noobie AF! I NEED HELP mbp 2009 ssd help!

[theeoneprov2]

hi brand new here, been reading through for a while now but cant seem to find the answers im looking for.
I have a mid 2009 mbp 15" looking to change the faulty" it makes a grinding noise" HDD with something a bit quicker preferably on the cheaper side.
Thanks
[doublepost=1528555415][/doublepost]Will I need an enclosure/adapter or will it just slot in? Again very new to this so might be easily confused!? In desperate need of help and advice

 

[Audit13]

The MBP uses a 2.5" data drive and virtually any 2.5" sata2 or 3 drive is a direct replacement for the existing HDD.

 

[treekram]

2009 MBP models will likely have the Nvidia MCP79 SATA chipset and some SSD's won't work at SATA2 (3Gbps) speed or will have other problems. Mac's of this vintage will have SATA2 for the primary HDD connection. Just about all current SATA SSD's are SATA3 (6Gbps) and are typically downward compatible with SATA2 but computers with the MCP79 are an exception. There were at least 2 posters here that have put a Crucial MX500 in a computer with the MCP79 chip and report that it works. Looking at the web, it also appears that the Samsung 860 Evo SSD's work in these computers. These are both good SSD's with 5-year warranties at economical prices ($70-$80 for the 250GB models). If you're looking at other SSD's, you'd have to check to make sure it works at SATA2 speed with the MCP79 chip.

The form factor of the typical SATA SSD is the same as the HDD in your computer. Just get something that looks like:
https://www.samsung.com/us/computin...sd-860-evo-2-5--sata-iii-250gb-mz-76e250b-am/

and NOT something that looks like:
https://www.samsung.com/us/computin...-drives/ssd-860-evo-m-2-sata-2tb-mz-n6e2t0bw/

or:
https://www.samsung.com/us/computin...ate-drives/ssd-860-evo-msata-1tb-mz-m6e1t0bw/

They're all SATA drives, but you need the form factor of the first one.

 

[jicon]

I have a mid 2009 MBP. A few years ago, I got a little kit from OWC, and ended up putting in a 240GB SSD
OWC Mercury Electra 3G SSD To confirm, yes, mine has an Nvidia MCP79 SATA chipset, so limited to SATA2 speeds.

The OWC comes with screwdrivers, and a mount kit so you can keep the existing HDD for other purposes, and mount the SSD in the DVD drive, once you pop the drive out.

 

[treekram]

If you're looking to just replace your current HDD with a SSD, only the SSD is required. Some of the latter models have widespread issues with the HDD cable but I hardly see 2009 MBP owners having the same issue. So you may just want to wait to see if your current cable works before investing in a new cable.

Unless you can't get a Crucial or Samsung to work at SATA2, I would avoid the OWC. It costs $25-$30 more than Crucial or Samsung, has a 3-year warranty vs. 5-year and when you use the SSD after you retire your MBP, it will have half the speed of the Crucial or Samsung unless your next Mac is a 2011 model or older (note that all Retina MBP's can't use SATA drives as an INTERNAL drive). One person did report that the OWC did not work at SATA2 and OWC refused to take it back saying it was good enough that it worked at SATA1. Obviously, this was a report from somebody on this website but why chance it when good retailers will give you better treatment with something like a Crucial or Samsung.

Now, if you want to put a SSD in the optical slot for the 2009 MBP, OWC says a SATA3 SSD will only work at SATA1 and their Electra 3G will work at SATA2. I have no reason to doubt this so if you want 2 SSD's the Electra 3G would make more sense.