2 os on 2 hard drives in one computer

[oreotanner]

Hello,
I have a dell 3000 computer with windows XP Pro and a dell 2400 computer with windows home on it. I want to put the hdd from the dell 2400 into the dell 3000. Would I be able to use windows XP Pro as the default os and still have access to the programs and files from the dell 2400 hdd without any complications? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[caqde]

A) considering that is likely an OEM license you would technically be breaking the license agreement. The OEM license binds OS to the motherboard which that copy of windows was first installed on.

B) Otherwise it shouldn't be to much of an issue but you would need to ensure that you boot to the correct drive. Although there is a possibility that moving Windows could cause issues due to hardware differences but there doesn't seem to be to many so it should update just fine.

 

[RetiredChief]

Reference your main question, cross utilzation of programs.- NO
Say you put the HDD from the 2400 in the 3000 computer and Could boot to either HDD. If You boot to the 3000 HDD the ONLY programs that you would be able to run are the ones From XP Pro. You would NOT be able to run the programs installed on the other HDD operating system, and Vesa versa.

Reason, When the program installes it writes entries int the ini files for Xp and Registry for Vista/Win7.

 

[thirteenthcor]

A) considering that is likely an OEM license you would technically be breaking the license agreement. The OEM license binds OS to the motherboard which that copy of windows was first installed on.

B) Otherwise it shouldn't be to much of an issue but you would need to ensure that you boot to the correct drive. Although there is a possibility that moving Windows could cause issues due to hardware differences but there doesn't seem to be to many so it should update just fine.

Though technically he isn't reproducing the OS install, just swapping it, albeit it's still OEM..

In any case RetiredChief got it.

I've personally never seen a swapped OS drive boot on a different setup.

 

[RetiredChief]

It's kind of like if the RIGHT one doesn't get you the LEFT one will.
Right one - Difference in drivers, If close enought may allow boot, However;
Left One - Most likely Windows will KNOW that it is NOT in the correct computer and declare itself illiegal and/or require re-activation and most likely a call to uSoft.

 

[oreotanner]

Thanks for everybody's help. Instead could I just swap the hdds and just have one in the computer. Will it work if I put the 2400 hdd into the 3000 and take the 3000 hdd and put it into the 2400?

 

[RetiredChief]

98.8 % No, you can not swap the HDDs.
You can use both in one computer, The one that belongs to that computer as the OS drive and the HDD from the Other computer as A storage (Not an OS) drive.

 

[oreotanner]

Best answer selected by oreotanner.

 

[oreotanner]

Thanks for the advice.