Macbook PRO: Upgrading Hard Drive

Well got my macbook pro two days ago and was wondering if i can upgrade it without voiding my applecare warranty. I searched some threads but havent got any solid answers. Would really love to upgrade to 100rpm. Thanks in advance.

 

You can do it, I would not recommend it. Here is a link on how to do it. It will probably scare you a little.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/85.0.0.html

Also, I am certain doing this would void the warrranty as there is tape that would need to be broken to get the drive out.

 

100rpm? do you mean 100gb or 7200rpm? i personally think a 7200rpm upgrade is well worth it.

 

yeah i mean 100gb at 7200 rpm.

 

Actually that looks like a very easy step by step process however i bought applecare and am worried if doing that would void it. However i also heard that if you let an apple technician do it, it will not void it. Is this true?

 

Yes, that's basically the case. Since the MBP hard drive upgrade is a more involved process, it will void your warranty unless you have it done by an Apple certified technician.

Interestingly enough, the regular MacBook doesn't have this caveat (Apple even provides a DIY instruction manual for swapping out the MacBook HD: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY.pdf ), thanks to the fact that the RAM and hard drive upgrades on the MacBook are so easy.

Hopefully the next redesign of the MBP will be able to adopt the MacBook-style RAM and HD upgrades.

 

upgrading hd does not void warrenty

 

Are you sure about that? Everything I have read says the MacBook dive upgrade is a DIY and will NOT void the warranty but a MacBook Pro drive upgrade is not a DIY and requires an authorized Apple Repair Canter to install it to keep the warranty. There is definitely tape over the drive.

 

You're right Cashmonee, and the reasoning is exactly as you said; the MacBook's warranty isn't voided because it is relatively simple..... the MBP upgrade requires a lot more work, and your warranty is only retained if you have a certified technician upgrade it for you.

 

Yup, jusst called applecare and the rep told me the same thing. Too bad the more expensive unit is more difficult than its sibling.

 

Wow, theres actually a benefit of having an Macbook over the MBP.

That kinda surprises me.

 

It is the new design vs the old. The MacBook is a brand new design whereas the MBP still uses the old casing which was never designed for upgradability.

 

All you have to do is put the original hard drive back in before you send it to Apple if there ever is an issue. There you go, warrenty still good.

 

as cashmonee has sad. Im wondering if removing the tape is really that noticeable.

 

Yeah it is.

In a business setting employees are trained to watch for such things, the tape is there for a reason and that's to see if its been tampered with, and it if has, than they know you violated the warranty agreement.

Trust me on this part, peeling the tape off or whatever is pretty much impossible without tearing it, if you really need the big HDD upgrade, just have Apple do it for you, its not worth voiding your warranty over it.

Or just get an external drive like I have, I bought a Western Digital 250GB Premium edition (with firewire) and I use that for all my multimedia video files. My actual harddrive in my notebook holds my small music library and my documents, and I have over 20GB of space for use at school.

 

It is. It is a brownish clear tape that you would have to find somewhere to replace. As with any tape once it is taken off, it does not stick very well anymore. In the end, it is not worth it. Just be happy with what you have and if you need extra space use an external drive. Very few people need more than 80 GB of data with them at all times and if you do get the larger drive when you buy.

 

Yeah i decided to keep it and make an external hard drive myself. Oh well cant get everything you want.