How to Install a Cloned Hard Drive to a New Computer

If you have cloned your hard drive, then you have an exact duplicate of the hard drive in your computer, making swapping the two out very easy. Once the transition has been made, you simply swap the drives, and the result is a new computer with a faster hard drive or more capacity, depending on the choices you made. In this case, the cloned drive will go in a 15-inch MacBook Pro Unibody, made in late 2008.

Things You'll Need

• Cloned 2.5-inch SATA hard drive
• #00 Phillips screwdriver
• T6 Torx screwdriver

Instructions

1. Flip the MacBook over so that the bottom of the computer is facing up. Push the access door latch on the left side in and pull up the latch so that the bottom of the cover lifts up. Pull off the bottom cover, exposing the battery and hard drive. Locate the plastic tab on the top of the battery, then pull the battery out of the computer by the tab and place it to the side.

2. Unscrew the plastic hard drive holder from the top side of the hard drive using the Phillips screwdriver. Lift up the hard drive by the clear plastic tab, then carefully pull off the SATA connector on the left side using your hands.

3. Unscrew the brackets on the side of the hard drive using the Torx screwdriver and transfer those brackets to the replacement hard drive.

4. Plug the SATA connector into the side of the replacement hard drive and place the drive in the computer. Install the hard drive holder using the Phillips screwdriver, then push the battery back in place in the case and push the battery cover back onto the computer. SATA stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, and is a type of connector that allows the computer to interface with the hard drive in order to transfer information back and forth.

5. Flip over the computer and boot it up to make sure it works correctly.

References

• iFixit article on installing a new hard drive