My Computer Is Holding Me Hostage

My primary machine is the Macbook Pro I purchased in early 2011, right before the new model came out, of course. I ordered it with a "regular" 5,400 RPM SATA hard drive, with the intent that I would install an SSD myself.

Soon after I received it, I bought an SSD from a friend, installed it, and was absolutely blown away by the performance. Apps loaded instantly. Startup and shutdown times were less than 20 seconds. My productivity skyrocketed, and life was green.

Then the SSD crashed.

Pretty bummed, I re-installed the 5,400 RPM hard drive, intending to replace it with a new SSD as soon as I saved up a little scratch.

That was two years ago.

Let me tell you -- I have had a  new SSD sitting in my closet for about a year and a half, just waiting to be installed.

I can't do it.

I can't bring myself to sacrifice my working machine, that has all my software installed, and spend the (hopefully only) two days it will take to get the new OSes (I dual boot Windows 7 and Mac OS, much to the derision of my colleagues) and all my software back up-to-speed.

Sacrificing the time, and the effort, has proven to be too much risk. I guess a machine that works slowly is worth far more to me than the hassle of re-creating the machine to work more quickly.

I produce music and have a deadline next Friday. I simply can't waste two days without productivity right now.

Before that, I was working on a new software startup, and simply couldn't spare even a day of lost productivity, even if it meant that my app-launch times, and re-boot times were far slower.

And on and on ad infinitum.

This hard drive is holding me hostage.

At work I have a beautiful new Macbook Pro (also dual-booted; sue me) with 500GB flash storage option, and it is a dream machine.

Waiting for my home machine to boot (when I actually turn it off) gives me 3 minutes and 37 seconds to think about how much time I could save if only I weren't trying to be so productive.

The basic premise here is that a system that is working is worth a lot to me.

Maybe I'm too superstitious. Or lazy? I have enough experience to know that sometimes it doesn't just work out like it is supposed to.

Maybe next week I'll install that new SSD... but only if I can get it done before band practice!