Hey guys, I was just asked by a friend if I could speed up her macbook for her. I've only done that with PC's before, so I thought, "why not ask the infinite wisdom of the teksyndicate community!"
Side note: I don't like macs, personally. I know most of you don't either, however this isn't the thread where we bash apple, as much fun as that is.
Side note: I know a simple google search gives me basic answers on how to do this (in fact I'm already doing my own research), but I thought I could do a better job getting real advice from the people with the know how. I wanna do a good job, better than someone who only made a basic google search. Thanks in advance for all the help.
Add an SSD and reinstall the OS probably, you're going to have a lot of fun trying to tear apart the thing to get at the hard drive though.
Cleaning it physically as in dirt and dust? Or cleaning out the OS in terms of software?
cleaning out the OS in terms of software.
Alright, well to give a basis, here's what I've attained I'm going to do through research:
1) Reduce Startup Apps
2) Update OS if necessary
3) Clean Hard Drive with CCleaner for Mac
4) Check for available RAM upgrades and upgrade as necessary
5) Replace HDD with SSD. This one's easier than Streetguru thought. It's accessible immediately after removing the back panel.
I figure I should post those steps to anyone who needs this thread because they're doing the same thing.
reinstalling the OS is usually the quickest solution to all problems
Will that lose any precious files, though? Never done that before, that's why I'm asking.
well ya, you format the hard drive, but if you're putting in an SSD you have to reinstall anyways
If you're putting in an SSD to replace the Hard drive, you can use a SATA-to-USB cable off Amazon and third party software to copy all files from one to the other. This would obviously be done after CCleaner cleans up the hard drive in the first place. Look, I'm trying to speed up a computer WITHOUT erasing all the photos, documents, videos, etc. that she needs to keep. I doubt anyone would appreciate it if I said I was cleaning up their Macbook and then I just wiped the hard drive.
Pretty sure that solution usually doesn't work 100% and if you're trying to clean the system a fresh install is the best way, with the SSD you still have all the data on the hard drive, so you can just buy a 2.5" enclosure and turn it into a portable hard drive
This one's USB 3.0 at $13
Both of you are right and wrong.
You can actually install and run OSX on an external drive, and then you can also move over applications as well unlike in windows.
So what I would recommend is to hook up the SSD to the USB port and then install el capitan to it.
Then boot into the SSD and copy everything over.
Once you are done and have essentially two copies of the information, THEN you can go ahead and swap the drive.
Then you should be able to boot to the SSD and then shove the HDD in the enclosure and give everything to her.
Easy peasy lemon sqeezy : D
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how DARE you say I'm partially wrong on a subject I'm trying to learn about!
Seriously, thanks. It seems there's more than one way to skin a macbook.
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Lol, yeah. Macbooks are interesting.
And here is the other thing. Double check with a mac store and see if they would not do a back up of the information for you.
IDK how old the macbook is, but the apple store that I go to for my apple customers always seem ready and willing to do a backup.
Yeah I have to pay a few bucks for a small hard drive or what ever, but they do the actual work.
So that way if any data is lost, then they will actually pay up and send it to a data recovery center.
So its kinda like insurance.
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