Yes, you can easily remove and swap the hard drive on a 2011 17-inch MacBook Pro.
Yes, you can easily remove and swap the hard drive on a 2011 17-inch MacBook Pro.
As an alternative to my current gaming setup, I’m considering this older MacBook Pro. I came across Xubuntu and found it appealing. Since KDE works well for me, it seems fitting. The machine currently supports both Yosemite and Windows 7, which makes me a bit uneasy. The installation process requires wiping the drive and converting it to a pure Ubuntu system. I’m concerned about losing functionality, so I’d prefer to retain the Yosemite version just in case. Because it has an internal hard drive, I might choose to store the data on a separate SSD and switch to that one instead. I could also replace the fans, trackpad, and other components that need attention—though it’s old and I’m surprised the battery still holds much power. This seems risky, so I wonder if I’ll encounter any issues.
You can detach the drive and store it somewhere else. It will let you start from it whenever you reinstall. Keep the cost low for this device. The 15" and 17" 2011 MacBook Pros are famous for being hard to get reliable work (mainly GPU problems), so they’re not a good investment anymore.
Xubuntu is based on Xfcd, Kubuntu uses KDE, and you can easily boot it three times. Any SATA SSD should fit fine. I've replaced several SSDs with older MacBook Pros.
It wasn’t what I expected. The situation is pretty bad. I think the discrete GPU is already damaged. It’s running on an Intel 3000 core, which should handle basic tasks like browsing and email, maybe some GIMP practice. It’s not for serious work. What I really need is a full-featured machine since many phone apps need that kind of power even if it slows things down. I don’t trust my games much. For financial matters and similar stuff, I’d prefer something more reliable. I bought the fans a while back but never installed them, so I have a spare SSD. The only change would be a new trackpad, around $20, which seems unnecessary. Still, it works fine as long as the buttons stay in place. I can work around it by using a mouse instead.
The built-in GPU is used by default unless performance demands are high. If the GPU fails, it won’t automatically switch to the integrated CPU. Also, check if the battery is overcharged—it might affect the trackpad’s responsiveness.
I’ve heard mixed advice—either change the boot loader or tweak the existing one. Since I want to open the system, I’m considering swapping it out. I also have a 512 EVO drive available, which could be a good replacement. The current storage is slow, and I’m concerned about its future.
Install the boot loader so it starts up properly. Once that's done, insert the SSD and everything should work fine for dual booting.
The battery is too swollen, posing safety risks and costing a lot. When it swells, it gets damaged and is sent for recycling. If that happens, I’m out of options and need a new approach.
I’d need something to put it on, though—I’m not sure I have one. It seems like a worn-out lion disk, maybe not included with Yosemite. It doesn’t seem important if it doesn’t fit. If the xUbuntu setup gives me enough features, I wouldn’t want to switch back to MacOS for anything else.
If the battery is swollen, remove it immediately. You can operate the machine using the charger alone, but performance will be limited, and a new battery from a trusted supplier costs around $90. Verify the swelling, and consider whether investing in a replacement makes sense.