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Macbook died and now I'd like to backup the HD before sending it in

V

voltrader

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2006
9
0
My Macbook started hiccuping and spontaneously shutting off for a few days before completely dying a few days ago. I had used it for less than 2 months and neglected to backup the HD.

Now I'd like to backup my Macbook HD before sending it in for repair and am trying to figure out the most cost effective way to do it.

A few questions for you guys:

-- I bought a 2.5" HD enclosure already for which to insert the Macbook HD. It's got a USB 2.0. I assume if I plug this into another Mac, the drive will automatically be detected.

-- Can I buy a Powermac G4 with any version of Mac OS X and be able to back-up my data? Powermac G4s are VERY reasonably priced on eBay.

-- I read that Powermac G4 have only USB 1.0. Does that mean the speed defaults to USB 1.0 rates, or will it not work altogether?

-- I'm resigned to spending a few hundred bucks to do this. Are there any other suggestions?

Thanks!
 
voltrader said:
My Macbook started hiccuping and spontaneously shutting off for a few days before completely dying a few days ago. I had used it for less than 2 months and neglected to backup the HD.

Now I'd like to backup my Macbook HD before sending it in for repair and am trying to figure out the most cost effective way to do it.

A few questions for you guys:

-- I bought a 2.5" HD enclosure already for which to insert the Macbook HD. It's got a USB 2.0. I assume if I plug this into another Mac, the drive will automatically be detected.

-- Can I buy a Powermac G4 with any version of Mac OS X and be able to back-up my data? Powermac G4s are VERY reasonably priced on eBay.

-- I read that Powermac G4 have only USB 1.0. Does that mean the speed defaults to USB 1.0 rates, or will it not work altogether?

-- I'm resigned to spending a few hundred bucks to do this. Are there any other suggestions?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

No friends with computers? you could buy another external harddrive and put everything on there... then just restore it when you get the macbook back
 
ljump12 said:
No friends with computers? you could buy another external harddrive and put everything on there... then just restore it when you get the macbook back
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately. I'm a PC refugee and left that world. Lots of friends with PCs though. :)
 
the hard drives are very easy to swap in the MacBook. why not buy a new hard drive and swap it with the currnet drive in the MB. then put the MB drive in the enclosure you already purchased...
 
Electro Funk said:
the hard drives are very easy to swap in the MacBook. why not buy a new hard drive and swap it with the currnet drive in the MB. then put the MB drive in the enclosure you already purchased...
Click to expand...

Cool thanks!

Do you think Apple will care that there's a completely unformatted drive in the bay?
 
Just a quick question. Are you sure that the 2.5" case you got is for SATA drives? I've had a heckuva time finding almost any of 'em.

Using a USB 2.0 enclosure on a computer that only has 1.1 will work, but it'll be pretty slow. UNLESS! Unless the enclosure is also USB powered, in which case it will not work. If it draws power from an outlet or something like that, you'll be fine. But it's USB powered as well, you need a 2.0 connection as 1.1 doesn't offer enough juice to run a drive.
 
livingfortoday said:
Just a quick question. Are you sure that the 2.5" case you got is for SATA drives? I've had a heckuva time finding almost any of 'em.

Using a USB 2.0 enclosure on a computer that only has 1.1 will work, but it'll be pretty slow. UNLESS! Unless the enclosure is also USB powered, in which case it will not work. If it draws power from an outlet or something like that, you'll be fine. But it's USB powered as well, you need a 2.0 connection as 1.1 doesn't offer enough juice to run a drive.
Click to expand...

i have a usb 2.0 2 1/2" ENC that i put the HD of my TI PBook in after the hinges broke (got it at best buy)... it draws power from usb and it works fine with my MacBook/iMac.
 
Peace said:
If its completely dead how are you going to install anything on it?
Click to expand...

Thats a good question... :eek: i didnt realize he said it was completely dead in the first post... just saw that it was shutting off sometimes and was sending in for repair... :eek:
 
Electro Funk said:
i have a usb 2.0 2 1/2" ENC that i put the HD of my TI PBook in after the hinges broke (got it at best buy)... it draws power from usb and it works fine with my MacBook/iMac.
Click to expand...

