New laptop, use old hard drive?!

[RunOrDie]

Hello everyone,

I am buying the same laptop as I had before with the same specs. The only problem is that the new laptop is Windows 8 and my hard drive from the previous laptop is Windows 7.

Will everything function fine if I just swap hard drives? My Windows 7 laptop has all of the correct Drivers and such and since the laptops are the same, shouldn't this method work?

Personally, I do not like Win8 and I want all of my files and programs to be on the laptop.

Thanks in advance!

 

[indianacarnie]

It should work, but you'll probably have to change a few things.You MAY have trouble with validation because thats tied to the motherboard. (I could be wrong about this.) And just because its the same make and model DOES NOT mean that the hardware is exactly the same. Any internals could be from different suppliers as production lines are refilled by whats in stock. Which is mandated by corporate buyers,e.g. drives from W.D. instead of generic etc.

Let me do some checking.

 

[whs]

Matter of trying. Activation will probably be your biggest problem.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Absolutely Indy is right the activation is tied to the old machines motherboard the only thing you can do is contact Microsoft as I did explain what you want to do and generally speaking and from my own experience with them they are fairly accommodating - mind you I would be renewing the hard drive as soon as though.

An option I don't know if the others would agree would be to get an SSD a 7 OEM and install those in the new machine and use the old drive as an external - best of both worlds. You can then transfer the old drive data in bits to a new external. I know this might blow your budget but.....

Plus you lose the bloat from the first machine.

 

[AddRAM]

Don`t loose your COA from the old laptop, you could always try the key and see what happens.

But I agree, a new install would be best.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Don`t loose your COA from the old laptop, you could always try the key and see what happens.

But I agree, a new install would be best.

Hum good thinking AddRam! had missed that completely

 

[RunOrDie]

Thanks for the help guys!

I am just wondering what you guys mean by "Activation"?

My Windows 7 is completely registered with the current laptop..

Also, to clarify, my current laptop is SSD, and with it, I did an Fresh Install on the current Win7 laptop.

 

[indianacarnie]

When windows updates it will check for validation if I'm not mistaken. If the numbers don't match you'll get a "not valid" error.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help/genuine/what-is-validation

 

[AddRAM]

Windows must be activated on a pc or it will stop working after 30 days. When you pull the hard drive from the old and put it in the new, it will more then likely need to be re activated. I`m betting using the COA key from the old laptop will activate windows on the new laptop. That is if windows will boot.

Read up on windows activation, you do know where google.com is ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/153626-product-key-number-windows-7-find-see.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html

I would do a clean install of 7 on the new machine if you swop out the drive. Using the key from the old laptop`s COA.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
on Windows 7 provided the hardware is identical you are unlikely to get activation problems if you just swap the HDD. Even if you are prompted due to say more RAM or even a more powerful processor it will 99% update without a problem.

The only issue you *might* find is if the BIOS is a UEFI protected one on the new laptop -- then "All bets are off".

If the laptop is really identical or very very similar just swapping the drive should work.

You can usually swap a laptop drive very very easily.

I've done this quite frequently -- often swapping W7 and W8 drives both ways round without a single activation problem on "identical laptops" -- with "Normal BIOSES -- not UEFI protected one's which tend to have an in built serial number for Windows 8.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[gregrocker]

You'll need a retail Win7 license for the Win7 version, whether you use the old install or Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

If you want to try starting the old Win7 HD or image to see if it will start, first go into BIOS setup to disable Secure Boot, and unless you had UEFI on the old laptop (doubtful) enable Legacy BIOS, or if there is a Compatibility Support Module choose Dual or Legacy choice - providing that's what your old Win7 was installed as.

Now see if it starts. If so it will swap out a bunch of drivers requiring several restarts so monitor that closely. You 'll need to change to a retail Activation key at Computer>Properties.

If it won't start and you're sure it's a Legacy BIOS install with the current BIOS set to that, you can either Clean Reinstall or try adjusting the OS to boot on the new hardware with Paragon Adaptive Restore CD freeware.

 

[RunOrDie]

Hey Greg,

So to start off, I do have Windows 7 License Key (I bought one for my dad which he never used). Second, I am using UEFI with my SSD, so I guess I do not need to enable Legacy BIOS?

Third, will the Drivers be the most optimized Drivers? or just the generic Windows Drivers?

The one thing I don't get is why do I have to activate Windows 7 again when it is already activated on my current machine?

PS: If I just buy another same laptop and with Windows 7, then for sure 100% it will work? So by having Windows 8 on the exact laptop which I am planning on buying, the only question mark is the Activation?

