The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    A few questions about upgrading hard drive

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by Joriarty, Apr 22, 2008.

  1. Joriarty

    Joriarty Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I'm thinking of upgrading my Macbook's harddrive from the stock 120GB 5400rpm to a 7200rpm drive, and sticking the 120GB in an external enclosure and using it as a time machine backup. Hopefully for not very much more than what a 250GB+ 3.5-inch external drive alone would cost me. (I would much prefer a Firewire drive - faster, and doesn't use up one of my Macbook's 2 USB ports :) )Am I dreaming?

    But I have a few questions:

    1) Is the sudden motion sensor built into the laptop or the hard drive? Might I lose that capability if I swap hard drives?

    2) I read somewhere about a 250GB 7200rpm drive... any ideas on availability/cost?

    3) Will Time Machine function with a backup drive smaller than the main drive? If I buy this drive, I will be backing up about 25GB of data from a 200GB to 120GB (excluding my video & music libraries).

    4) Anyone know of a good, reasonably priced SATA-capable 2.5-inch Firewire 400 external drive enclosure? The only one on OWC I can see that is SATA capable is $88!

    Thanks!
     
    Joriarty, Apr 22, 2008
    #1
  2. niemassacre

    niemassacre Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    10
    Messages:
    384
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    1) Pretty sure this is in the laptop, not the hard drive, so you can swap it out and still maintain the functionality.

    2) This size and speed is pretty new to 2.5" drives. Fujitsu and Seagate have both just released these drives - so I think they'll still be pretty expensive (if you can even order them on their own right now).

    3) I think this will function, assuming the initial backup isn't larger than 120 GB itself. But you won't be able to maintain many copies of the backups, and eventually it might fill up completely and not be able to maintain even 1 copy.

    4) SATA 2.5" enclosures on newegg:

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000092+1053807124+1054107131&Description=enclosure+2.5&name=SATA
     
    niemassacre, Apr 23, 2008
    #2
  3. dnjnyc

    dnjnyc Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    As to your last question, I have a couple of these -- and they are excellent.
     
    dnjnyc, Apr 23, 2008
    #3
  4. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

    Reputations:
    374
    Messages:
    2,916
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I agree with those Macally ones. It is the ONLY 2.5" enclosure newegg has that has FW on it and supports SATA. It's also kind of pricey. But it is a good enclosure, I have he one for PATA. Your firewire output can power the drive also :-D

    Now... if they could just get one of them in stock...
     
    hollownail, Apr 23, 2008
    #4
  5. dnjnyc

    dnjnyc Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Yeah, the Macally was on hold at Newegg so long I just ordered from the company (I think it's Unitek?). It took a lot longer, though.

    Agreed with niemassacre --
    1. AFAIK, they just use stock drives, so motion sensing has to be in the machine.
    2. The 250GB 7200k is "out there," but hard to get just now. Very soon.
    3. You're only backing up 25GB of data total? You should be fine.
     
    dnjnyc, Apr 23, 2008
    #5