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Aluminum Unibody MacBook Q&A
Update Published August 10, 2021
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How do you upgrade the hard drive in the "Unibody" 13-Inch MacBook?
Please note that the "Unibody/Late 2008" 13-Inch MacBook was discontinued and replaced by the similar looking "Unibody/Mid-2009" 13-Inch MacBook Pro. Refer to the "Unibody" MacBook Pro Q&A for answers on the "Pro" models.
Upgrading the hard drive in the "Unibody" 13-Inch MacBook models -- the MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.0 13" (Unibody) and "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13" (Unibody) -- is incredibly easy, perhaps even easier than upgrading the RAM.
Pages 38-41 of the "Unibody" 13-Inch MacBook User Guide provides just about everything you need to replace the stock hard drive with a larger one.
The User Guides start by noting that:
You can upgrade the hard disk drive in your MacBook. The hard disk drive is located to the left of the battery when you open the back of your MacBook. The replacement drive must be a 2.5-inch drive with a Serial ATA (SATA) connector.
It continues with detailed instructions, complete with drawings, which absolutely should be read in their entirety before one replaces the hard drive.
However, the basic procedure is to turn off the notebook, disconnect cables, and let it cool; flip it over and push down the latch to release the access door, discharge static electricity, unscrew the drive bracket, disconnect the SATA connector, install the new drive, and reassemble the computer.
It's really that easy! The Apple-provided drawings are helpful, but perhaps even better, site sponsor Other World Computing provides a convenient step-by-step video of the process:
In addition to instructional videos, as you would expect, Other World Computing sells memory and hard drive upgrades for all MacBook and MacBook Pro systems.
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