How to Change Hard Drives on a MacBook

The right upgrades will extend the useful life of your MacBook.

A MacBook's hard drive stores all your personal data. Changing your MacBook's hard drive is useful if you're running low on space, or frequently find it necessary to use an external hard drive. The exact method used to replace the hard drive depends on the model of your MacBook. The model number is located on the bottom of your MacBook. The replacement hard drive should be a 2.5-inch laptop hard drive, SATA interface and up to 750 GB in size.

Things You'll Need

• Coin - A1181 only
• Phillips #00 Screwdriver
• T6 Torx Screwdriver - A1278 only
• T8 Torx Screwdriver - A1181 only
• Mac OS X installation DVD

Instructions

Backing Up And Preparing MacBook

1. Plug your Time Machine hard drive into the MacBook. Click the "Time Machine" icon at the top of the screen and click the "Back Up Now" option.

2. Wait for Time Machine to finish backing up your Mac. Once the Time Machine icon at the top of the screen stops spinning, eject your Time Machine hard drive by clicking and dragging its icon on the Desktop to the Trash in the Dock.

3. Turn off your MacBook. Unplug the system from the power adapter.

MacBook Model A1181 - Core Duo And Core 2 Duo

1. Turn the MacBook over and unscrew the plastic battery lock with a coin. Remove the MacBook's battery. Remove the three Phillips screws at the back of the battery compartment and opposite the front of the MacBook.

2. Lift the L-shaped metal cover out of the MacBook. Pull the hard drive out using the white plastic tab.

3. Remove the metal bracket by unscrewing the two T8 torx on both sides of the hard drive. Note the position of the hard drive, with the label facing up. Pull the metal bracket off the old hard drive.

4. Place the new hard drive in the metal bracket with the label facing up. Insert the four T8 torx screws to secure the drive to the bracket.

5. Slide the new drive into the MacBook with the label facing up. Insert the L-shaped metal cover in the MacBook so it covers the hard drive.

6. Insert the three Phillips screws into the L-shaped metal cover to secure it. Place the battery back in its compartment and use the coin to secure the battery lock.

7. Plug the MacBook back in to the power adapter and proceed to restoring your system using Time Machine.

MacBook Model A1278

1. Turn the MacBook over and press the small access door release located on the side of the MacBook with the power adapter receptacle. Lift the latch to a vertical position.

2. Lift the access door off the MacBook. Lift the battery out of the MacBook using the plastic tab. Unscrew the Phillips screw holding the hard drive bracket in place.

3. Remove the hard drive bracket. Carefully lift the hard drive clear of the MacBook and unplug the SATA cable connected to the front of the drive.

4. Remove the four T6 torx screws on the sides of the drive and set aside the old drive. Insert the screws the four T6 screws on the side of the new drive.

5. Plug the new drive into the SATA cable and place it in the MacBook. Place the hard drive bracket back in the MacBook and secure the Phillips screw on top.

6. Insert the battery in the MacBook. Put the access door back in place and press the release back into place.

7. Plug the MacBook into the power adapter and proceed with restoring your system using Time Machine.

Restoring MacBook

1. Plug the Time Machine hard drive into the MacBook. Power on the system and insert your Mac OS X installation CD.

2. Select your language and and click "Continue." Open the "Utilities" menu at the top of the screen and click the "Restore from Backup" option.

3. Click "Continue" in the window that appears. Click the Time Machine hard drive and follow the prompts to restore your system.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use a cloning program such as SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner to back up and restore you MacBook.

• Replacing your own hard drive may void your warranty if your MacBook is still under warranty.

References

• iFixit: MacBook Core Duo Hard Drive Replacement A1181
• iFixit: MacBook Unibody Model A1278 Hard Drive Replacement
• Apple: Recovering Your Entire System