Can I use my laptop hard drive on my Desktop to Install Windows 7?

[teddiousbear]

I am purchasing a computer and have found out that my old computer's DVD Drive has IDE and my new computer doesn't support it. However i have a laptop (http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/en/ho/WF06a/321957-321957-3329744-3848802-3848802-4346237.html?dnr=1) and I can take it out and it has a sata port and I wanted to know if I could just use that Drive to install W7 on? And yes I know there like 30 dollars but I'd rather avoid buying one for the moment.

 

[rolli59]

Yes the SATA data and power connectors are identical for laptops and desktops.

 

[teddiousbear]

So I should be in the clear?

 

[aicom]

Yes you can hook them up, but you probably won't be able to just install Win7 to the drive on one computer then move it back to another computer like you want to.

 

[teddiousbear]

Why not? I've switched over old desktop dvd drives without issue, even installing several os's with it.

 

[aicom]

Ah, I misunderstood the question. I thought you wanted to use another computer to install the OS on a HDD then move the HDD back to the original computer. You could try taking it out and using with your desktop. As long as it fits, it should work.

 

[teddiousbear]

No I am just going to take out the dvd-drive out of my Laptop it has sata2 and sata power connector so I should be safe to connect it to my new desktop and install the os onto the HDD on my new desktop and then just install it back on my laptop and then just download most the software I need on my new desktop computer since it is mostly available online.