Swapping hard drives

[dunesickness]

Couple of questions;

Long story short I'm taking a hard drive from a computer and putting it in a more powerful desktop. I can't get the new build up and running until I can get the final part tomorrow so I was wondering, could I pre-install software using my current computer (including things like Steam games) and then simply pop out the hard drive and put it into my new computer?

If so how would Windows 7 handle it? Would it lock me out or would it simply become ungenuine? If it becomes ungenuine I have a new and unused windows 7 serial key I could use for it.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

That will probably only work for Steam. Just about everything else will need to be installed fresh when the new computer is up and running.

 

[USAFRet]

It probably won't handle it.

Assuming the old HDD has the old OS on it, it may well not boot on the new hardware. At all.

There are 2 considerations.
Will it boot?
What is the license on that old OS?

Boot? Maybe, probably not. But you should reinstall anyway.

License? What is the license from the original PC? It will become unactivated.
If it is Retail, you can reactivate no problem.
If it was preinstalled or otherwise OEM, it will become unactivated and you will have to call MS to reactivate. Either the phone robot or a human.

Wait until everything it put together and the OS is up and running before you worry about applications and games.

 

[dunesickness]

It probably won't handle it.

Assuming the old HDD has the old OS on it, it may well not boot on the new hardware. At all.

There are 2 considerations.
Will it boot?
What is the license on that old OS?

Boot? Maybe, probably not. But you should reinstall anyway.

License? What is the license from the original PC? It will become unactivated.
If it is Retail, you can reactivate no problem.
If it was preinstalled or otherwise OEM, it will become unactivated and you will have to call MS to reactivate. Either the phone robot or a human.

Wait until everything it put together and the OS is up and running before you worry about applications and games.

Thanks. Tomorrow I'll reformat it and install windows when its in the new rig