Can I boot up X31 with T40 hard-drive?!!

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msafi · #1 Post by **msafi** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:01 pm

Strange question.

Here's what I wanna do. I wanna send my T40 for repair, but I hate being without my computer, and I have a spare X31 at hand. So I'm thinking, is it possible to image my T40's hard drive on my portable Hard Disk and then boot up the X31 from the portable Hard Disk?

Or am I asking about a brain transplant?

Thanks,

msafi,

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:48 pm

Because the hardware is different, I believe you are going to have problems. Not the least of which, Windows will probably want to be reactivated. I would just copy or image the hard drive from the T40 to the external disk in a format that you can access, and use it for the data files that you need access to.

dansu · #3 Post by **dansu** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:16 am

It would be a pretty complex process if you needed to run the OS from the T40 hard drive. If you just need the files, it's as simple of a matter as getting an external hard drive enclosure for the T40 drive.

sktn77a · #4 Post by **sktn77a** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 7:59 am

Possibly...... IBM's OEM WXP does not require an activation key to be input so you may be OK on that front. All of the necessary hardware drivers are on the T series install as it is "image compatible" with the X31. Windows would just need to install them on the first boot.
Easiest solution, if you just want access to the data files on the drive, is to buy a $15 USB drive enclosure.

brainpicker · #5 Post by **brainpicker** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 8:16 am

Well, I've done it with complete success. I used my X31's drive on both a T40 and also a T42. The T40 I can understand because it shares much the same parts with an X31 and IBM made the two platforms compatable (I'd give the link to this for confirmation but I can't put my hands on it right now). Now if it don't work for YOU don't get mad at me, but I've had no problems so I can't see why you would either.

Yak

#6 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 8:49 am

sktn77a wrote:Possibly...... IBM's OEM WXP does not require an activation key to be input so you may be OK on that front. All of the necessary hardware drivers are on the T series install as it is "image compatible" with the X31. Windows would just need to install them on the first boot.
Easiest solution, if you just want access to the data files on the drive, is to buy a $15 USB drive enclosure.

Great tip sktn77a! I'll have to remember that for future reference. Live and learn, live and learn.

Brainpicker, that's great!

msafi · #7 Post by **msafi** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 11:47 am

are the two hard-drives, the x31's and t40's, of the same size and type? so can i just remove my t40's hard-drive and insert in the hard-drive slot of the x31?

Kenn · #8 Post by **Kenn** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 12:33 pm

Also, make sure you don't have long-passwords enabled in the BIOS - those are stored on the drive and will present problems if you swap out.

pphilipko · #9 Post by **pphilipko** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 3:26 pm

msafi wrote:are the two hard-drives, the x31's and t40's, of the same size and type? so can i just remove my t40's hard-drive and insert in the hard-drive slot of the x31?

Yes. They both are interchangeable.

msafi · #10 Post by **msafi** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 3:30 am

do you think it's safe to move my operating system from a machine to another?

i'm just afraid that it would mess up my operating system even more. do you think windows xp can handle this move intelligently?

what do you experts suggest? should i do it or just be patient and wait until i get my computer back from repair?

GpsPasSion · #11 Post by **GpsPasSion** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:30 pm

Any thoughts on whether I could drop in the HD of my X31 in a T41 ?

GpsPasSion · #12 Post by **GpsPasSion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:13 pm

Most intesting topic, so I thought I'd "up" it, anyone else tried this recently ?

#13 Post by **Kyocera** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:30 pm

I tried putting a hard drive from my T42 in my T30, result BSOD. Tried restarting a couple of times, no go. No damage done trying.

GpsPasSion · #14 Post by **GpsPasSion** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:36 pm

Yes that platform would be too different I think, same problem here with X31 drive in X23 laptop. X31 and T40 seem ok though, but I'm curious as to whether reinstallation is needed.

#15 Post by **Kyocera** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:01 pm

OK Brainpicker, I should have read the whole thread from the beginning.

brainpicker · #16 Post by **brainpicker** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 10:31 pm

I answered this before from experience, having taken a drive (or imaged drive) from an X31 and used it in a T40, and I used a drive from a T40 in an X31. EVERYTHING worked fine once the system installed some missing drivers. Now I provide this statement direct from the sales literature of the X31 "The ThinkPad X31 preloaded software image is compatible with ThinkPad T41, T40, R50 and R40 models..."

It will work.

Yak

GpsPasSion · #17 Post by **GpsPasSion** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:33 am

Thanks for the additional details, so it intsalls a few drivers and that's it so it's possible the next time you move it around nothing more will need to be installed. I wonder if that causes any "bloat" to the OS though

Can I boot up X31 with T40 hard-drive?!!

Can I boot up X31 with T40 hard-drive?!!

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