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2 PC's Only 1 With a Hard Drive

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Ok, so I have an Alienware M17x R3 laptop, and I'm considering to make my own dekstop (as the performance is better), just one problem, I want the desktop to use my laptop's hard drive. So when I am home, I use my desktop which boots and uses my laptop hard drive, and when I am not home, I use my laptop. Someone want to give me a tutorial?

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Homebuilt system Expert

Pretty tedious if you ask me.

1: Ensure all power is off.
2: Take out HDD; For the laptop, you have to figure it out where your HDD bay is and basically unscrew; For the PC, take out the side panel and basically unplug the connector+power cord
3: Power on

Assuming you won't have any problems, then that is all the instructions you need.

Hmm. I don't foresee any issues if you've installed your own OS on it, but does Alienware have the same Windows 7 deal that other OEMs do (where it only works with the hardware it was installed on)?

If it does, I don't know that your desktop would boot.

l0v3rboi said:
Pretty tedious if you ask me.

1: Ensure all power is off.
2: Take out HDD; For the laptop, you have to figure it out where your HDD bay is and basically unscrew; For the PC, take out the side panel and basically unplug the connector+power cord
3: Power on

Assuming you won't have any problems, then that is all the instructions you need.


I dont want to do time consuming tasks everytime. Also,,,, is the BIOS stored on the Hard-Drive? or on the motherboard?
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mousseng said:
Hmm. I don't foresee any issues if you've installed your own OS on it, but does Alienware have the same Windows 7 deal that other OEMs do (where it only works with the hardware it was installed on)?

If it does, I don't know that your desktop would boot.


Im not sure what you are asking. My windows it pretty compatible I guess. Its Home Premium 64 bit

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A laptop drive is not normally easily removeable.
Even if you could, it is not really bootable on a desktop because the laptop and desktop chipset drivers will be different.

Presumably, there is some file data that you want to share. I can think of two approaches.

1) Implement networked file sharing. You will need to connect both laptop and desktop to a network, boot from both, and allow files to be shared.

2) Put the data you want shared onto a separate usb device, and plug that device into the laptop or desktop as you need it.

geofelt said:
A laptop drive is not normally easily removeable.
Even if you could, it is not really bootable on a desktop because the laptop and desktop chipset drivers will be different.

Presumably, there is some file data that you want to share. I can think of two approaches.

1) Implement networked file sharing. You will need to connect both laptop and desktop to a network, boot from both, and allow files to be shared.

2) Put the data you want shared onto a separate usb device, and plug that device into the laptop or desktop as you need it.


Yeah that was my second choice,,,,,, oh well if I must do it that way, because I was hoping for higher transfer rates,,, and I do not wish to keep both computers on.
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coolitic said:
Yeah that was my second choice,,,,,, oh well if I must do it that way, because I was hoping for higher transfer rates,,, and I do not wish to keep both computers on.


Newer laptops and desktops will have usb3.0, and that is considerably faster than usb2.0
There are usb3.0 thumbdrives and external HDD enclusures

Wait so connecting them with my USB 3.0 sockets will let me boot my desktop from my laptops H-Drive? (not an external one,,,, i meant letting my Desktop boot from my laptops internal hard drive)
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coolitic said:
Wait so connecting them with my USB 3.0 sockets will let me boot my desktop from my laptops H-Drive? (not an external one,,,, i meant letting my Desktop boot from my laptops internal hard drive)


No, the os on the laptop drive will have the wrong drivers, and will not boot properly.

But, you can put the laptop drive in an external usb enclosure, and access all the data on it. You probably can't run any apps installed on the laptop drive.

The os is installed on a hard drive, and it is closely connected to the hardware on which it was initially installed, particularly the motherboard.
That is why it is not really possible to switch back and forth.

Well, then I guess I have to constantly copy files in between them with a USB to USB connection or with an ethernet cable. And I have to buy another hard drive for the desktop.
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coolitic said:
Well, then I guess I have to constantly copy files in between them with a USB to USB connection or with an ethernet cable. And I have to buy another hard drive for the desktop.


If it is just files, and not programs, I think you can set up file sharing via a network connection, either wifi, or ethernet.

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