Swapping Out Windows 7 and Windows XP Hard Drives

[mdclow]

I just did a clean install of Windows 7 on my T60. I used a new HDD for Windows 7 so I still have the old HDD with Windows XP and all of my data on that drive. I also backed up just about everything to an old external 3.5 inch drive.

I need something off of the WinXP HDD. I want to take out the Win7 HDD and insert the WinXP HDD. I need to open a program (Traxtime) and do a backup of the data to an external source. I would then like to pull out the WinXP HDD and put back in the Win7 HDD.

Will this work? Will I screw up data on either drive? Will I have to reactivated Win7 on the Win7 HDD.

[emeraldgirl08]

If you installed the OS' in that same machine there shouldn't be a problem.

The OS will freak out if you put it in a totally different type of Thinkpad though. If you put your T60 Hard Drive into a T30 then you'll have problems. Different hardware drivers are present yadda yadda yadda and you'll get the BSOD (blue screen of death). I swap hard drives for my R51e. The OS' were installed on the R51e so there is no issue with the occasional swapping.

[GomJabbar]

As emeraldgirl08 said. I do this sort of thing all the time. I have 3 different hard drives I use with my T42. One with Windows 7 and Fedora 12 on it, a second with Windows Vista on it, and a third with Windows XP and Mandriva 2010 on it.

One tip; if you copy or backup something to a USB memory key, it will be accessible from any Windows installation. Otherwise, trying to move NTFS files from one copy of Windows to another sometimes leads to permissions issues (can't open them). When you move a file to a USB key, it is saved as FAT32 file and does not have any permission metadata associated with it. You can also save to DVD's or CD's without permission problems (normally, but it depends upon the software you might be using).

[mdclow]

Gentlepeople,

Thanks for your replies, I hoped & thought that I could swap out the drives in the same machine. I appreciate the confirmation. This forum has made my clean install of Win7 to WinXP possible and much easier.

[diaz1023]

if it is possible for you to get a harddrive adapter for the ultrabay, that will work too. i have been able to use my other harddrives in the ultrabay to get files or other info on one(winxp or vista) to my win7 main drive. It will also allow for a dual boot, i have win7 on a 500gb hitachi, vista business on a 500gb seagate and winxp on 160 hitachi which i switch off every now and then depending on what OS i want to use.

[chait]

Another route would be to get a USB 2.5" hdd external enclosure which you can place your old drive inside. I just did that and am planning to clean install win7 on a bigger drive (in a couple of weeks). For $20 you can have an enclosure. I got this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817349002. Good luck.