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Continuing from my previous post Save Your Old Laptop With A SSD Drive where I outlined the benefits of upgrading your laptop from a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) to a Solid State Drive (SSD. Here I will be guiding you just how to upgrade your laptop’s hard drive yourself.
To begin with you will need the following:

  • Solid State Drive.
  • Screwdriver with the following size heads (Phillips 000 and T6 Torx)

For this demonstration I am using a mac book pro. Check the labelled images below to enlarge.

Step 1:

Ensure the laptop is off and turn upside down so the screws are visible. Begin by removing the top right corner screw with the Phillips 000 (the top is the side closer to the black edge). As the top screws are longer, ensure that all screws are removed and placed laid out in order of removal to avoid error. Carefully lift to remove the back panel of the laptop by working the left and right side until release.

Step 2:

Now that you’re inside the laptop, disconnect the battery connector using something flat and soft such as a Spudger to slowly pry until it releases.

Step 3:

Remove the Hard Disk Drive that is currently in place by using the Phillips 000 screwdriver again, to remove the clamp holding the hard drive in place.

Step 4:

Pull on the plastic tab on the side of the hard drive to lift the hard drive. Disconnect the static connector and power from the hard drive by slowly easing it out. Now the hard drive is removed, use the T6 Torx screwdriver to remove the 4 screws that are located on the side of the hard drive.

Step 5:

Grab the new SSD and use the T6 Torx screwdriver to insert the screws that you just removed from the old hard drive in the same manner.

Step 6:

Reconnect the static connector to the new drive just like you disconnected it. Once connected, insert the hard drive by lowering the two back screws in first. You will feel it lock in place then lower the rest of the hard drive.

Step 7:

Take the clamp that you initially removed and screw it back in place with the Phillips 000 screwdriver.

Step 8:

All you have to do now is push the battery connector until it locks back into position using your hand.

Step 9:

To finish, place the back lid back on to the laptop by placing the front of the laptop back down first, you will feel it lock in position. Then ensure all the corners are in place. Start replacing the screws in the order of removal and DONE! You’ve installed your brand new Solid State Drive in 9 easy steps.