Installing OS X 10.8 on a new SSD

[vlomd]

I will be installing a new 256GB Crucial m4 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s SSD for my for Apple MacBook Pro 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (15-inch DDR3) MB470LL/A System Late 2008 computer.

What is the best way to install OS X 10.8 on the new drive, I am wondering? Thanks for the help.

 

[NMF]

Use Lion Diskmaker to make a bootable Mountain Lion install disk. Then boot it and install.

 

[Weaselboy]

Two ways to go.

You can just install Mountain Lion on your existing drive and use something like Carbon Copy Cloner (30 day trial) to clone the old drive to the new one, then swap them.

Or, download Mountain Lion before the swap and make yourself a USB key installer, then boot to that after you install the SSD and install Mountain Lion new to the SSD.

If your machine is working fine now, option one is the easiest.

 

[blevins321]

Download ML from the Mac App Store, extract the DMG file from the downloaded folder. Then use Disk Utility to restore the image to a flash drive. Then install on your SSD. Cleanest install method.

 

[vlomd]

THanks for the help all.

Blevins321, you mentioned " extract the DMG file from the downloaded folder." I was wondering, where will the downloaded folder be found? Thanks.

Download ML from the Mac App Store, extract the DMG file from the downloaded folder. Then use Disk Utility to restore the image to a flash drive. Then install on your SSD. Cleanest install method.

 

[blevins321]

THanks for the help all.

Blevins321, you mentioned " extract the DMG file from the downloaded folder." I was wondering, where will the downloaded folder be found? Thanks.

When you download ML from the App Store, it will place the installer in your Applications folder. If you double-click, it will try to run the updater. Instead, open Applications in a Finder window (not via the dock), right click on the ML app, and View Package Contents. Somewhere within the subfolders will be InstallESD.DMG.

 

[Weaselboy]

THanks for the help all.

Blevins321, you mentioned " extract the DMG file from the downloaded folder." I was wondering, where will the downloaded folder be found? Thanks.

If you DL Mountain Lion from the App Store and do not install it, it leaves a file called Install OS X Mountain Lion in your Applications folder. You can see it halfway down this page. An easier way is just to use the free app mentioned on the same page to make the USB key for you.

 

[vlomd]

Thank you everyone. I made a USB key with Lion Diskmaker. I was wondering, what should I do with the file in applications that says "Install OS X Mountain Lion." ML has already been installed in my current computer. I downloaded ML again so that I could use Lion Diskmaker.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thank you everyone. I made a USB key with Lion Diskmaker. I was wondering, what should I do with the file in applications that says "Install OS X Mountain Lion." ML has already been installed in my current computer. I downloaded ML again so that I could use Lion Diskmaker.

You can just keep it there is you have the space, or just delete it if you don't.

 

[vlomd]

Thank you to all who posted on this thread. I think that I am ready for the ML install on the new SSD.

 

[vlomd]

Everyone, I had two more quick questions. After I install the new blank SSD and attach my ML USB key (made from Lion DiskMaker), do I just turn on the computer and hold down the option key and boot from the USB drive? Do I need to do anything with the SSD (like format it, etc.) before the OS X 10.8 installer runs? I have searched the threads and I am still not clear exactly how to proceed best. Thanks for the help.

 

[thefredelement]

You can use Disk Utility from the installer to format/partition your drive.

Everyone, I had two more quick questions. After I install the new blank SSD and attach my ML USB key (made from Lion DiskMaker), do I just turn on the computer and hold down the option key and boot from the USB drive? Do I need to do anything with the SSD (like format it, etc.) before the OS X 10.8 installer runs? I have searched the threads and I am still not clear exactly how to proceed best. Thanks for the help.

 

[ThomasJL]

No TRIM support for aftermarket SSD's

I will be installing a new 256GB Crucial m4 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s SSD for my for Apple MacBook Pro 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (15-inch DDR3) MB470LL/A System Late 2008 computer.

What is the best way to install OS X 10.8 on the new drive, I am wondering? Thanks for the help.

It may not be a good idea to install OS X 10.8 on an SSD because Apple has not enabled no TRIM support for aftermarket SSD's. See the following link for more details:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1410459/

 

[mmomega]

It may not be a good idea to install OS X 10.9 on an SSD because Apple has not enabled no TRIM support for aftermarket SSD's. See the following link for more details:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1410459/

I have TRIM enabled on 4 ML Macs w/ aftermarket SSD's using TrimEnabler.

Download the app, run it, it asks to restart the computer and viola.

The apps states it is working and OS X says TRIM is enabled so..