Keeping Laptops Safe On The Bike

[13DollarRefill]

as others have suggested put an SSD into the laptop...very very easy process. 5 minute job. (well for me haha)

 

[ToastToGo]

as others have suggested put an SSD into the laptop...very very easy process. 5 minute job. (well for me haha)

But then you've gotta reinstall everything...right? So a lot longer than 5 minutes.

 

[Trinith]

as others have suggested put an SSD into the laptop...very very easy process. 5 minute job. (well for me haha)

But then you've gotta reinstall everything...right? So a lot longer than 5 minutes.

You can image one drive onto another in about 10 minutes, so it's really only a 15-20 minute process if you know what you're doing, and you're not imaging hundreds of gigs of information.

 

[13DollarRefill]

as others have suggested put an SSD into the laptop...very very easy process. 5 minute job. (well for me haha)

But then you've gotta reinstall everything...right? So a lot longer than 5 minutes.

Yeh true that actual install is 5-10 minutes, but yes the transfer of data will take a little while longer then 10 minutes.

You could ghost copy just the programs across and important data. then dump the excess data onto an external HDD

 

[Romans5.8]

I've got a MacBook Pro with dual SSD's. It's the way to go if you travel! Typically, your hard drive is among your 'weakest links' when it comes to handling heat and shock/vibration. An SSD can handle over 100g's of shock (i.e., a serious impact, like you T-boning a car) and some serious temperature. The rest of the computer might not survive, but the SSD and the data on it will!

 

[ToastToGo]

Macbook Pro. Delish. I used to have a Macbook...it was a sweet little computer. I'm pissed I sold it to help pay off my motorcycle at the time lol. (My 08 ZZR600)

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

as others have suggested put an SSD into the laptop...very very easy process. 5 minute job. (well for me haha)

Is it that simple for a Macbook Pro do you think?

I would bring it around for you to do seeing as you are so close, but that would most likely void the warranty on it.

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

I've got a MacBook Pro with dual SSD's. It's the way to go if you travel! Typically, your hard drive is among your 'weakest links' when it comes to handling heat and shock/vibration. An SSD can handle over 100g's of shock (i.e., a serious impact, like you T-boning a car) and some serious temperature. The rest of the computer might not survive, but the SSD and the data on it will!

Did you buy the MacBook with the SSD's already installed or did you put them in yourself or did you have them installed by Apple or someone?

I am just wondering how modifying a Mac would go with any warranty issues down the track?

 

[Romans5.8]

I've got a MacBook Pro with dual SSD's. It's the way to go if you travel! Typically, your hard drive is among your 'weakest links' when it comes to handling heat and shock/vibration. An SSD can handle over 100g's of shock (i.e., a serious impact, like you T-boning a car) and some serious temperature. The rest of the computer might not survive, but the SSD and the data on it will!

Did you buy the MacBook with the SSD's already installed or did you put them in yourself or did you have them installed by Apple or someone?

I am just wondering how modifying a Mac would go with any warranty issues down the track?

With the sole exception of the Retina MacBook Pro, MacBook's and MacBook pro's are user serviceable. There are even instructions included in your documentation. Unibody MacBook's/MacBook Pro's have a single piece that comes off on the bottom leading some people to believe it's not user serviceable, but it is. A phillips screwdriver is all you need to get the bottom off, and swap the hard disk.

I put them in myself. Now if you want to run TWO hard drives, like I did (or two SSD's in my case) that takes a little modding. I removed the optical drive and put a bracket to hold the second drive. So I replaced my SuperDrive with a second SSD. That takes a little more time, and requires a torx driver. Still not difficult though.

On a mac though, transferring data couldn't be easier. You don't even need special software. just buy a cheap cable or enclosure for your SSD ($10-$15), put the SSD in there and plug it into a USB port (if your machine is new enough to have USB 3.0 then it'll be nice and quick). Then just use disk utility to mirror 'Macintosh HD' over to your new drive. Provided the new SSD has enough space, it'll mirror over. Swap the drives, boot it up. Voila! It'll be like nothing changed except it's ridiculously fast, uses less battery, is quieter, and can handle being on the bike!

