needs servicing, it's easier to have the original memory and drive in it.
Some pointers:
I made sure the computer worked fine first. I updated the internal drive with the latest software updates, just in case I had to go back to it.
Make sure the new drive is 5200 rpm and has an 8MB cache.
Keep the old drive, if your computer needs servicing, it's easier to have the original memory and drive in it.
Maccer - About this link:
Make sure that you switch out the EMI shield like in These instructions. The Apple article assumes that the new drive already has one on it instead of re-using your current one.
Just have a good read through the instructions beforehand so you know what you're doing.
Make sure that you switch out the EMI shield like in These instructions. The Apple article assumes that the new drive already has one on it instead of re-using your current one.
Why? Wouldn't it be better to replace the 5400 RPM, 8MB cache drive with a 7200 RPM ,16MB cache drive? Especially if you plan on doing any video editing
Definitely! Gkerris doesn't know what he's talking about. The stock hard drive is a 5400rpm, so why replace it with another of the same speed. I'd opt for the 7200rpm.
Because today's 5400 rpm drives are extremely fast, even with 8 mb of cache. Unless there's a compelling reason for 7200 rpm, 5400 is the way to go, dollar for dollar.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/storage25.html
There's no doubt that the 5400 drives have improved.. But, from what I understand, their benefit is that their bigger, correct? So if I had a 7200RPM drive with 45% available and a 5400 RPM drive available isn't the 7200RPM going to be faster?
I hear what you're saying- and there's no doubt there's some pretty strong cases that can be made for the 5400's- but I'm still of the opinion that an internal 7200RPM drive with enough free space on it to operate is still the fastest for video.. I tried a fast external drive connected with a firewire 400 and couldn't figure out why it didn't work as well...lol..Maybe I'm off base, but I'm going to drop a 7200 in my macbook, keep it as clean as possible and do my video editing from there- keep in mind my video editing is nothing professional- just playing around learning FCE and making highlight videos for my football team as well as the weekly review of our teams performance and the scout footage of the upcoming opponent..
I hear what you're saying- and there's no doubt there's some pretty strong cases that can be made for the 5400's- but I'm still of the opinion that an internal 7200RPM drive with enough free space on it to operate is still the fastest for video.. I tried a fast external drive connected with a firewire 400 and couldn't figure out why it didn't work as well...lol..Maybe I'm off base, but I'm going to drop a 7200 in my macbook, keep it as clean as possible and do my video editing from there- keep in mind my video editing is nothing professional- just playing around learning FCE and making highlight videos for my football team as well as the weekly review of our teams performance and the scout footage of the upcoming opponent..
According to Tom's, the fastest notebook drive available for sustained writing is a 5400 rpm Samsung (320 gigs). Data density improves performance.
You were comparing FW400 to internal SATA?
Do you work for the Patriots?
haha- no, I don't work for the Patriots- just an overworked high school football coach.. But ya know what? I can't believe they pay me for this.. Sure, I work about 70 hours a week in season and about 35per week in the off season on my football program, in addition to my regular work load, and I'm actually scared to break it down and figure out how much my stipend ends up paying me by the hour- but shoot, I'd pay them to let me do this.. Just don't tell them that because my wife gets the stipend and if that went away I might not be able to watch football videos all day long anymore..;-)
Well, to be honest, I did think an external was the way to go for video editing- and I'm sure it is- if you have the right set-up.. Clearly firewire 400 isn't that..lol.. So, yeah, I'm guilty as charged.. Now I edit with my internal and send it to DVD's for the coaches and the main HD with the editing system that we use for cataloging, and then the state run online service that we're required to use for film sharing purposes.. Sounds like a lot, but it's actually pretty simple.. Just wish the online film sharing worked a little better..
Well, to be honest, I did think an external was the way to go for video editing- and I'm sure it is- if you have the right set-up.. Clearly firewire 400 isn't that..lol.. So, yeah, I'm guilty as charged.. Now I edit with my internal and send it to DVD's for the coaches and the main HD with the editing system that we use for cataloging, and then the state run online service that we're required to use for film sharing purposes.. Sounds like a lot, but it's actually pretty simple.. Just wish the online film sharing worked a little better..