Macbook Drive Upgrade

[sean.ferguson]

Can someone confirm for me if this Western Digital Scorpio hard drive will be compatible with the rev.1 Macbooks?

Im looking at upgrading my current 60Gb 🙂

 

[muzikool]

Not sure, but here's an idea. You try it and let me know if it works. If so then I'll upgrade mine as well! 😛

By the way, your sig really looks like it says something else. I wonder if that was intentional?

 

[sean.ferguson]

Not sure, but here's an idea. You try it and let me know if it works. If so then I'll upgrade mine as well! 😛

Hm, I think I will. I Just don't know if its S-ATA 150 or not. Time to consult Apple Support i think.

By the way, your sig really looks like it says something else. I wonder if that was intentional?

Bad font choice I think. 🙄

================EDIT==================

On reading the Macbook rev.1 technical specifications, they don't mention the S-ATA type. So much for 'technical' 🙄 Nor does it mention anything in the 9-page DIY support manual provided by Apple... I'l try it in the coming week and see where we get then. I'l let you know. 🙂

================EDIT2==================

Okay, with some detective work I have figured out the drive currently installed (from Apple) is a ST96812AS according to the system profiler. When Googled, it shows a Seagate 60Gb 5400rpm S-ATA150 drive.

So, I have ordered the Western Digital Scorpio 120Gb 5400rpm S-ATA150 drive. It will be here Thursday 🙂 I will install OS X and post my results / problems or any crisis' I come across 😀

 

[sean.ferguson]

Well, the drive arrived this afternoon. I had already backed things up over to the Storage drive on my server for safe keeping.

As a whole the upgrade could not be easier, simply follow the instructions given by Apple in the DIY pdf and you can't go wrong. Note, you will need a very small Jeweler type screwdriver for inside the battery bay.

One thing the DIY guide does miss out, although common sense while carrying out the upgrade should make you aware of this. There is a heatshield (part with tab attached) which is fixed to the drive, there are 4 t10 torx bits to remove, then its a simple case of transfering the heatshield over to your new drive. If you do not transfer this heat shield over, chances of you removing the drive in the future will be slim, as you won't have a tab to pull the drive out with. 🙂

When you boot the Mac up for the first time, with your installation media present. Remember to visit the Drive Utility first and create a Mac formatted partition. Otherwise you won't get very far in the install 😛

The Macbook is now checking my installation media and hopefully I will be able to install OS X without a problem. I will update this post after it is installed and I have transfered my files back over.

I have upgraded the Macbook Rev.1 from a standard issue Seagate 60Gb 5400rpm to a Western Digital Scorpio 120Gb 5400rpm

edit; One observation is that this drive seems to run 4°C hotter.

 

[muzikool]

Very nice, Sean. Glad the process went smoothly. 🙂

 

[sean.ferguson]

Make sure you back up every aac file you own, because you cannot re-download your music. Luckily I have, but I thought I would try this option just incase. 🙂

 

[muzikool]

Oh yeah, definitely backup your music. Unless you disabled the message in iTunes, it prompts you to backup your music after every purchase.​

 

[X-Istence]

rsync for the win baby 😀.

I use rsync to sync all my music to a backup drive in an server at my house. Now, that "drive" I back it up to, is really a software mirror, so in case something happens, I have a backup 😀.

 

[Geffy]

Hrmm, you've got me tempted to buy a Scorpio 250GB now 😛 though it'd probably kill my battery life

might even put boot camp back on if I did that

 

[sean.ferguson]

Well, this 120Gb still gives me around 4 hours or so battery life (no real change) 🙂 and the temp has settled down also.

 

[X-Istence]

Hrmm, you've got me tempted to buy a Scorpio 250GB now 😛 though it'd probably kill my battery life

might even put boot camp back on if I did that

Boot camp is evil, everything should be virtualized 😛.

 

[Geffy]

I shall not play games through a virtual machine. If I play games I want as much of the system thrown at the game as possible. Running two OS's at the same time does not fit with that.

Unreal Tournament 2004 ran very nicely on my lowly MacBook. Hitman: Blood Money, C&C Generals not so much. Why oh why did Apple put the booby prize of all graphics cards into this machine.