My hard drive is just about to die on my macbook, and i need to replace it. I’ve got a new one cheap, but have been told that it does not have an operating system on it, it’s a blank HD. My question is does anyone know the right software that i should get, i don’t want to get one that is just an upgrade etc as i don’t think that this will work?

My macbook is a intel duocore with 4mb of RAM if that helps. It’s about 3 years old.

Thanks in advance

The original discs that came with the mac will do the job fine

I haven’t got them, it was an ex-lease one!

Carbon clone, you will need a usb caddy for the new / old drive. Plug in and CC will create a boot able copy of the old hard drive. Macs can also boot from usb, simply hold down option key as it starts.

Best method, plug new drive in via usb, use disk utility to format, then carbon to duplicate. Once done boot from usb to check all ok, then swap over drives.

I wish to god i understood what you just said 😀 where could i get instructions for that online, for someone who is quite stupid, i.e. me.

As above – or if you are buying the system software the thing to be aware of is that usually the install disks supplied with macs is specific to that model – so if you are buying second hand you need to look for disks originally supplied with your type of machine. The OS disks sold by apple will work on any machine though

EDIT That said – you only need a lone of the disks for an afternoon – so butter up anyone you know with a similar machine

I was looking at getting original apple software: Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3

I’ll contact the supplier and ask him if it’ll work i guess?

What marmite is suggesting is taking a duplicate copy of your existing drive. You shouldn’t need to buy OSX all over again.

Sorry 🙂

Carbon copy clone is a free piece of software that makes an exact copy of your old hard drive onto the new one, but u need to be able to connect both hard drives to your laptop. A 2.5″ usb caddy is about £5 and holds your new HD and let’s u plug it in via usb.

Once connected, go into applications > utilities > disk utility select the new hard drive, click on partition then format as mac os extended (journaled)

Download and instal carbon copy and follow directions to clone your old hard drive to your new one. Once complete just swap the new hard drive with your new one and you’re away.

If you instal a fresh operating system you will need to use the migration assistant to copy acrossyour old files and settings.

Making an appointment with the apple genius bar may get u some help with this as well ?

Is it an early unibody with the removable battery cover. If so there are only 4 screws to remove to swap a drive.
If it’s a slightly later 1, the whole back has to come off.

yer only a couple of screws, it’s quite easy. the hardrive is fried, it’s not even spinning now. It has been making weird noises for a while now, and only would boot occasionally, now nothing! I guess i’ll try and locate someone with the disks for a similar computer and see if that works before i try and buy anything. I’ll try the caddy wotsit with theirs if i can?

If the HDD isn’t spinning up at all, then the horse has bolted; you’ll not be able to clone it now.

why not just copy over your user data to the newly installed drive with migration assistant from a back-up?
you do have a back-up of all your important stuff don’t you?

you do have a back-up of all your important stuff don’t you?

Or a Time Machine backup of the whole drive…?

Try your nearest genius bar, they are normally pretty good with helping out with this sort of problem, and have access to the majority of software needed. Give them a call first to make sure they can help, when the quietest time is to make an appointment, and what you will need to take with you (ie licence details etc).

And ditto on the time machine, if you haven’t done before nows the time to learn (but don’t buy the POS apple time capsule … its the slowest thing on the planet !!!!)