If you can spring it, getting a 512GB SSD (around $400) would be excellent. Then you can use the enclosure you bought to put your stock hard drive in, format it, and use it as an external drive! You could then wrap it in something vibration dampening, store it on the bike, and transfer video over to it when you make stops.

For the record, if the laptop is completely OFF (NOT asleep or otherwise, but shut down), it will PROBABLY be okay. When the head is parked, a hard drive can handle more. But a hard bump or something could really be a close call, ESPECIALLY if you happen to forget you left it in sleep mode and the hard drive spun up for some reason. The SSD is just a better option. Plus, the speed is excellent!

Apple won't warranty the SSD or fix your machine if it's a Hard Drive related problem. Otherwise, though, they won't have a problem. RAM and the Hard Drive are user-replaceable on the machine. Like I said, check your documentation (or look at it online), the machine even comes with instructions.

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

I've got a MacBook Pro with dual SSD's. It's the way to go if you travel! Typically, your hard drive is among your 'weakest links' when it comes to handling heat and shock/vibration. An SSD can handle over 100g's of shock (i.e., a serious impact, like you T-boning a car) and some serious temperature. The rest of the computer might not survive, but the SSD and the data on it will!

Did you buy the MacBook with the SSD's already installed or did you put them in yourself or did you have them installed by Apple or someone?

I am just wondering how modifying a Mac would go with any warranty issues down the track?

With the sole exception of the Retina MacBook Pro, MacBook's and MacBook pro's are user serviceable. There are even instructions included in your documentation. Unibody MacBook's/MacBook Pro's have a single piece that comes off on the bottom leading some people to believe it's not user serviceable, but it is. A phillips screwdriver is all you need to get the bottom off, and swap the hard disk.

I put them in myself. Now if you want to run TWO hard drives, like I did (or two SSD's in my case) that takes a little modding. I removed the optical drive and put a bracket to hold the second drive. So I replaced my SuperDrive with a second SSD. That takes a little more time, and requires a torx driver. Still not difficult though.

On a mac though, transferring data couldn't be easier. You don't even need special software. just buy a cheap cable or enclosure for your SSD ($10-$15), put the SSD in there and plug it into a USB port (if your machine is new enough to have USB 3.0 then it'll be nice and quick). Then just use disk utility to mirror 'Macintosh HD' over to your new drive. Provided the new SSD has enough space, it'll mirror over. Swap the drives, boot it up. Voila! It'll be like nothing changed except it's ridiculously fast, uses less battery, is quieter, and can handle being on the bike!

If you can spring it, getting a 512GB SSD (around $400) would be excellent. Then you can use the enclosure you bought to put your stock hard drive in, format it, and use it as an external drive! You could then wrap it in something vibration dampening, store it on the bike, and transfer video over to it when you make stops.

For the record, if the laptop is completely OFF (NOT asleep or otherwise, but shut down), it will PROBABLY be okay. When the head is parked, a hard drive can handle more. But a hard bump or something could really be a close call, ESPECIALLY if you happen to forget you left it in sleep mode and the hard drive spun up for some reason. The SSD is just a better option. Plus, the speed is excellent!

Apple won't warranty the SSD or fix your machine if it's a Hard Drive related problem. Otherwise, though, they won't have a problem. RAM and the Hard Drive are user-replaceable on the machine. Like I said, check your documentation (or look at it online), the machine even comes with instructions.

Awesome instructions. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain the procedure. I do not have the time to be organising this mod before this trip, but I will definitely look at doing it later for future trips and to just make the thing faster. (not that it is slow to me now!)

I always turn our laptops (Windows and Mac) of completely, am really fussy like that anyway so no risk of transporting it in sleep mode.

 

[weeemrcb]

Its also worth taking a DVD copy of Ubuntu with you (free).

That way, even if you HDD is trashed, then you can still boot into Ubuntu off the DVD to get online, send emails etc

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

Its also worth taking a DVD copy of Ubuntu with you (free).

That way, even if you HDD is trashed, then you can still boot into Ubuntu off the DVD to get online, send emails etc

Good idea. I might still have one of them from when I was running Kubuntu a couple of years ago.

 

[SkidLidVlog]

I travel with my laptop everyday. I use the Krieger 30L tailbag. they also come in 20L. fully waterproof with white lining so easy to see inside if its dark. awesome grippy rubber on the bottom. I swear that thing will stay on without the straps. my 30L bag was big enough for my ASUS g53JW gaming laptop and massive power supply.

