Windows 8.1 - If I take out the HDD from my laptop will it carry across windows 8.1 to my new pc?

[TryteHD]

Ok, so, I built a new pc but I got pretty bummed when the last £15 windows 8.1 went out of stock. I should've bought it earlier I know, but I didn't and now I don't have enough money for it.

I just want to know if I take out the HDD which contains windows 8.1 from my laptop and put it into my pc, and then make that drive bootable does this mean that I can have windows 8 on my new pc? And then when I buy the actual OS and put it on a fresh drive (I take out the HDD in my pc from my laptop that had windows 8.1 installed on it) does this bring any consequences of any kind? Will it even work? Thanks to you all in advance!

 

[Guest]

It will probably not work as the drivers and hardware that were set up during the installation of your laptop's OS and your desktop's OS are different. I have tried this myself, and have gotten Blue-Screens of death mid-boot. You can certainly try - it will not hurt, but again, it probably will not work.

 

[USAFRet]

No, that will not work.

1. Operation - very unlikely a laptop drive will boot on a desktop with the original OS.

2. Licensing - that OS is licensed to that original laptop motherboard (unless it is something that you bought and installed)
It will not activate.

3. If, in the 0.01% chance all that worked, now you have a laptop with no OS.

 

[TryteHD]

No, that will not work.

1. Operation - very unlikely a laptop drive will boot on a desktop with the original OS.

2. Licensing - that OS is licensed to that original laptop motherboard (unless it is something that you bought and installed)
It will not activate.

3. If, in the 0.01% chance all that worked, now you have a laptop with no OS.

Well, I appreciate your input but I really don't really care about my laptop not having an os. I wouldn't go on it once I got my pc. And is there then a way to connect a desktop hdd to a laptop so I can clone the drive. I know that when you clone a hdd you can also clone the os with it.

 

[TryteHD]

It will probably not work as the drivers and hardware that were set up during the installation of your laptop's OS and your desktop's OS are different. I have tried this myself, and have gotten Blue-Screens of death mid-boot. You can certainly try - it will not hurt, but again, it probably will not work.

Well, I'm going to try it and if it doesn't work then meh. I'll buy it pretty soon anyways. Thanks though!

 

[USAFRet]

No, that will not work.

1. Operation - very unlikely a laptop drive will boot on a desktop with the original OS.

2. Licensing - that OS is licensed to that original laptop motherboard (unless it is something that you bought and installed)
It will not activate.

3. If, in the 0.01% chance all that worked, now you have a laptop with no OS.

Well, I appreciate your input but I really don't really care about my laptop not having an os. I wouldn't go on it once I got my pc. And is there then a way to connect a desktop hdd to a laptop so I can clone the drive. I know that when you clone a hdd you can also clone the os with it.

Cloning the laptop drive to a new drive, and then putting that into the desktop, is no different than putting the physical laptop drive in the desktop.

 

[TryteHD]

No, that will not work.

1. Operation - very unlikely a laptop drive will boot on a desktop with the original OS.

2. Licensing - that OS is licensed to that original laptop motherboard (unless it is something that you bought and installed)
It will not activate.

3. If, in the 0.01% chance all that worked, now you have a laptop with no OS.

Well, I appreciate your input but I really don't really care about my laptop not having an os. I wouldn't go on it once I got my pc. And is there then a way to connect a desktop hdd to a laptop so I can clone the drive. I know that when you clone a hdd you can also clone the os with it.

Cloning the laptop drive to a new drive, and then putting that into the desktop, is no different than putting the physical laptop drive in the desktop.

I guess so, thanks for your help anyways