Thanks again!

 

[gregrocker]

You should stick with the drivers Win7 issues as they are vetted by MS to be what's needed for Win7. Only change out drivers given by the installer and Windows Updates if there are performance problems pointing to that driver, or you only receive the placeholder Standard VGA display driver.

It's very doubtful a Win8 machine has the exact same hardware signature including identitical mobo that will not foul out reactivation on a moved SSD or image, and that license does not belong to that machine anyway. Under the EULA you can reinstall and activate with Product Key only the same licensed version on the COA sticker affixed to machine.

But if you have a retail Win7 product key for that version then you only need to swap it out at Control Panel>System activation link.

 

[Layback Bear]

Just so their is no confusion for RunOrDie.
When you buy a computer with Windows 7 installed that will be a OEM version not a Retail version. Therefor tied to that computer.

 

[RunOrDie]

Just so their is no confusion for RunOrDie.
When you buy a computer with Windows 7 installed that will be a OEM version not a Retail version. Therefor tied to that computer.

I clean installed my hard drive, so it is not OEM anymore, it is indeed the retail version..

 

[AddRAM]

Just cause you clean installed it, doesn`t make it retail. You need a retail key to make it retail.

 

[Layback Bear]

It doesn't mater how many times you clean install a OEM key it will always be a OEM key.

You must buy a Retail key to have a Retail key and then install using the Retail key and take advantages of owning a Retail key.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hum RunorDie what everyone is saying that there are two types of OS 1. Retail and 2. OEM.

Now the OEM is what the manufacturer of the laptop would have put on the laptop when they made the machine.
BUT if you installed new hardware and then bought an OEM and installed that on that machine then that OEM it stays with that motherboard forever (some exceptions).

If you bought a Retail version then it will transfer from one machine to another (within reason).

The real world difference is that you pay Microsoft a lot more money for the retail version than the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) version hence the issue with putting the different OS versions on different machine motherboards.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
There seems to be some incredible mis information on this thread.

The OP said he was getting a new laptop with the identical hardware specifications as the old one -- therefore SIMPLY REPLACING the HDD in the new laptop shouldn't cause any W7 request for activation -- Why on Earth should it -- the hardware is the same,

If the hardware is NOT reasonably identical then the original question was badly phrased and the laptop might well request activation.

If the hardware is only slightly different but enough to require re-activation the computer should still activate --even on an OEM copy -- OEM machines could also have their hardware upgraded. As far as the W7 license activation servers are concerned the computer is simply a "Clone" and therefore indistinguishable from the original PC.

I would though instead of swapping drives save the image of both the W7 and W8 disks using something like acronis or other stand alone imaging / restore program to external media (Keep the W8 image too in case you ever want to use it again) and then restore the original W7 image to the new computer disk - so you don't need to open the cases to swap the disks.

Windows 8 can if the BIOS is UEFI protected store a serial number in the BIOS but unless I've read the OP's post wrong he wants to get W7 on to the new computer and W7 activation works somewhat differently - and the hardware change isn't triggered unless it finds something like HUGE RAM or Processor change and even then the activation servers will allow activation.

Mobo SERIAL numbers were never captured by the W7 activation process -- MOBO type -- another matter.

Note though however you install W7 on the second computer you wouldn't be allowed to retain that same copy on the original machine -- you are licensed for ONE COMPUTER even if W7 worked on both without activation.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Layback Bear]

This is my understanding and how I came by it.

OP post #1
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I am buying the same laptop as I had before with the same specs. The only problem is that the new laptop is Windows 8 and my hard drive from the previous laptop is Windows 7.
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OP post #7
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My Windows 7 is completely registered with the current laptop..
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OP post # 12
PS: If I just buy another same laptop and with Windows 7, then for sure 100% it will work? So by having Windows 8 on the exact laptop which I am planning on buying, the only question mark is the Activation?
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OP post # 15
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I clean installed my hard drive, so it is not OEM anymore, it is indeed the retail version.
----------------------------------------

No where do I see that a Retail copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 is being purchased and being used.
My understanding is the OP want to be able to move the operating system around from computer to computer.
Therefor a Windows Retail copy is the legal way of doing that.
I think that all of us using different words wanted the OP to understand was the legal method of moving a Windows 7 or 8 operating system to another computer is using a Retail version and then installed on one computer at one time. Can you trick Microsoft; I don't know I never tried.
I do know when I returned a new motherboard for the exact one under warranty other than the serial number they were the same. I had to call Microsoft and explain what I did before it would activate my OEM copy.