Can I install Win 7 on a HD that I plan on putting in a different comp

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eturnal

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Nov 25, 2011
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This week the rest of my build should arrive in the mail... but in the mean time I want to install and set up windows 7 so I can just plug it and go when all my stuff comes in. I won't update drivers and whatever else... but I should be fine just swapping a drive between machines as long as I don't install drivers from the set up machine?
 
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Yup - wait. If the hardware is very similar you can get away with this. Your new computer is going to be fast - it won't take that long to install windows - probably less time than it will take you to fix it.
-Bruce
Windows probably won't boot if the hard drive controller is different in the 2 computers. I would wait to install Windows.
 
Do it.

To get it to do what you want to do is simple.

Once Windows is loaded and asks for User name and password, dont. Instead hold down Ctrl/Shift/F3 that will put the computer in audit mode. Before you take out the drive to put it in a new system you need to run system audit OOBE and check the box to get rid of system specific drivers. That will make the drive ready to drop in any PC and it will scan the new system for drivers.
 
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