Boot drive swap

suitheist · 24 Jun 2011 at 00:59

I just built my new system, but I don't get windows 7 for another week (getting a free copy from a friend).

In the meen time, what would happen if I took the windows vista installed 2.5" drive out of my (otherwise broken) laptop and put into my new desktop, which has entirely different hardware, and tried to boot up from it?

stulid · 24 Jun 2011 at 01:04

It either will freeze while trying to start windows, or will boot fine then it will do lots of installing new hardware pop up boxes.

suitheist · 24 Jun 2011 at 01:06

Any chance of doing any damage?

Buchanan0204 · 24 Jun 2011 at 01:12

suitheist said:
Any chance of doing any damage?

No damage what so ever! Worth a shot

As mentioned, it will either blue screen at the windows loading or you will get a million found new hardware boxes.

I know it works with Windows 7, never tried it with Vista.

suitheist · 24 Jun 2011 at 01:22

Ok, thanks guys. I'll give it a go. Will report back on my brilliant success tomorrow...

suitheist · 24 Jun 2011 at 16:48

Well, after removing the drive from my laptop, it seems that it has different connectors than a 3.5, though it describes itself as serial ATA. The l shaped sata cables don't fit. The connecters themselves are a set of 7 flat pins and then a set of 15 flat pins.

Any thoughts? Do I need a 2.5" drive enclosure?

suitheist · 26 Jun 2011 at 00:59

In case anyone is interested, this does not work. You can't get past the initial loading screen, hdd enclosure or no. Buy a new windows!