Can I swap a HDD with a Win 10 to a HDD with a Win 7?

[Galileo99]

I had a laptop with a Win 7 but damaged it, coffee spills over the keyboard. It can't boot up because it fails on the keyboard. I bought an Asus D450 with a win8 and updated to a win10 but I don't like neither of them. So I've tried to swap the HDD from my old laptop with a win 7 but it always brings me to the laptop's default setup screen and can't get out of it. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[viveknayyar007]

Hello Galileo99

Can you please confirm what do you mean by the default setup screen? Do you mean the BIOS screen comes up or is it the vendor's logo screen and the HDD fails to boot using the installed OS?

Also, please check if the currently connected HDD is detected by the motherboard. You can do so from within the BIOS.

Please elaborate if any other error appears on the screen when you start the computer.

Cheers!!

 

[Galileo99]

Hi, viveknayyar007. Thank you for your reply.

Yes, the BIOS setup screen.
I believe as it checks the hardwares, the HDD turns for a moment, and it jumps to the BIOS screen.
There's no error message.
When I 'save & exit' out of it, it does the same thing and back to the same BIOS screen.

 

[viveknayyar007]

Hi, viveknayyar007. Thank you for your reply.

Yes, the BIOS setup screen.
I believe as it checks the hardwares, the HDD turns for a moment, and it jumps to the BIOS screen.
There's no error message.
When I 'save & exit' out of it, it does the same thing and back to the same BIOS screen.

Hello again Galileo99

Generally, the BIOS screen appears when you press any function key or a key combination on the keyboard. This depends on the type of vendor and model of the motherboard your PC has.

In your case, since the BIOS screen is coming up automatically, is there a possibility that while swapping the HDDs, you accidentally disturbed the wires of the integrated keyboard and because of this the key or key combination got pressed permanently?

To check this, if possible, you can connect an external USB keyboard and disconnect the integrated one from the Device Manager, and then try starting the laptop.

If you think everything is fine at that end, in the BIOS setup, change the HDD type detection to Legacy or IDE instead of AHCI. If it is already set to Legacy or IDE, try changing it to ACHI.

If even that doesn't help, you may want to hard reset your laptop. To do so:

> Turn off the laptop.

> Disconnect it from the power adapter.

> Take the laptop's battery out.

> Press down and hold the Power button for 45-60 seconds.

> Release the Power button.

> Put the battery back in and try starting the computer this time.

Let me know this doesn't work and you need any further assistance in this context.

Cheers!!

 

[Galileo99]

Hi, viveknayyar007

I put the original HDD with a Win 10 (updated from win 8) back in and it boots up fine, everything works.

I put another HDD in and it's the same thing. The BIOS setup screen shows up.
I tried IDE & ACHI both, no good.

I did the hard reset twice. It didn't work.

I'm an old guy. My PC experience is from DOS 3.0 to Win 98. I did built or assembled PC's 2-3 times before but now I'm clueless. My first pc was a Texas Instrument TI 99/16 with a tape recorder. It was a fun when I was younger but by the time Win 98 came about I've become totally confused. Now it's more of pain than anything else. I'm clueless.

I'd guess somewhere it knows it has a win 10 so a HDD with a win 7 wouldn't work (wouldn't even boot up).
Any other ideas?