If I remove a secondary hard-drive, will I have to reactivate Windows?

Question

Hi.

I have to bring my PC to a repairs shop tomorrow, before I do so I want to finally remove an extraneous hard-drive. The drive has no windows files or installed programs on it, and it's got the lowest boot priority.
What I want to know is can I just take the thing out before transporting the case, or will I have to open the case, take the hard drive out, reattach the case, plug everything back in, then re-activate windows?
I'm talking Windows XP here.

Answer 1

Pull the sucker. No reactivation or rebooting is necessary. I have done that a number of times. I also never put the computer case back on to restart when I am repairing. I plug it in and hit the power button. It can run safely for short periods with the case off. You can take it with the case on loose to the repair shop, they usually don't care as it saves them from taking it off.

Answer 2

the anwer is maybe. When I picked up Win XP pro it harrassed me with a reactivation for every stinking minor hardware configuration change. In fact, there were so many activations i exceeded some kind of count that micrsoft maintains, and I had to *phone in* all activations after that! really sucked. I bought Win XP and it hasn't been so bad. But the WinXp Pro disc ($200) is sitting there unused. Can I even sell it on eBay? Would you want to buy it with the automated activations all used up? MS burned me on that one...hope you have better luck.

Answer 3

connect the old HD to the recent equipment. reproduction each and each and every of the assistance on your new equipment. ensure it copied. format the old HD. reproduction the assistance back to it. once you're positive that is back, delete the assistance from the recent equipment force. .

Answer 4

Not the secondary one, that's an expected upgrade.