OK, cool. That won't be able to draw power from an older Powermac with just 1.1, I'm fairly sure, though. Also, were you planning on putting the MacBook HD in that enclosure? Because the TiBook uses PATA drives, and the MacBook uses SATA drives, so it won't work...
 
livingfortoday said:
Just a quick question. Are you sure that the 2.5" case you got is for SATA drives? I've had a heckuva time finding almost any of 'em.

Using a USB 2.0 enclosure on a computer that only has 1.1 will work, but it'll be pretty slow. UNLESS! Unless the enclosure is also USB powered, in which case it will not work. If it draws power from an outlet or something like that, you'll be fine. But it's USB powered as well, you need a 2.0 connection as 1.1 doesn't offer enough juice to run a drive.
Click to expand...

Argh - you're right. It's a 2.5" IDE enclosure... which is now for sale. CHEAP!

I have alot to learn about Mac.

Thanks for the recs. I'm going to buy a new 2.5" SATA drive and find somebody to format it with OS X for me.
 
voltrader said:
My Macbook started hiccuping and spontaneously shutting off for a few days before completely dying a few days ago. I had used it for less than 2 months and neglected to backup the HD.

Now I'd like to backup my Macbook HD before sending it in for repair and am trying to figure out the most cost effective way to do it.
Click to expand...

You most probably do not even need the backup. Just send it in and say that it's a hardware problem and that they must not do anything to the hard drive. They'll fix whatever hardware component was broken and send your hard drive back intact. Call them and ask if they can do that, and if they do, don't worry about it.
 
I don't think they can do that, JFreak. Last I checked they can't guarantee anything along those lines...
 
Thanks for all the input -- much appreciated.

And yes, lilstewart, there are no guarantees the data will return intact. I also have usernames and passwords remembered in the browser and in spreadsheets, so it's just as well.

I went ahead and purchased an Hitachi 5200-rpm 80GB from newegg.com.
 
voltrader said:
Argh - you're right. It's a 2.5" IDE enclosure... which is now for sale. CHEAP!

I have alot to learn about Mac.

Thanks for the recs. I'm going to buy a new 2.5" SATA drive and find somebody to format it with OS X for me.
Click to expand...

Are you going to sell that via macrumors or something to do with paypal. Im very interested.
 
z00y0rk said:
Are you going to sell that via macrumors or something to do with paypal. Im very interested.
Click to expand...

That was my attempt at a joke, but thanks for the offer! I'll find some use for it.
 
I don't see why you can't just get an external drive (or an internal and an enclosure) and just clone your MacBook's HD. Then you can just send the computer in as-is without worrying because you will have a copy of everything at home. If they don't erase it, good deal; if they do, you can just replace it. Either way, you will have a way to make regular backups of your data.
 
If you have access to another Mac, all you would need is a Firewire cable. Assuming that the MacBook wasn't so dead that it won't boot into Target Disk Mode.

ft
 
ftaok said:
If you have access to another Mac, all you would need is a Firewire cable. Assuming that the MacBook wasn't so dead that it won't boot into Target Disk Mode.

ft
Click to expand...

There is no sign of any life unfortunately. The 'genius' at the Genius Bar tried all the tricks but to no avail.
 
baby duck monge said:
I don't see why you can't just get an external drive (or an internal and an enclosure) and just clone your MacBook's HD. Then you can just send the computer in as-is without worrying because you will have a copy of everything at home. If they don't erase it, good deal; if they do, you can just replace it. Either way, you will have a way to make regular backups of your data.
Click to expand...

How would the OP be able to clone the HD without a computer. AFAIK, just having two external drives wont work without a computer telling them what to do.

Or maybe you didn't realize, but the MacBook is dead and the OP has access to no other computers.
 
Y'know, I think that it's possible to put in a request to AppleCare with your laptop and tell them not to wipe the hard drive as long as there are no problems with it. They asked me if I minded them wiping my hard drive even when the laptop I brought in had a dead hard drive :confused: :rolleyes:
 
moot said:
How would the OP be able to clone the HD without a computer. AFAIK, just having two external drives wont work without a computer telling them what to do.

Or maybe you didn't realize, but the MacBook is dead and the OP has access to no other computers.
Click to expand...

You're right. I misread the post and thought the computer was still working intermittently. That being said, you could most likely clone the drive without another Mac. OP says that his friends have computers that could be used, they're just all PCs.

Again, my bad. I should learn to read more slowly :eek:
 
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