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General discussion

Would swaping hard drives on two computers cause problems???

Nov 7, 2004 4:24AM PST

I have a DELL Dimension 4600 series, and am about to purchase a 4700 series (has a different processor, chipset, ram, pretty much everything). In order to preserve my data and restore the 4600 series to its original state, I was just going to physicall switch hard drives on the two pc's. Would this cause any problems (ie. BIOS issues)?

Would the computer recognize all of the changes to the system and make the appropriate adjustments?

Discussion is locked

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Re: Would swaping hard drives on two computers cause problem
Nov 7, 2004 4:28AM PST

Yes. Here's why. If it's Windows XP, the activation alone will try to activate again plus minor hardware differences will cause the drive and the OS to not boot.

Why not move your stuff over with your backup?

You do backup, don't you?

Bob

PS. Another nifty thing is that XP has a nasty habit of rewriting the partition table on a drive you add to some system. I've seen and read posts here where people panic when they put the drive back and the slave on that system vanishes (along with the data they didn't backup.)

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OR---WinXP tells the drive
Nov 7, 2004 4:53AM PST

That forever after- it WILL be a slave!!!- takes quite a trick to make it useable as a primary master for operating system purposes...

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Re: Would swaping hard drives on two computers cause problem
Nov 7, 2004 5:02AM PST

well... i didn't just want to move the backup because I want Office Small Buisiness on the 4600 and I was planning on purchasing it pre installed on the 4700 and then switching hard drives so i would have a new computer with my old hard drive and my dad would have my computer with a new hard drive and Office Small Buisiness.... darn

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If you need an Office suite.
Nov 7, 2004 5:45AM PST
http://www.openoffice.org

It's what I use.

Bob

PS. As to moving your Small Business Suite, Microsoft is taking more time to ensure we all follow those licenses today. To the point that some systems take a hit in operation when we try to pull a fast one...