Two Identical Laptops - One Harddrive - boots one...not the other...

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  1. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit
       #1

    Two Identical Laptops - One Harddrive - boots one...not the other...


    I have a Dell e1705 with 1.83GHz. I recently purchased another e1705 with 2.00GHz. I pulled the hard drive and popped it into the "new" e1705.

    It starts up and the Dell logo pops up. It goes to a screen stating "loading Windows files" with a status bar. Then, it goes black and returns to the Dell logo, and the cycle starts again. Just two screens. Over and over. It does this forever, until I do a hard shut down. Both are running A10 bios...

    If it matters, the "new" was running Ubuntu just fine when I purchased it.

    Any ideas why the same hard drive can boot one unit and not the other?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #2

    Hello and welcome Virg mate so I have it right the drive has Windows installed on it in machine #1 and you have put the drive into machine #2?

    Now if so mate if the Windows was a factory installed OEM or an OEM you installed then the activation code will not work using that drive in machine #2 because it's activation code is tied to the motherboard of machine #1. However if the version is a retail version then it will be possible to install it on the drive in machine #2 but it ell only be able to be used on machine #2. Plus I think because I am not 100% sure you will need to reinstall that retail version. Now also if it is a retail version I would get a new drive and do that and then transfer the data over from the old original drive - but you will not be able to use that ld drive install in any other machine.
      My Computer


  3. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #3

    No 2 systems are ever really identical. I have 2 Asus T100 purchased in a space of 2 weeks and the hardware is different. If you want Windows 7 on your new PC, you will have to install it with a valid product key.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Hello and welcome Virg mate so I have it right the drive has Windows installed on it in machine #1 and you have put the drive into machine #2?

    Correct. It is a 1TB Hybrid Drive with a new installation (NOT a re-install) of Windows 7 Home Premium. It has operated beautifully in "Machine #1"

    Now if so mate if the Windows was a factory installed OEM or an OEM you installed then the activation code will not work using that drive in machine #2 because it's activation code is tied to the motherboard of machine #1. However if the version is a retail version then it will be possible to install it on the drive in machine #2 but it ell only be able to be used on machine #2. Plus I think because I am not 100% sure you will need to reinstall that retail version. Now also if it is a retail version I would get a new drive and do that and then transfer the data over from the old original drive - but you will not be able to use that ld drive install in any other machine.

    Sorry, I guess I am as dumb as a bag of hammers! I thought the Windows license was tied to the hard drive and it did not matter what machine you put it in. So, if I purchase a new, fresh Windows OS and install it, and the next day..., say..., the motherboard dies, I am screwed because I can not move the drive (and new OS) can not simply plugged into a "like"/identical machine...? Am I understanding this correctly?
      My Computer


  5. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #5

    So, if I purchase a new, fresh Windows OS and install it, and the next day..., say..., the motherboard dies, I am screwed because I can not move the drive (and new OS) can not simply plugged into a "like"/identical machine...? Am I understanding this correctly?
    That is correct in case of OEM licenses - not for retail licenses (which are more expensive).
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Well, I purchased this OS over the counter from Amazon.
      My Computer


  7. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #7

    Is it an OEM or a retail license.

    But for your problem it makes no difference. Your disk from PC1 will not work on PC2 for different reasons - e.g. drivers.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    And, I thought I knew a lot about computers! And, I thought I was being smart by buying a good drive and new OS and transferring to another "like" machine rather than repairing the one I had! Duh!

    Can I "wipe" my 1TB hybrid drive (with the new OS), pop it into the faster e1705 (2.00GHz) machine #2, and reinstall the OS from the disk...? Or, is that too frigging logical to work in the World of Microsoft...
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #9

    Virg mate you can use that used OEM if the motherboard dies all it needs is a call to Microsoft - they are really quite obliging and I have done this on three occasions now for friends whose machines I have fixed.

    Of course if you do it more than about three times for one machine they will obviously smell a rat So don't stress out mate it is just a phone call:)
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    I just thought I had found a reasonable approach to managing computer "costs"...buy a big drive, new OS, move it into the same machine (but faster) when the something dies (something always does) on the machine currently being used.

    So, I call MS, tell them my old machine when "belly up", and they will give me a new activation code for when I plug the hard drive (after I have wiped it clean) into another machine? Then, I just load the OS with the new activation code?
      My Computer


 
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