Question Win 7 Computer activated, but swap out C drive from another similar comp?

[Tim042]

If i have a Win 7 computer that is happily running with its own installed drive and the Key activated and i swap out another diff comp C drive into it even with same OS type, Will nothing happen OR will it only ask for "click" to activate or fully lock up and tell me to call MS as it detected wrong drive and B, If i dont ring or do anything but swap the correct drive back in, will it reactivate now and all be good again or stay deactivated?
Ask this question as i have a number a same computers with their own activated Keys and if mine was to fail, i could at least temp swap my C drive into another with same M/B (diff serial number) and would it detect diff C drive even if all the drivers should work as hardware is basically the same.
Yes, I understand to fully have Comp B working right, i would have to "migrate" that C drive and its programs to match the new computer, but Temp until i do all that, would it cause a MS key conflict as Comp B already has its key activated to its own M/B. Only swapping out a c drive from a similar computer temp.

Like to get my head around what MS servers look for when it checks "Hardware" against what it has in memory and if a diff C drive would be enough to cause key failure? even if the C drive would cause B computer to run a bit wonky.

 

[USAFRet]

If i have a Win 7 computer that is happily running with its own installed drive and the Key activated and i swap out another diff comp C drive into it even with same OS type, Will nothing happen OR will it only ask for "click" to activate or fully lock up and tell me to call MS as it detected wrong drive and B, If i dont ring or do anything but swap the correct drive back in, will it reactivate now and all be good again or stay deactivated?
Ask this question as i have a number a same computers with their own activated Keys and if mine was to fail, i could at least temp swap my C drive into another with same M/B (diff serial number) and would it detect diff C drive even if all the drivers should work as hardware is basically the same.
Yes, I understand to fully have Comp B working right, i would have to "migrate" that C drive and its programs to match the new computer, but Temp until i do all that, would it cause a MS key conflict as Comp B already has its key activated to its own M/B. Only swapping out a c drive from a similar computer temp.

Like to get my head around what MS servers look for when it checks "Hardware" against what it has in memory and if a diff C drive would be enough to cause key failure? even if the C drive would cause B computer to run a bit wonky.

Moving an OS to a different system, it will absolutely become Unactivated.

Win 7, the license is strongly linked to the system/motherboard.

And as the Windows 7 activation farm is no longer viable....it is unlikely you can influence Microsoft to activate this after moving to different hardware.
"click to activate" is no longer a thing.


What exactly are you trying to do, and why?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

That drive you swap in will immediately complain that Windows is not activated and require a call to Microsoft (the activation servers were taken offline years ago). Don't count on getting a new activation code. You cannot simply swap drives at will. And, you cannot put that drive back into the original machine as Windows will no longer be activated at that point.

 

[Tim042]

That drive you swap in will immediately complain that Windows is not activated and require a call to Microsoft (the activation servers were taken offline years ago). Don't count on getting a new activation code. You cannot simply swap drives at will. And, you cannot put that drive back into the original machine as Windows will no longer be activated at that point.

thanks for your reply. So only way i can move over to another computer even if same specs is a "migrate" using a program transfer program deal which i have done before and you have to choose what programs and settings ect and prepare the current drive to assimilate all the c drive stuff from old computer using a transfer file or cable.
Interesting, when you clone that original c drive, you can hot swap it into same computer and it will boot and act totally the same, so the clone Program must prepare that drive so not only bit for bit but what it needs so the MS servers dont see it as a "different" drive? Used boot clones many times and they work 100% but only on same Computer which can suddenly break and asking question as might need to swap quickly if in middle of a stock trade haha or something..

 

[USAFRet]

thanks for your reply. So only way i can move over to another computer even if same specs is a "migrate" using a program transfer program deal which i have done before and you have to choose what programs and settings ect and prepare the current drive to assimilate all the c drive stuff from old computer using a transfer file or cable.
Interesting, when you clone that original c drive, you can hot swap it into same computer and it will boot and act totally the same, so the clone Program must prepare that drive so not only bit for bit but what it needs so the MS servers dont see it as a "different" drive? Used boot clones many times and they work 100% but only on same Computer which can suddenly break and asking question as might need to swap quickly if in middle of a stock trade haha or something..

The OS must stay on the motherboard it is currently on.

If the only difference is "applications", simply install whatever applications you need on the other system.
'program transfer' things often fail. And fail badly.


Cloning between 2 drives in the same system is no problem. The drive is irrelevant as regards the licensing. The rest of the system is what counts.

 

[Tim042]

I guess what i am getting at is.... HOW does/do the servers tell the diff between original C Drive A with win 7 and C drive B with win 7 from diff computer? Do the H/Ds also have serial numbers or is there data on the original Drive that it reads and will see another c drive as "foreign" I guess cloning would include this info as its a diff drive but MS happily accepts it but not another c drive from diff computer with same OS?

 

[USAFRet]

I guess what i am getting at is.... HOW does/do the servers tell the diff between original C Drive A with win 7 and C drive B with win 7 from diff computer? Do the H/Ds also have serial numbers or is there data on the original Drive that it reads and will see another c drive as "foreign" I guess cloning would include this info as its a diff drive but MS happily accepts it but not another c drive from diff computer with same OS?

Mostly, the motherboard.
Drive and OS A, with motherboard X.
Move that drive+OS to a different motherboard Y, problems.

Clone or physical drive, makes no difference. Problems will ensue.

 

[Tim042]

i totally understand that in practice but HOW does it differentiate between a clone drive and another computers drive if BOTH are physically diff drives.

 

[USAFRet]

i totally understand that in practice but HOW does it differentiate between a clone drive and another computers drive if BOTH are physically diff drives.

The OS knows what motherboard (and other system parts) it was linked to.
Either on the original drive, or a clone of it.

Connecting to a different motherboard, different serial number. (and no, you can't change this)
It will Unactivate itself.


Cloning to a new drive in the same system is totally fine. Happens all the time, no problem.
A clone, then being installed in a different system...problem.

 

[Tim042]

The OS knows what motherboard (and other system parts) it was linked to.
Either on the original drive, or a clone of it.

Connecting to a different motherboard, different serial number. (and no, you can't change this)
It will Unactivate itself.


Cloning to a new drive in the same system is totally fine. Happens all the time, no problem.
A clone, then being installed in a different system...problem.

So i guessing the clone drive although a diff drive and serial number, must have some code/data written to it to "appear" same c drive and boot and load totally normally. Normally you clone your C drive using the same Computer you are cloning the drive too. What would happen if i used a diff computer B to clone computer A's drive to another drive (using a caddy) and then put that clone drive into comp A. would it work, as it used a diff computers OS to do the clone? I wonder if anyone can answer this question. I might have to try it as a thought experiment haha
Afterthought- MAY only be possible to clone a c drive using that computer and not another as the program may require the c drive to be there in place but you can use a caddy ect to clone to another drive. I have only ever done this of course but interestingly when i used Macrium, it didnt like me cloning to a SSD, but disk Genius no problem. I used that program ever since!!