Restore disc

[steve2002]

Hi there. This is probably a stupid question for most of you, but I
need to know if it is o.k. to run the restore discs on a different
[used] hard drive? The discs are mine, puchased legally, but I no
longer have the original computer, so code #'s etc, are unknown.T.I.A.

 

[David B.]

If these disks were shipped with a computer you bought, they are likely OEM
and your license to use them died with the original computer, it is very
likely the won't work on any computer other then the model they shipped
with.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi there. This is probably a stupid question for most of you, but I
need to know if it is o.k. to run the restore discs on a different
[used] hard drive? The discs are mine, puchased legally, but I no
longer have the original computer, so code #'s etc, are unknown.T.I.A.

The issue isn't with the hard drive, it's with the computer.

Restore disks are, by their nature, OEM copies of Windows. An OEM copy
comes with several restrictions, the most severe of which is that its
license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed on.
It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given away
(except with the original computer).

So no, it's not OK. Moreover, besides the licensing issue, it probably
won't even work. Most brand name OEM copies are BIOS-locked to the
original motherboard, and won't install on another, unless it's
identical to the original one.