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    Easy Question: Swap Identical HDDs

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by polomaan, Nov 19, 2008.

  1. polomaan

    polomaan Notebook Enthusiast

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    My business notebook crapped out on me. A service tech is coming out tomorrow to replace the mobo and ram. I want to take the HDD out and put it into a coworker's identical notebook to retrieve files. Is this OK to do? Will this cause any problems?

    Thanks.
     
  2. quinielascom

    quinielascom Notebook Enthusiast

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    I believe that not.
     
  3. Erokitsune

    Erokitsune Notebook Consultant

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    if its the exact same motherboard it will work.
     
  4. K-TRON

    K-TRON Hi, I'm Jimmy Diesel ^_^

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    If its the same system it will work without any problems.
    When my Dell E1505 power supply crapped out, I asked my friend if I could back up my data on his E1505. I unscrewed his drive and installed mine, and I burned dvd backups.
    The drive swap will work fine, as long as the motherboard is the same.

    K-TRON
     
  5. SpeedyMods

    SpeedyMods Notebook Deity

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    Even if it is different, you will be able to boot into safe mode. Windows will likely nag you about the license, but all you are doing is backing up.

    Greg
     
  6. Jlbrightbill

    Jlbrightbill Notebook Deity

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    Acronis True Image + Universal Restore

    I moved my entire OS from an Inspiron 6000 to a Vostro 1500 and then to my desktop build, no hitches.
     
  7. Michel.K

    Michel.K 167WAISIQ

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    Why do you wanna retrieve files when the HDD is fine and that your computer is being fixed tomorrow anyways you could just use your own notebook? :)

    Just wondering why you'd wanna do that :)
     
  8. justin_c

    justin_c Notebook Geek

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    wow, misinformed.
    pop the drive in, connect an external, boot off a live cd or acronis/similar, copy the data off. booting up windows shouldnt be a problem either (perhaps boot up in safe mode to avoid the panicking apps)