Boot Dell HDD to IBM Thinkpad laptop

[excelsior58]

I have an IBM Laptop Thinkpad. I want use a Dell HDD as a backup but the Dell HDD will not boot in the IBM. What do I need to do to make this work. The Dell HDD already has an OS and other programs. The reason I want to do this is to create backup laptop when/should/if my other production laptop fails.

 

[rgd1101]

need to reinstall the os in the ibm laptop.

 

[excelsior58]

Thanks for your response. There already is an OS on the Dell HDD. I want to use it instead of the HDD on the IBM.

 

[cklaubur]

As rgd1101 was trying to say, you cannot run the IBM laptop from the Dell's hard drive that already has an OS installed, unless the two laptops have the same specs.

When an OS is installed on a hard drive, drivers are installed for the hardware in the computer, which is why your Dell's hard drive will not boot in the IBM laptop.

Casey

 

[excelsior58]

As rgd1101 was trying to say, you cannot run the IBM laptop from the Dell's hard drive that already has an OS installed, unless the two laptops have the same specs.

When an OS is installed on a hard drive, drivers are installed for the hardware in the computer, which is why your Dell's hard drive will not boot in the IBM laptop.

Casey

So how can you install the drivers for the new HDD?

 

[cklaubur]

It's almost impossible to do without reinstalling the OS.

There is also the whole legal issue involving the OS on the Dell drive being used on another computer. Unless that copy is a retail version, you can't use it in another computer anyway.

Casey