Cloned HDD good on Another Computer???

[Rus2]

I have cloned my SSD onto an HDD using EaseToDo sotware. Can that HDD be used in another computer?

 

[Elixer]

Yeah, but don't forget to keep backups.

 

[Blain]

I have cloned my SSD onto an HDD using EaseToDo sotware. Can that HDD be used in another computer?

Probably, but you may need to run Fix HDC before it will boot into Windows.

 

[BuffaloChuck]

And it's going to depend on the motherboards - if they're identical motherboards, then you've got matching drivers. Hopefully, Fix HDC solves all.

 

[corkyg]

The key for this is matching chipsets. With different mobos and chipsets, it becomes iffy. Most likely a BSOD on boot.

Aside from that, it would be technically piracy.

 

[Elixer]

Wait, how do you guys know he wants to use it 'as is' for a boot drive?
I assumed he meant that you remove HD from one machine, put it in another machine for whatever unspecified use.
There was nothing said about using it as the boot drive...

 

[Rus2]

I currently have a functioning laptop with Win 7 64Bit. I also have a complete set of recovery discs as well as a system repair disc.

If I were to obtain another laptop could I use my discs and install my current Win 7 on the new laptop?

If so, then I could install a backup cloned HDD in the new laptop and have everything already set up as I prefer without customizing and installing all my software again.

Would this eliminate having to use Fix HDC”?

This might also allow me to buy a laptop with Win 8 and replace it with my Win 7.

 

[kbp]

Chances are your recovery disks will not work in another laptop.

 

[Rus2]

Chances are your recovery disks will not work in another laptop.

Why not? Even with a system recovery disc?

 

[VirtualLarry]

What is this "Fix HDC"? I've never heard of it.

 

[Blain]

What is this "Fix HDC"? I've never heard of it.

Fix HDC is a little utility for fixing hard disk controller issues, which often happens when swapping around HD's with a Windows OS installed.

 

[Rus2]

Fix HDC is a little utility for fixing hard disk controller issues, which often happens when swapping around HD's with a Windows OS installed.

I googled "Fix HDC" and there are lots of free utility programs out there but how do I know if the utility Fix HDC is there?

Can you post one that I can grab? Thanks.

 

[Elixer]

Why not? Even with a system recovery disc?

The system recovery partition/disc is specially made just for the machine it was created for. It will not work on another machine if it doesn't match the first machine. And even if it did, since you are attempting to use it on multiple machines, MS could kill the authentication so both systems would fail WGA.

They did this so you can't pirate windows, and the logic is, you bought the machine with a OEM version of the OS, and it must stay on that machine.

 

[Blain]

I googled "Fix HDC" and there are lots of free utility programs out there but how do I know if the utility Fix HDC is there?

Can you post one that I can grab? Thanks.

Fix HDC is one of the many utilities included in the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows.
It takes some effort to build the CD, but it's something any home builder/repairer should have on hand.

Fix HDC is located in the "Registry Tools" section.

 

[corkyg]

Wait, how do you guys know he wants to use it 'as is' for a boot drive? I assumed he meant that you remove HD from one machine, put it in another machine for whatever unspecified use. There was nothing said about using it as the boot drive...

If it were not going to be used as a boot drive, there is no point in cloning it, i.e., he would not need the OS. Just copy the data files. Furthermore, if there are registered applications ior programs nvolved, piracy applies equally to them.

 

[kmmatney]

I've always just done "Repair-installs" to install a bootable hard drive into a different computer with another chipset. I don't know if Windows 7 (or Win 8) still has that ability, but this worked 100% of the time for me.

On a funny note, I bought a full retail version of Windows 8 ($39) when it first came out. I was running Windows 7 before, but reformatted my Crucial 256GB M4 SSD for a fresh install. However, the install always blue-screened towards the end - I retried several times and it always failed... Sigh... So I re-installed Windows 7 (which installed with no issues), then put in the Windows 8 DVD to look for errors. The Win8 DVD prompted to install itself, so I thought I might as well give it a try. Well - it installed perfectly. So it would not install properly on a fresh hard disk, but as fine when installing from Windows 7 (even though I told it to do a "fresh" install, without preserving any settings). Weird...