There are a few things about being a freelance writer that never really get a lot of attention. One, doing your own accounting sucks. Two, you are your own IT department. Sure, you can call someone or send your computer in when it’s acting up, but that costs money. So, you learn to do it yourself.

This week, I had to replace my hard drive. This is always a big job, but it’s the second time this has happened to me in a little over two years. However, the actual installation wasn’t as bad as it initially appeared to be. If you’re ever in the position of having to replace your Macbook’s HD, here are a few good resources:

Apple Manual: This manual is quite good, but neglected to note a few key details, like the fact that I had to replace the casing around the HD that allowed you to pull it in and out. And that you needed a T8 Torx driver to do so. (Which I did not have and had to go out and get while my computer’s guts were spilled out on my desk.) However, when it came to re-installing the OS, it was really handy.

ifixit: Great site, very common sense. It was here that I found out the casing had to be replaced and that I needed the T8 torx driver. Very valuable advice for a rookie. Without it, I would have jammed that HD in and would have not been able to get it back out again if needed.

Youtube: I also want to replace my RAM, so I was investigating this while the battery bay was open and couldn’t get the memory back in. This video was a big help.

This is one of those things that appears to be much harder than it really is, so I’d definitely recommend giving it a shot yourself if you have a few hours and some patience. Now, comes the crappy part: rebuilding all my content. Luckily, all my actual work was backed up online at Mozy.com, an automatic online backup serivce. Last time my drive died, I was not so lucky.

Special thanks to Neale at Number 9 studios for his tips and advice, which he offered up freely and enthusiastically when I emailed to inquire about purchasing a drive.