is old hd/os compatible with identical replacement laptop

[giwatcher]

I have a dell laptop latitude d530 w/win 7 pro 32 bit. If I buy a used refurbed identical item, can I remove my existing hd and insert it into the new replacement laptop and boot and function normally? I assume an identical bios. Will there be a signature collision or some type of id mismatch that will prevent this from working properly?

 

[gldndragn]

For an IDENTICAL product, you should be fine. I don't see any probs with that.

 

[samuria]

Normally a HD will be blank so you would have to install windows if it had windows on it then it will have wrong drivers or won't activate

 

[fireberd]

User is talking about using an "operational" hard drive from one exact model PC to another. Should not be a problem if they are "exact" same.

 

[giwatcher]

Thank you firebird. You have understood my question exactly. The reason I ask is this;
I have 2 exactly identical HP/compaq desktops. I cloned the drive from desktop 1 using win 7 sytem image and placed it into desktop2. This should be the same as removing the hd from desktop 1 and inserting it into desktop2. It does work, but desktop1 boots to the its desktop in 30 seconds with its original hd. Desktop2 with the clone takes almost 3 minutes to boot, as if it is searching for something or is resolving some type of conflict. Once it boots, it works ok. That's why I have been concerned about an id or signature conflict. Do you know why this is happening and can I expect this with the 2 identical laptop scenario as well?

 

[giwatcher]

No reply, so, in my research, I have seen reference to needing Sysprep, because of mobo serials, etc. Maybe this is why the desktop2 boots, but slowly. Will this happen with identical laptops also? This is the crux of my question.

 

[Megahertz07]

On a retail copy of Win 7, when it activates it stores the MAC code of the Lan or wireless (the one in use). I don't know about a OEM license, but it could be that it takes longer as it is making a license check as on the computer it has now a different MAC. On the cloned disk, is it activated?

You can try to switch the wireless card from one laptop to the other. (if it was activated by wireless)

 

[jack3]

Worth checking drivers and fall out in device manager just in case - your be close if the HDD is from same make and model laptop

I have had situations were Dell change some hardware without a lot of notice or even letting anyone know much so things can fall out and need a tweak, should be pretty good thou

Licencing depends on your circumstances, if its big organisation like i work in a licence really make no odds, Original manufacture OEM can get tricky if reused as it is ment to stay on that PC / Laptop and not moved thus OEM and your be what we call grey software