[freeinc]

I am looking to add a SSD to my late 2008 Macbook Pro. I will be moving the current 750 GB to the superdrive location. I have replaced hard drives before and have restored from backup using time machine without any issues.

I am running VM Ware Fusion as well. How will I set up the new SSD? Will I be able to leverage the existing backup or will I need to do a fresh install of Mavericks including VMWare on the new SSD drive?

thanks...

[warcraftWidow]

You should be able to restore from Time Machine.

[freeinc]

The SSD will only be 120GB or 240GB whereas my current drive is 750GB so there is no way I can restore the entire backup.

[warcraftWidow]

I'm assuming most of that 750 is media or some sort. Can you temporarily transfer it to an external drive? Then run a Time Machine backup that's small enough to fit on the SSD. Then do the upgrade to the SSD and restore from Time Machine and then move the media back to the 750.

[freeinc]

I guess that is one way to accomplish what I need to do which avoids re-installing the Mac OS and VMWare Fusion. I will have to deal with linking my large iTunes and iPhoto libraries later since they will end up going back on the 750 GB drive. The concept makes sense, I just need to come up with a step by step plan. Maybe it will be something like this...

1) Back up current setup to time machine. (I'll retain this backup just in case I want to return to the stand alone 750 GB drive later.
2) Using new external drive, move all user data from the 750 GB drive to the new one. This includes all personal files, documents, iPhoto and iTunes libraries, etc. I have probably 550 GB or so of data here.
3) Back up current setup (which has been reduced in size from step 2 above) to time machine. The 750 GB drive should now be small enough to fit on new SSD drive.
4) Install new SSD drive and relocate 750 GB drive to the Super drive location using data doubler kit.
5) Using time machine, restore backup from step 3 to SSD drive.
6) Reformat 750 GB drive ???
7) Move data from step 2 to newly formatted 750 GB drive.
8) Link iPhoto and iTunes libraries from the 750 GB using the applications themselves ???
9) Backup SSD drive and 750 GB drive to time machine ??? (not sure if I can use time machine on the 750 GB drive now.)


Thoughts? Suggestions? I am not sure about steps 6, 8 and 9.

Thanks...

[warcraftWidow]

6 - use Disk Utility to reformat

[warcraftWidow]

8 - you should be able to hold Option as you open the programs and select the library rather than opening the default one.

[warcraftWidow]

9 - yes TM can backup secondary drives. You may have to add it manually though in the TM preferences.