# Early 2008 Macbook Pro 15 inch hard drive upgrade



## rynotheking14 (Aug 6, 2009)

Hi,

Im new to the forum and would like to know of a location in Calgary and the price it will cost to have a technician upgrade my hard drive from 200 GB to 500 GB. I *AM* supplying the drive.

Thanks for your help!!!


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## Rukus (Aug 10, 2007)

Hi,
You can try My Mac Dealer or Westworld. I don't have the Calgary locations contact info handy but you can look them up easily enough.


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## rynotheking14 (Aug 6, 2009)

what would the expected cost be like? would it be lower because i am supplying the equipment???


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## fyrefly (Apr 16, 2005)

Probably a bit lower cost - still bench rates are $80+/half hour.


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## rynotheking14 (Aug 6, 2009)

ouch!!!


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

rynotheking14 said:


> Hi,
> I'm new to the forum and would like to know of a location in Calgary and the price it will cost to have a technician upgrade my hard drive from 200 GB to 500 GB. I *AM* supplying the drive.
> 
> Thanks for your help!!!


If you have any mechanical savvy at all, you can easily do it yourself. 

Even Apple among other support sites provide directions and/or videos for doing so.

It's usually not that difficult, and you'll learn about your Mac and save a bunch of $$$ to boot on something else.

A Google search could help for the info you need.

Patrick Mead-Robins
Mac Solutions
250-652-1860
-----------------------------


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## Mckitrick (Dec 25, 2005)

Very easy install!!

great videos here:
MacBook Pro Hard Drive Installation Video at OtherWorldComputing.com


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Um, no.

The "early 2008 MacBook Pro 15 inch" is the pre-unibody MacBook Pro, likely a Penryn MacBook Pro. I have the February 26 2008 released upgraded 2.5Ghz 6MB L2 cache 250GB HDD, matte screen, silver keys, silver bezel, etc. There was also a 2.4Ghz version with 3MB L2 cache and other specs. Replacing RAM takes less than a minute.

Replacing the hard drive on this model is about $80 for an hour of authorized Apple repair tech's service time. It is not a self-install.

Want to do this yourself? Don't. Still want to? YouTube - How to replace a hard drive in a 15" MacBook Pro

The unibody MacBook Pros were released around October 14, 2008.


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## ldphoto (Jul 9, 2009)

If you have any experience working with electronics, you can do it yourself. There is a guide here:

Installing MacBook Pro 15" Core 2 Duo Models A1226 and A1260 Hard Drive Replacement

I do this type of thing all the time, so it's not a big deal for me, but it's certainly rather involved for the average user.

You local Mac Users Group most likely has one or two people that are used to doing this wort of thing and would most likely do it for free of minimal charge.


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## rynotheking14 (Aug 6, 2009)

Thanks for all your help!!! I may reconsider doing it myself thanks to the great tutorials from you guys.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

rynotheking14 said:


> Thanks for all your help!!! I may reconsider doing it myself thanks to the great tutorials from you guys.


Which MacBook Pro do you have?


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## pwstoneman (Feb 12, 2009)

You know, I JUST did this very upgrade to my early 2008 MBP (penryn). Although I wouldn't put this in the 'super easy' folder, still not very difficult at all. I followed a guide found online at ifixit.com. Take your time and make a layout for the various screws/etc that you will remove and all should go well! Also I was very happy to get a look inside the machine and felt good for having done it myself.

Incidentally I installed the 500GB seagate 7200rpm drive and the extra performance was worth it alone!! Very minimal battery life hit (maybe 10%?). 

Cheers,
Paul


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

"make a layout for the various screws etc you will remove"

This part can't be stressed enough. It's really the key to the whole adventure, and taking the time to actually do it instead of shortcut or rely on your memory will usually make the difference between success and disaster.


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## fyrefly (Apr 16, 2005)

It's also important to note that if you mess up anything inside the MacBook Pro while you have it open to install a non-user-serviceable part like the HDD in the Early 08 MBP you will void your warranty on whatever breaks. If you break the keyboard cable, you need a new topcase (~$200). If you break something on the Logic Board, you need a new one (~$900). It is expensive to have Apple Tech do it, but at least they don't void your warranty if they break anything.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

chas_m said:


> "make a layout for the various screws etc you will remove"
> 
> This part can't be stressed enough. It's really the key to the whole adventure, and taking the time to actually do it instead of shortcut or rely on your memory will usually make the difference between success and disaster.


Just to emphatically reinforce this X 2.

Patrick Mead-Robins
Mac Solutions
250-652-1860
-----------------------------


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