I now have an ASUS ultraboot. the bag fits the laptop, charger and a heap of textbooks. if you have a fairly thin laptop and small charger get the 20L bag. they have straps and clips so you can add additional krieger bags above or to the side of the main tailbag. Also comes with a longer strap so you can detach the bag and wear it as a backpack. worth giving them a look

 

[Crackn81]

i wouldn't worry too much about it over heating, what i did was wrap it in a couple towels. Trust me...it'll survive even a crash, mine did hehehe (100kph into a guard rail)

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

I travel with my laptop everyday. I use the Krieger 30L tailbag. they also come in 20L. fully waterproof with white lining so easy to see inside if its dark. awesome grippy rubber on the bottom. I swear that thing will stay on without the straps. my 30L bag was big enough for my ASUS g53JW gaming laptop and massive power supply.

I now have an ASUS ultraboot. the bag fits the laptop, charger and a heap of textbooks. if you have a fairly thin laptop and small charger get the 20L bag. they have straps and clips so you can add additional krieger bags above or to the side of the main tailbag. Also comes with a longer strap so you can detach the bag and wear it as a backpack. worth giving them a look

Looks like a cool bag. I have a solid top box which is awesome, but if I did not, then something like that would be great.

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

i wouldn't worry too much about it over heating, what i did was wrap it in a couple towels. Trust me...it'll survive even a crash, mine did hehehe (100kph into a guard rail)

Mate, I was hoping to meet you at the Victorian Motovloggers meet up while I was down there. It turns out one of my best mates on the Peninsula knows you personally! Small world! It was an awesome meetup, we had a great ride!

I just got back from my trip (5201 kms all up) and the computer survived really well wrapped in bubble wrap and an insulated bag. As it turned out, much of my riding was done in mountainous areas which were bloody cold, so not worries about the heat! Geez! Sounds like that was a nasty crash, hope you were alright?

 

[SkidLidVlog]

Looks like a cool bag. I have a solid top box which is awesome, but if I did not, then something like that would be great.

oh sorry i misread. thought you were looking for a bag. Heat will not be an issue. I've had mine running pretty warm, unplugging then throwing it in the bag riding home in 35 degree Celsius for half an hour. Laptop components are built for heat, most CPU's have a safety cutoff of 105 Cecilius. for a bit of protection just line the box with an old towel. as some members have mentioned installing an SSD would be ok. I generally avoid mechanical drives in my laptop but not necessary. Plus being an apple product you might void your warranty if you take some bits off, or if its anything like the iphone you might have to tear half the thing apart just to locate the drive

old towel as lining and you're good to go knee down!

 

[Mr AusAdventure]

Looks like a cool bag. I have a solid top box which is awesome, but if I did not, then something like that would be great.

oh sorry i misread. thought you were looking for a bag. Heat will not be an issue. I've had mine running pretty warm, unplugging then throwing it in the bag riding home in 35 degree Celsius for half an hour. Laptop components are built for heat, most CPU's have a safety cutoff of 105 Cecilius. for a bit of protection just line the box with an old towel. as some members have mentioned installing an SSD would be ok. I generally avoid mechanical drives in my laptop but not necessary. Plus being an apple product you might void your warranty if you take some bits off, or if its anything like the iphone you might have to tear half the thing apart just to locate the drive

old towel as lining and you're good to go knee down!

No worries mate, someone else might benefit from your suggestion so all good.
The funny thing is that I discovered while on my trip that my macbook does in fact have an SSD and not a HDD in it! I just assumed it was a HDD as I had never heard of SSD's before (being not that tech savvy) and it was my wife that bought it for me. If I had bought it myself I would have known! :roll:

 

[SkidLidVlog]

No worries mate, someone else might benefit from your suggestion so all good.
The funny thing is that I discovered while on my trip that my macbook does in fact have an SSD and not a HDD in it! I just assumed it was a HDD as I had never heard of SSD's before (being not that tech savvy) and it was my wife that bought it for me. If I had bought it myself I would have known! :roll:

haha all good mate! yeah an SSD is basically like a big internal USB drive. faster speeds, zero noise and more reliable