Can I swap my Windows XP drive from R61i to R61?

[singbad]

Hi,
can I migrate my Windows-XP installation from my dead R61 (8918-DFG) to an R61i just by swapping the HDD? I could swap the CPU too if needed. Does Windows XP stick to the MoBo's serial numbers?

TIA,
singbad

[ajkula66]

Yes you can.

A couple of drivers might need an update depending on the exact configuration of the machines in question, but it should be a pretty clean swap.

[singbad]

Yes you can...

Thank you! I just happened to snipe an RR61 8918-B9G on Ebay last night. According to the seller's start-screen photograph it's got an Intel T2330 dual core 1.6GHz cpu. I couldn't find an original spec sheet so I did a quick poll on Google*:

T2330 R61 "8918-B9G" - About 17 results
T5500 R61 "8918-B9G" - About 642 results
T7100 R61 "8918-B9G" - About 1,780 results
T7300 R61 "8918-B9G" - About 583 results
T7500 R61 "8918-B9G" - About 648 results
T7700 R61 "8918-B9G" - About 294 results

*) Your mileage may vary. I understand Google results depend on where you live and on your general search and web-shopping history.

Someone must have pulled the original cpu and plugged in the cheaper one. Is it easy to swap the cpus? I'll have to open the keyboard bezel anyway since I want to swap the damaged LCD (showing a white vertical line).

TIA,
singbad

[RealBlackStuff]

If KB and KB bezel have been removed, it takes less than 5 minutes (3 screws) to replace the CPU and apply fresh thermal paste (preferably Arctic Silver AS5 or Ceramique 2) after cleaning off the old junk.

[singbad]

Swapping* was pretty easy, thanks. However, I had to flash the Middleton BIOS to avoid the Temperature Sensing error. I burnt a CD for that job since I dind't have the Windows disk at that time. I booted a preliminary environment Windows from Hiren's Boot CD. Everything looks fine.

Now that I re-inserted the Windows XP drive from my original R61 8918-DFG I'm getting bluescreens. I can't even boot into protected mode. Any chance to save my Windows installation?

TIA,
Singbad

*) ps
I used white silicon thermal grease from Kafuter, a Chinese brand. I recently read a thermal compounds review confirming Arctic Silver 5 really is the best but only 0.5 to 1 degrees ahead of the crowd. Worst product tested was about 4 degrees behind AS5. I'm not an overclocker so Kafuter should do.

[ajkula66]

Go into BIOS - Configuration - SATA mode and switch it to the other option, press F10 to save and exit.

[singbad]

"The other option" is Compatibility Mode. That helped, thanks a lot!
Best regards,
Singbad