Then, make a full 'Backup - all files' with 'Smart Update' or 'Erase, then copy' to the new drive. * Choose the proper partition scheme (GUID for Intel macs, Apple Partition Map for Power PC) and accept the page Use 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)' as the format type and name appropriately * Use Disk Utility's controls to divide the drive as needed, even as a single large partition. * Click the Partition tab (if it doesn't appear, you selected the volume, not the drive hardware above it) * Select the external drive hardware in the sidebar Here are the instructions that Dave Nanian, the developer of the venerable cloning program SuperDuper! emailed me:įirst, prepare the new drive (in a drive dock or similar) by partitioning it: Tom, thanks for taking the time to reply. Tell the MBP to boot from the external SSD and reboot, as a quick check that things worked. My MacBook only has USB 2.0.Do I still want the USB 3.0? Is this the same as what I see referred to as an 'enclosure'? I take it that I want a 'box' that I can stuff either the SSD or the olkd HDD into that protects it and provides a way to connect to the MacBook? Get a tool-free, bus-powered USB 3.0 notebook drive case.

I have a 1TB external drive that I use for Time Machine backups. Note: You can bypass the selected boot disk (one-shot) by using Startup Manager. You can keep it as a 'backup as of the time of the upgrade', or use it going forward, depending on what is more convenient for you. Tell the MBP to boot from the external SSD and reboot, as a quick check that things worked.Īfter you have installed the SSD in the MBP, take the old HDD and put it into the tool-free case. Put the SSD into it, and use software to clone the internal HDD to the external SSD.

Make sure you have at least one up-to-date external backup of your current internal HDD before doing anything. How do I ensure that the machine will boot up from the new drive? A cloning software product like Carbon Copy Cloner to make the actual backup. In particular, should I use a cloning software product like Carbon Copy Cloner or should I use the Apple Disk Utility?ĭisk Utility to do formatting.

Mac os x clone hard drive to ssd