got my new internal HD, now what to do??

[backinblack875]

so i ordered an internal 640GB 7200rpm drive for my mac mini from OWC to replace the stock 120GB... and before i swap the drives, what should i do?? i have a few Q's....

1)Will restoring the new hard drive to a time machine backup of my current HD work?? (although I'm considering a fresh install, also how do you do that?)

2) as i have never done so before, how do i install mac on the hard drive after i install it??? i assume it is blank, what is going to happen when i turn it on? how do i get mac osx on it without an OS on it to begin with?

thanks

 

[philipma1957]

if you have an external case you put the new hdd inside of it you partition it . then clone the internal hdd to the new hdd with carbon copy cloner or superduper both free down loads. you need some type of external hdd i don't like time machine. i use this unit to hold my new hdd



http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Sata-HDD-Docking-Station/dp/B0012Z3MKW



i purchased a case of them last year factory direct from thermaltake during a Halloween sale. i sold them on ebay for a while and kept a few for myself they come in handy

 

[Ruahrc]

1) Yes you can restore a Time machine backup onto an HD to get your data back- except you have to install OSX first (see below) in order to access the migration assistant. This will work, but is slower and more hassle than the cloning method philip suggested. This is precisely why IMHO although Time Machine is handy for recovering deleted files, it is a poor substitute for a system clone in case of full-system recovery.

2) to install OSX on a blank drive, you have to insert the OSX install DVD into the cd drive, then hold option (I believe c also works) when you boot the computer. If you hold option you should get a list of bootable devices from where you can choose to boot off of the DVD, and install OSX. If you hold "C" at boot, I think it automatically boots off the optical drive. Lastly, it may detect that there is nothing bootable on the HD and automatically boot off the DVD as it's the only "bootable" device present in the system.

the point is, you need to boot from an OSX install DVD in order to install it on a blank drive.

If you're using Lion- then it gets more complicated. Unless you have made yourself a bootable Lion install USB (search for the instructions on how to do so), you will have to install SL via bootable DVD or USB, then download + upgrade to Lion- unless you have the new macs with internet recovery. In that case, you can just boot the computer "blank", and it will automatically connect to the Apple server to download the recovery partition, at which point you can then download and install Lion.

 

[backinblack875]

1) Yes you can restore a Time machine backup onto an HD to get your data back- except you have to install OSX first (see below) in order to access the migration assistant. This will work, but is slower and more hassle than the cloning method philip suggested. This is precisely why IMHO although Time Machine is handy for recovering deleted files, it is a poor substitute for a system clone in case of full-system recovery.

2) to install OSX on a blank drive, you have to insert the OSX install DVD into the cd drive, then hold option (I believe c also works) when you boot the computer. If you hold option you should get a list of bootable devices from where you can choose to boot off of the DVD, and install OSX. If you hold "C" at boot, I think it automatically boots off the optical drive. Lastly, it may detect that there is nothing bootable on the HD and automatically boot off the DVD as it's the only "bootable" device present in the system.

the point is, you need to boot from an OSX install DVD in order to install it on a blank drive.

If you're using Lion- then it gets more complicated. Unless you have made yourself a bootable Lion install USB (search for the instructions on how to do so), you will have to install SL via bootable DVD or USB, then download + upgrade to Lion- unless you have the new macs with internet recovery. In that case, you can just boot the computer "blank", and it will automatically connect to the Apple server to download the recovery partition, at which point you can then download and install Lion.

ok i ill have to install from SL disc and then install lion after... so i use migration assistant to do this?? will it have a time machine backup option? ill check it out now

 

[backinblack875]

ok so i installed the new hd, and when i click to install the hd doesnt show up under the place to choose where to install snow leopard. however i see it in disk utility and it is unformatted... should i erase it as mac os extended journaled?

 

[philipma1957]

ok so i installed the new hd, and when i click to install the hd doesnt show up under the place to choose where to install snow leopard. however i see it in disk utility and it is unformatted... should i erase it as mac os extended journaled?

no partition the unformatted disk i will post some screen shots. pick the empty hdd this is on a mac pro so there are lots but the first screen shot shows that you are on partition. give it a name second shot shows i named it mac hdd. click options and pick guid partition table that is the third photo

see fourth photo now click partition

 

[philipma1957]

to mods I needed more space for photos now click partition not cancel last shot show it doing the partition