Apple macbook pro retina A1502 ssd upgrade?

Acid0

Acid0

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Has anyone upgraded their ssd in the macbook. I seem to run out of disk space due to installed apps. One way is to install on a usb drive. But I wonder if it might not be better to replace the hdd. Can I use any of the more popular brands like samsung or crucial or trancend drives or should it a specific drive brand?
 
2015 or 2014/2013?

2014/2015 models can use 4x NVMe PCIe SSD's (with an adaptor).
If you need hibernate, you also need to flash the bios.

I did mine 2014 a little while ago, extremely happy with the upgrade, its fairly straightforward unless you flash the bios also. My upgrade detailed here - https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/page-162#post-27299768

I used a TS1TMTE220S (Transcend) in mine, but I'd probably get a WD Black SN750 now, as those are faster, and similarly priced. Have one on my desk, but its for my iMac 27" 2015 upgrade, once I have some time to take the glass off.

Good thread on it here with tons of detail - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/upgrading-2013-2014-macbook-pro-ssd-to-m-2-nvme.2034976/

Avoid the Samsung drives. They're not all compatible.
 
Acid0 said:
Thanks a bunch I will look into it
Click to expand...

I suggest the Transcend JetDrive series, they dont need any adapters and such and their website lists all Macbook models so you can see which is compatible.
 
I wouldn't recommend the Jetdrive TF adaptors, they're slow as ****, and overpriced for what they are.
Looking at write speeds of about 50-60MB/s on them.

I'd recommend a proper NVMe PCI-e SSD as I've noted, which will be, ahem slightly faster - 3GB/s for writes.
 
I bought my Mac in 2017 new at the Apple store so I guess it might be a 2015.

The only issue I have now is how would I be able to transfer my IOS to the new drive?
Would I need to clone it or buy anew IOS to install it?
 
Acid0 said:
I bought my Mac in 2017 new at the Apple store so I guess it might be a 2015.

The only issue I have now is how would I be able to transfer my IOS to the new drive?
Would I need to clone it or buy anew IOS to install it?
Click to expand...

You don’t need to transfer or buy the OS, just install new supported disk, start the Mac while pressing down Command and R, then connect to internet (wifi or cable) and select reinstall OS, then it would download and install latest version supported.

Then only copy your files or sync with iCloud.
 
gfmalan said:
You don’t need to transfer or buy the OS, just install new supported disk, start the Mac while pressing down Command and R, then connect to internet (wifi or cable) and select reinstall OS, then it would download and install latest version supported.

Then only copy your files or sync with iCloud.
Click to expand...
Thank you much appreciated
 
From their FAQ -

CCC can back up the contents of the Boot Camp partition, but it cannot make a bootable clone of the partition. If your goal is to back up your user data on the Boot Camp partition, CCC will meet your needs. If you're looking to migrate your Boot Camp partition to a new hard drive, you might consider an alternative solution such as WinClone, or one of the commercial virtualization solutions that offer a migration strategy from Boot Camp. CCC is not designed to accommodate backing up or restoring Windows system files or applications.

https://twocanoes.com/products/mac/winclone/

Suggest read this link - http://roddines.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/migrating-apple-mac-osx-with-windows-7.html

and see if any of those options suit you.
 
lsheed_cn said:
I wouldn't recommend the Jetdrive TF adaptors, they're slow as ****, and overpriced for what they are.
Looking at write speeds of about 50-60MB/s on them.

I'd recommend a proper NVMe PCI-e SSD as I've noted, which will be, ahem slightly faster - 3GB/s for writes.
Click to expand...

Louis Rossmann recommends them so, i dont know how to take your comment.
 
Rickster said:
Louis Rossmann recommends them so, i dont know how to take your comment.
Click to expand...

Not someone I'm familiar with - I had to google who he was. He repairs Mac's in NY. Ok, then? Not really relevant imho.

Sticking a PCIe NVMe in a 2013-2015 MBP is a no brainer 5 minute job for anyone with a screwdriver and 2 cents of sense. It also double to quadruples the speed compared to the original drive.

I've personally done a few upgrades, and everyone I know has been really happy, it literally makes it feel like a new machine.

The SD / TF slot Jetdrives are really really underwhelming. I have the 128g, and its really only useful for storing mp3's on, as working from it is nigh on unusable.
 
lsheed_cn said:
Not someone I'm familiar with - I had to google who he was. He repairs Mac's in NY. Ok, then? Not really relevant imho.

Sticking a PCIe NVMe in a 2013-2015 MBP is a no brainer 5 minute job for anyone with a screwdriver and 2 cents of sense. It also double to quadruples the speed compared to the original drive.

I've personally done a few upgrades, and everyone I know has been really happy, it literally makes it feel like a new machine.

The SD / TF slot Jetdrives are really really underwhelming. I have the 128g, and its really only useful for storing mp3's on, as working from it is nigh on unusable.
Click to expand...

No fam, not those SD drives...these Jet Drives.

https://www.newegg.com/transcend-jetdrive-850-480gb/p/0D9-001H-001F9
 
I did the NVMe update on my Late 2015 iMac.

Had to disable sleep as its not working post update, but otherwise all good.

To fix that, will have to go grab the 2017 iMac firmware, extract the NVMe driver from the EFI Bios, and then backup mine, and insert, but thats a job for another day (assuming i'm lucky and have an SOIC flash, and not the newer BGA style ones)
 
Simple

Get the SSD and Apple adaptor from Amazon - less than R2000
Complete backup
Prepare USB boot drive with same OS
Install SSD
Start machine with USB plugged in
Disk utility, format same as old HDD
Restore

Takes 4-5 hours, have done this 6 times, all successful. Here is the Amazon page1.png
 
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