Hard drive transplant -- WindowsXP

[Guest]

Dell is sending me a new laptop to replace one with bad memory. I'd rather
not have to re-install the OS and all my programs. Can I just transplant the
HD from my current machine into the new one? Or is the Windows license tied
to the hardware? In other words, will the WinXP installed on my current
hard drive run in the other machine? I'm using WinXP Home SP2.

TIA
DH

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

If the replacement Dell notebook is virtually identical to
the old one, you can swap hard drives without any problems.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

:

| Dell is sending me a new laptop to replace one with bad memory. I'd rather
| not have to re-install the OS and all my programs. Can I just transplant the
| HD from my current machine into the new one? Or is the Windows license tied
| to the hardware? In other words, will the WinXP installed on my current
| hard drive run in the other machine? I'm using WinXP Home SP2.
|
| TIA
| DH

 

[Jerry]

Did you get a retail version of XP or an OEM version? Or did Dell send some
kind of Restore CD? Retail CDs can be booted from and a repair insatll run
if the harddrive is moved. OEMs are usually tied to the machine on which
they were installed. Actually, all this info should have been told to you by
Dell.

 

[Guest]

Provided it's an exact-same machine an OEM copy should transfer, and
shouldn't even need re-activating.

Bear in mind though that it's not unknown for two different machines to be
sold under the exact-same model number. Manufacturers get up to these kinds
of shenanigans! Perhaps a good idea to compare the hardware listed under
Device Manager on the two computers.

 

[Guest]

Well, I got three slightly different opinions. It IS an OEM version. The
machines are supposed to be identical. I guess I'll try it and the worst
that can happen is that it won't work. Right?

One of you said "Dell should tell you." I have had such a TERRIBLE time
with their tech support that I never want to talk to them again -- but I'll
try asking.

FYI, I reported a memory problem a week after getting the machine, then
spent six weeks fighting with them as they 1) said it was a software problem;
2) sent me a new DIMM (but there's still 256MB not replaceable on this
model); 3) told me it was a hard drive problem; 4) told me that they didn't
believe the third party diagnostic tool I used (Memtest86); 5) told me they
wouldn't replace my machine because I had waited more than 21 days.

Then they deleted a post I put on their forum because they deemed it not
polite enough.

So you can see, I'm still venting . . .

Thanks to all.

 

[Guest]

Thanks. See my reply to Ian farther down the thread.

 

[Guest]

Thanks. See my reply to Ian farther down the thread.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Well, I got three slightly different opinions. It IS an OEM version. The
machines are supposed to be identical. I guess I'll try it and the worst
that can happen is that it won't work. Right?

David,

yes, that's correct, apart from a small residual risk that you
always have when you do anything with computers. -)

Just in case it doesn't work, you can check
http://winhlp.com/WxMove.htm for other ways to transfer your
entire installation.

Hans-Georg