Having just closed the first year using my Unibody MacBook, I still have
plenty of free space on the stock 160 GB hard drive, including 40+ GB
of free space on a nearly empty partition on which I'm planning to
install OS X 10.6 Snow
Leopard, which I got around to ordering last week because I finally
encountered a software application that I need to review that requires
Snow Leopard.
I plan to continue using OS X 10.5
Leopard as my production system until Unsanity Software (hopefully) gets a Snow
Leopard compatible version of WindowShade X out the door.
Anyway, I consequently haven't got much incentive to upgrade to a
larger capacity drive, but then I don't have much in the way of movie
content stored - or either large photo or music collections.
I do have 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB external hard drives to handle any
excess storage capacity I might need in the foreseeable future, as well
as regular data backups. In the meantime, that "little" 160 GB drive
remains whisper-quiet after a year of intensive use, which is much in
its favor.
However, if you find yourself hankering after a lot of onboard data
capacity, two California-based Mac service and repair firms recently
announced 1 terabyte (TB) MacBook Pro and MacBook hard drive upgrade
packages that should accommodate your needs, and, of course, especially
with the unibody models, do-it-yourself hard drive upgrades are an
option.
TechRestore Same Day Service
TechRestore Inc. offers what they claim to be the first 1 TB drive
upgrade service for MacBook and MacBook Pro systems that includes
same-day and overnight installation, data transfer, and free
shipping.
The upgrade uses the new Western Digital Scorpio Blue 1 TB laptop
drive and is compatible with 13" and 15" MacBook and MacBook Pro
Unibody systems as well as original 17" MacBook Pro models.
TechRestore's same-day and overnight hard drive upgrade service
includes installation of the new drive into the user's computer by an
Apple certified technician, data transfer from the old hard drive onto
the new drive, and return shipping. Optionally, the old hard drive can
be installed in an external enclosure to use for Time Machine backups
and data overflow.
Nationwide door-to-door pickup service is available for the upgrade
- or local pickup from more than 4,000 TechRestore local pickup centers
throughout the US. Mac users in the San Francisco Bay Area can drop off
their 'Books at TechRestore's repair center in Concord. The upgrade
package is available now at $329.
MyService 1 TB Drive Upgrade Includes Cleaning and Testing
Another California outfit, Santa Clara based
MyService, has also announced a new 1 TB hard drive upgrade
service for MacBook Pro and unibody MacBooks using the WD Scorpio Blue
drives, currently the largest-capacity 2.5" drives available.
MyService's upgrade package includes the new drive, round-trip
shipping, installation, and data transfer. MyService sends out a custom
shipping container, all shipping is insured and can be tracked online.
The complete upgrade service costs $345.
MyService is an Apple Authorized Service Provider, so the 1 TB
upgrade won't void your Apple warranty. These drives are slightly
higher-profile than standard 2.5" drives, but they still fit
comfortably in all Unibody MacBook Pros, the 13" Unibody MacBook and
the 17" (Silver Keyboard) MacBook Pro.
When the shipping container arrives, pack your 'Book in it and
return it using the prepaid UPS shipping label. You can drop off your
laptop at any one of the 4,200 UPS Store locations within the United
States.
A certified technician installs the new drive and transfers data
from your old drive. If your old hard drive is failing, a new operating
system is installed. Drives feature a 3 year manufacturer warranty.
Your laptop is cleaned, tested, and returned, along with your old drive
- all services to be completed within 24 hours of arrival.
Or Do It Yourself
Swapping hard drives in all MacBooks and unibody MacBook Pros is
pretty simple for anyone handy with a screwdriver and with a few
minutes to spare (it's a bear, albeit still doable, for the skilled and
determined, with old-school MacBook Pros - make sure to check out the
iFixit teardown guide
appropriate to your 'Book before proceeding), so do-it-yourselfers can
save a few bucks by purchasing a Western
Digital Scorpio Blue 1 TB 5200 RPM drive directly from
resellers - or the just-announced competing
1 TB MKxx59GSM Series Hard Disk Drive from Toshiba.
Other
World Computing offers the 1 TB WD Scorpio for $219.99. The best
price I've found so far (tip of the hat to my PowerBook Central
colleague Joe Leo) is $178.90 (plus shipping) from
Amazon.com.
These 12.5mm high-profile 2.5" drives are supported by all Apple
MacBook/MacBook Pro 'Unibody' Models (13/15/17"), plus the 17"
'pre-unibody' MacBook Pro, feature 8 MB of buffer cache, 12.0ms
seek time, and use the KGB/s SATA interface.
Scorpio Blue 2.5", 5200 RPM drive upgrades can also be had in 750
GB, 640 GB, 500 GB, 320 GB, 250 GB,and 160 GB capacities, and
incorporate the company's proprietary WhisperDrive technology, enjoying
a reputation as being among the quietest 2.5" hard drives on the
market. WD explains they combine state-of-the-art seeking algorithms
that optimize the way a drive seeks for data, which also significantly
diminishes power consumption. WD's ShockGuard technology protects drive
mechanics and platter surfaces from shock damage, and the drives'
SecurePark feature parks the recording heads off the disk surface
during spin up, spin down, and when the drive is off, ensuring that the
head never touches the disk surface, resulting in improved long-term
reliability due to less head wear and improved non-operational shock
tolerance.
Toshiba 1 TB and 750 GB 2.5" Drives Now Available
If you can struggle along with a mere 750 GB data capacity, Toshiba
offers its MK7559GSXP 5400 RPM Serial
ATA hard drive in a standard 2.5" hard drive form factor, as well
as 750 GB and 1 TB Series MKxx59GSM 12.5mm high=profile 2.5" drives,
which are supported by all Apple MacBook/MacBook Pro 'Unibody' Models
(13/15/17"), plus the 17" 'pre-unibody' MacBook Pro.
The MK7559GSXP is Energy Star compliant, and Toshiba's Advanced
Sector Format technology uses industry-leading 4K byte-per-sector
configuration and improved error-correcting code functionality to
enhance data integrity, while making more efficient use of the storage
surface area. Toshiba also claims to use internal components that
reduce reliance on harmful chemicals, materials and compounds.
Features of the MK7559GSXP drive:
- 750 GB of storage capacity
- 9.5mm high profile
- Serial ATA, Revision 2.6
- 8 MB Cache Buffer
Toshiba's new MKxx59GSM series of
2.5", 5400 RPM SATA hard drives deliver 750 GB and 1 TB storage
capacities in a 12.5mm high package targeting today's massive digital
content needs with capacity points typically supported by larger form
factor 3.5" drives.
New design elements of the MKxx59GSM series drive include Advanced
Sector Format technology, which utilize the industry standard 4K
byte-per-sector configuration and improved error-correcting code
functionality to enhance data integrity while making more efficient use
of the storage surface area.
Toshiba also touts its environmental initiatives, including lower
power consumption techniques and components that reduce reliance on
harmful chemicals, materials and compounds that are also represented in
the MKxx59GSM design.
Technical Highlights
- Up to 1 TB of storage capacity
- 12.5mm high profile
- Serial ATA, Revision 2.6 interface
- 8 MB cache buffer
