so that when I get the laptop I can just pop in the harddrive. I have a cable that plugs directly into the hd and the other end is usb. I want to plug that usb end into my desktop computer and put in the windows disk in the desktop and have windows installed just on the laptop harddrive and not have it hurt my desktops windows. Is that possible?
2007-03-28 05:31:10 · 4 answers · asked by calhoun_mooney 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Laptops & Notebooks
No.
When you install windows, it searches out all the hardware you installed on the machine and configures itself to work with that hardware.
If you install it on a desktop machine, it will associate it with the hardware on the desktop. When you put the drive in the laptop you will get nothing but errors.
Not to mention the fact that windows automatically writes a boot record to the main drive installed on the computer to tell what drive the OS is installed on. If you install it on an external drive, the boot record will be on your C: drive. The laptop drive would not have a proper boot record.
2007-03-28 05:36:35 · answer #1 · answered by Bjorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All you have to do it get an original copy of windows install it. use the COA number should be on the bottom of your laptop for authentication. You can use any original copy of windows with any number has long has it has not been used to many times. you need an the original or a copy of an original not with the activation key taken out. If you have a desktop with a code on try it. allowance are made by Microsoft for hard drive upgrading. dont connect the laptop to your desktop best advice get help!
2007-03-28 12:35:27 · answer #2 · answered by froggerty 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no thats not possible, when you have xp installed on your external Harddrive and try to plug it in on your desktop it will only run the master harddrive. So your external harddrive must be the slave (back up drive, like a floppy drive) so you would have to install xp on your external harddrive then keep it on your laptop.
2007-03-28 12:46:33 · answer #3 · answered by tony 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Don't do it. Get the laptop first.
2007-03-28 12:34:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