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AR15.COM
5/12/2008 12:20:46 PM EDT
I've got a Dell Inspiron 9100 that won't power up. I took it in to a shop and was told it was a motherboard problem and not worth the repair expense. Everything else is ok.

They said they could retrieve my data from the drive, and did, but would not copy any software due to licensing issues.

Since I have software on the laptop that I don't have on my desktop is it possible to remove the drive from the laptop and use it in the desktop? Both are XP.
5/12/2008 12:26:13 PM EDT
[#1]
very unlikely it will work...  due to the changes in the drivers, and chipsets it will most likely blue screen when you turn the computer on with the "other" harddrive


we used to be able to "enum?  the machine and get it to boot,  but you have to do it in the original machine, in a working state.

either way a laptop harddrive will not plug directly into  a desktop without an adapter
5/12/2008 12:27:18 PM EDT
[#2]
you should be able to buy an enclosure for the laptop drive making it an external drive that connects with a USB.

ETA - you could also install it into another laptop (spare, friend's, etc.) to be able to boot from it.  
5/12/2008 12:34:53 PM EDT
[#3]

Quoted:
you should be able to buy an enclosure for the laptop drive making it an external drive that connects with a USB.

ETA - you could also install it into another laptop (spare, friend's, etc.) to be able to boot from it.  


Check out these cable adapters :

www.newertech.com/products/usb2_adapt.php
5/12/2008 1:00:03 PM EDT
[#4]

Quoted:

Quoted:
you should be able to buy an enclosure for the laptop drive making it an external drive that connects with a USB.

ETA - you could also install it into another laptop (spare, friend's, etc.) to be able to boot from it.  


Check out these cable adapters :

www.newertech.com/products/usb2_adapt.php


Thanks. Certainly worth a try for $30.