Switching between hdd's

[mr2shim]

Hello all, I jut recently bought a HP Pavilion desktop and I was wondering if there was a way I could switch between the two hdd's.

I installed my old SATA laptop hdd onto an empty slot on the motherboard. I can go to computer and access the information but I was wondering if there was a way I could physically access the hdd, like I would be using my laptop. If that makes sense.

Both of the HDD's have Vista Home Premium installed. However my HP has x64 bit and the laptop hdd has x32 bit. Also the HDD from the laptop came off an Acer Aspire.

Thanks.

 

[rohan23]

You have to install the OS on the new hard drive to get it to be compatible with your drivers.

 

[mr2shim]

How would I do that? (sorry if that's a stupid question)

 

[Tommy Boy]

You'll have to do a repair install of Vista on your laptop's drive, otherwise it won't work on the new computer.

How to perform a repair install for Vista

 

[mr2shim]

You'll have to do a repair install of Vista on your laptop's drive, otherwise it won't work on the new computer.

How to perform a repair install for Vista

I'm not sure I can do that because I no longer have my laptop. The motherboard cracked and I threw it away last week. Any way I can do that with the laptop hdd plugged into the Desktop's motherboard?

 

[rohan23]

Yes, you only need the new computer to get it to work.

 

[mr2shim]

Do I click format when I right click on the drive?

 

[markhare]

Format the new drive not the old one. I would setup vista on the new computer first (without the old drive in) just to avoid formatting the wrong drive - then once vista is setup connect the old drive and you will be able to browse it in Windows explorer.

Mark
www.mhare.com.au

 

[mr2shim]

Why would I format the new drive? It already has Vista x64 on it. I don't want to erase anything on the drive that came with the desktop(new drive)

Why wouldn't I just format the old drive(laptop hdd)? It has vista x32

 

[A Cheese Danish]

There is no easy way to do what you want to do. If you really want to, try and Repair windows on the laptop hard drive like Tommy Boy stated. Then, once that has happened, it should ask you which partition you want to boot. If not, you can switch it by getting into the boot setup by clicking F1, F12, or Del at start up...which ever it is HP uses.