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If you want to perform this upgrade, feel free to use the same list of materials! The Items with an asterisk (*) are optional.
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Here’s a full list of parts and tools that I used to upgrade my Mac. Now, that you have a bootable drive, you can gather the components needed for the upgrade. Here are a couple of videos that’ll walk you through the process. I recommend using at least an 8GB flash drive that’s new or empty, as it will be completely reformatted before installing macOS.
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Then, you’ll need to create a bootable flash drive with macOS. You’ll have to reinstall these applications once the existing hard drive is replaced. Take note of the programs you most commonly use. I recommend setting up your Time Machine and backing up your existing files and programs. You may also want to replace your mac battery while you’re upgrading everything else.
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Lastly, I upgraded the 8GB of RAM to 16GB. The original plan was to create a RAID 0 drive with the two 500GB SSD’s. Then, I opted to remove the optical drive and replace it with a second 500GB SSD. If you made it this far, you’re probably wondering what parts I updated on my mid-2012 MacBook Pro.įirst off, I replaced the original 750GB mechanical hard drive (HDD) with a 500GB Solid State Drive (SSD). On the flip side, if this doesn’t phase you, you can save quite a bit of money replacing a couple of components. If this makes your stomach churn, then you’re probably better off buying a new Mac. If you have important documents or programs, you’ll want to back these up before continuing. With this upgrade, you’ll also be removing your original hard drive, which means you’ll be starting over with a fresh system. To perform any technical upgrade, you’ll have to be comfortable opening up your MacBook Pro, taking apart subassemblies, and reassembling the aftermarket components.
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