Torpedo

Sounds like a plan. However I'd need to open the poor MBP twice, once to install the SSD, closing to start it and running the migration assistant, then open again to replace the HDD. Apple warns against running the machine with the guts open, however if you think it's safe, I'd give it a go. I've checked the SD and now I understand why the clean install I tried from it last time didn't work. Now I think it will work, but unsure it has the command option to create a Fusion Drive. I'll backup the drive as an image which I could restore, also the information sensitive files and folders, but will try the Migration Tool. I think I'm going to be well covered in the case something goes wrong. After all nothing really important is in this drive, and what's important is already backed up. I still would appreciate some advice about which folders in the ~/Library directory are the most important to keep most of the information (passwords in Chrome, iTunes library, contacts, mail accounts, etc.).

FYI two links where it's explained how to make a SSD+HDD combination into a Fusion drive: Hrdwrk they sell SSD mounting kits. Macsales blog. These say you need a 2012 Macmini to get the disk utility version with the command to make the Fusion Drive. The other guys don't mention that. I have installed in this MBP 10.8.2. Hopefully creating the boot/install disk here is enough to get the thing done. This other article by Tom Nelson seems to confirm that just any 10.8.2 command line diskutil should work. OTOH I'm not sure, for the kind of use I give to this computer, a FD is going to be an improvement over the classical SSD for the OS and applications, HDD for the files. Opinions?

You have a point. A good one indeed. Placing the HDD in the optical drive bay would also favor its heat dissipation --just guessing-- for the discs groove next to it. I'll look at it when I receive the stuff, hopefully the HDD is compatible with the mounting chassis too.

It's a Crucial M4 which supposedly is SATA-60 and SATA-300 compatible. Its bus is 3G I think, but its speeds don't seem to use all that pipe. I've got it from Amazon.es and there're some comments of people having used it on a mid 2010 13" MBP. Hopefully it's true. Thanks for the heads up, I'd still be able to cancel the order

I think I've misexplained, so I'll try to clarify. Optical drive goes away, and will be converted into an external USB superdrive. In the optical drive slot with an adapter, will go the SSD 256GB drive. The adapter and the case to convert the optical into an USB external is rather affordable and is sold as a kit. The current HDD (320GB) will be replaced with a WD 1TB drive. It's a 5200rpm one, but I don't really need it to be fast, and this way it saves battery and get more space, the larger 7200 I've found is 750GB and is about 30% more power hungry. The SD card (it's a class 10 one with about 32Mb/s transfer speed) will be used only as the means to make the clean install. I think it's faster than the external USB superdrive. Moreover I don't have a ML DVD but the Snow Leopard DVD which came with the MBP. Funnily enough when I updated from SL to ML, I ended up using the DVD because ML in the SD card said the HDD had irrecuperable errors and wasn't able to delete or format it. I needed to use the DVD, then it was possible installing ML from the SD card. My first thought was making a clone of the current HDD into the SSD before installing it into the laptop, but then I was concerned there could be problems due to different sizes involved and drivers required, so why not doing a clean install from scratch, then adding the required information. I've learned how to find that damn hidden ~/Library folder, I didn't know the "goto" trick. As I said, I'm a complete ignorant about OSX despite having this MBP for almost 3 years Now with this clearer, I think I should be able to backup and replace the important configuration and data folders into the new install. Now the critic part, which folders should I keep if I do the backup manually? For your comments looks like the Migration Tool should be able to keep all the stuff I need, so I'll have to give it further investigation too. Thanks for the attention PS: I've read elsewhere that there's an option in the Disk Utility in ML which lets us convert two drives into a single fusion one, more or less in the same way we can create a RAID. No need of an hybrid SSD/HDD disk. I haven't investigated that yet, but if it exists, it could be a way to optimize the performance once the OS and most used stuff is moved by ML into the SSD faster drive.

Sorry to read that bad outcome, Shelly. The M51 sounds like a good choice but wait until PSA says something, maybe the DAC has an easy fix and will work up to your expectations.

Since it's possible this topic is helpful to someone else, I've decided to start a new thread, instead of posting the question at the venerable Mac thread. I'm about upgrading a mid 2010 13"MBP adding more memory (actually changing both chips for larger ones), replacing the optic drive for a 256 SSD one, and changing the stock HDD for a WD 1TB unit. This MB has become my main computer until I'm sure I really want/need a 27"iMac (mostly a 6 weeks delivery term sucks). Still I'm a OSX rookie and I can't find the folders which should be transferred from this old-to-be system HDD into the new system SSD drive. They're supposed to be in the root user directory but they're not. I'd like to keep Mail accounts, messages and inboxes, most internet sites cookies, passwords, and a few applications configurations, such as uTorrent, Calibre, iTunes, OO, etc. I've looked into the Migration Utility, but it seems to be designed to transfer data from a working Mac into the new one. Unsure it can be used for this purpose. I wouldn't like to just backup the current system and restoring it into the upgraded MB, I much prefer doing a clean install. The idea is using a SD card I keep with Mountain Lion as boot drive, so I can do a clean install into the SSD. Unsure it's a good idea configuring the SSD and the HDD as a Fusion Drive in the Disks Utility. Any advice about proceedings, information to keep and transfer, tips and pitfalls will be very welcome.

I wasn't expecting less than a new machine from Apple service, the replacement offer didn't sound "proper". Good to know, thanks for sharing the experience, and congrats, I wish the new one works fine

Sorry for your loss Knucks

Happy Birthday!!!! I wish you a great day, and a great forthcoming year, so we can repeat the next one.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Colin!!!!

Happy Birthday, dear gentleman. Have a great one!!!

Happy Birthday, Ed!!!!

Thanks for the reply Larry, it mimics my thoughts, so not really dangerous giving it a try.

Yay, thanks!!!

There's also a 128GB iPad I didn't know existed. Dinny, get the 15" rMBP if you don't want to use it on a plane or on your own lap for most of the time. For iPad-like use I'd get the 13" or a MBA. Please let us know how ends up the memory issue on your iMac, I'm concerned it's troublesome to boost the memory up to 32GB. No comments about my memory query?

Happy Birthday!!!!

Not really a specific Mac question, but it's related to two Mac systems. Would the two 4GB RAM chips --DDR3 204 pins 1600MHz that come in a current production iMac-- work without any health risks into a 2010 MacBook Pro which uses DDR3 204 pins but 1066MHz memory? I think it's possible it worked, after all we'd be using a higher clock speed memory into a lower speed bus mobo, but I'm not sure it could cause any harm just trying it.

Various Artists - The Classical Style Revisited (Mozart and Haydn works)

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli - Icon (CD2)

Happy Birthday!!!

Yay, happy Birthday, Wes!!!