Replacing dead HDD and getting a functioning OS

crwdns2853023:0crwdne2853023:0

The hard disk in my wife's MacBook Pro had died, and I didn't have time to fix it as she was getting ready for school, so we bought a new one. The old one was still good, so I decided to replace the HDD instead of sell it as-is.

crwdns2853024:0crwdne2853024:0

Installation went pretty well, no problems following the instructions and the new HD from iFixit was a good fit. The Spudger came in really handy! Reassembly was also straightforward once the proper Torx driver was obtained for the drive screws ;)

crwdns2853025:0crwdne2853025:0

Since it was a completely new hard disk, I had to reinstall an OS from her old Install disks.

The first several restarts with the old install disks ended with kernel panics. Very puzzling, and several more case openings to reset/swap RAM sticks. Then I reemberedto zap the PRAM (since it's a new HD).

Now Apple has a terrific Cmd-R at startup which will automatically download via WiFi an bare system! One thing done.

Then I was still getting kernel panics, until I found that the system clock was reset to last century. Using the terminal, I could set it to something close to the current date, and THEN I could finish the Mountain Lion install!

So install glitches were my main problem, the actual repair and new hardware were terrific.