New laptop, use old hard drive?!

*UPDATE*
So I received an update from Sony Canada and they notified me saying that once the Vaio arrives at Sony Canada HQ, their service team will be the ones doing the conversion to Windows 7, since the laptop is indeed the newer version with Windows 8...

So I assume all drivers and such would work properly with Windows 7? Is it also safe to say I can swap drives then?

I was wondering if they can install Windows 7 onto the hard drive and make it work, then my Solid State Drive should have no problems. Since the replacement laptop is indeed the Windows 8 version, Sony Canada will be installing Windows 7 onto it. So all of the drivers, hardware should be working as they will be the ones installing/converting to Windows 7 and making it work properly.

PS:Once they install Windows 7, then do you think the tech team know enough to install all of the correct drivers and etc to make the laptop run perfectly?
So then the question of will my Windows 7 SSD work if I swap..

You seem to be confused with XP which requires a search for drivers. Win7 is a driver-complete OS that provides all of the drivers in the installer and via optional Windows Updates, so once you get online do all rounds of Important and Optional Updates after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3).

Then you only need to concern yourself with any drivers still missing in Device Manager, or if stuck with Standard VGA display driver will want to import the latest from the PC's Support Downloads webpage.

All of this is detailed along with other tools and methods that assure a perfect install in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

gregrocker said:

You seem to be confused with XP which requires a search for drivers. Win7 is a driver-complete OS that provides all of the drivers in the installer and via optional Windows Updates, so once you get online do all rounds of Important and Optional Updates after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3).

Then you only need to concern yourself with any drivers still missing in Device Manager, or if stuck with Standard VGA display driver will want to import the latest from the PC's Support Downloads webpage.

All of this is detailed along with other tools and methods that assure a perfect install in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Thanks for your help Greg!

BTW, what is XP?

Also, I have all of the required drivers on my SSD to ensure a working Windows 7 (I am using my SSD now). And when the Sony tech team is installing Windows 7 onto my Windows 8 laptop, I am pretty sure they will install the correct drivers as well.

So why can't I just swap hard drives again, besides the activation issue?

As long as the BIOS settings are the same as you had previously, e.g. turn off Secure Boot, enable Legacy BIOS if Win7 wasn't installed in UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums, ACHI preferred mode.

Then you should be able to swap in the Win7 HD and if it won't start due to the hardware change, adjust it to start on new hardware using Paragon Adaptive Restore CD freeware. Burn the ISO to CD using Windows Image Burner, boot to P2P adjust the Win7 OS, provide any SATA driver requested.

Once Win7 boots and swaps out all drivers requesting several restarts, get online to run all Important and Optional Windows Updates after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3), change the Product Key at Computer>Properties so it re-records the hardware signature associated with the WIn7 retail Product key.

As the new laptop is using UEFI BIOS it may be accessible following the method shown in Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7 to Disable Secure Boot.

Thanks for the advice, but my replacement is already using Windows 7 OS. Sony has already converted the Windows 8 hard drive into Windows 7.

But as I insert my Windows 7 SSD, it has "Operating System Not Found."
Also, I can't access my BIOS in the replacement laptop...I access my BIOS from my original laptop by pressing F2...but not the case with the replacement...I tried every other possibility I know.