Solved Hard Drive Swap?

tezza

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Some time ago I replaced an IDE hard drive with Windows 8 installed for an SSD drive onto which I installed Windows 7. I would like to know if I can temporarily swap back to the IDE drive (Windows 8) while I obtain the Windows Product Key (embedded in BIOS apparently) and then replace the SSD drive (Windows 7), or boot from an external docking station and if so how do I do that?


I am totally confused about the BIOS. Does a different OS change the BIOS details? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    lenova g560
    CPU
    Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 380 @ 2.53GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo G560 Intel Laptop Motherboard s989
    Memory
    3 Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Security Essentials
RWEverything RWEverything | Read & Write Everything will retrieve the BIOS key without having swap drives. Under ACPI tables, you can find MSDM table (on Windows 8/8.1 OEM PC). Note down the serial. It reads it right out of the BIOS so it doesn't matter what OS is installed as long as it Windows. There is a portable version listed in the downloads that doesn't require installation to work.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Some time ago I replaced an IDE hard drive with Windows 8 installed for an SSD drive onto which I installed Windows 7. I would like to know if I can temporarily swap back to the IDE drive (Windows 8) while I obtain the Windows Product Key (embedded in BIOS apparently) and then replace the SSD drive (Windows 7), or boot from an external docking station and if so how do I do that?


I am totally confused about the BIOS. Does a different OS change the BIOS details? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

If your PC came with a IDE HDD, you do not have a embedded in BIOS Windows Product Key, as the PC would be to old.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Some time ago I replaced an IDE hard drive with Windows 8 installed for an SSD drive onto which I installed Windows 7. I would like to know if I can temporarily swap back to the IDE drive (Windows 8) while I obtain the Windows Product Key (embedded in BIOS apparently) and then replace the SSD drive (Windows 7), or boot from an external docking station and if so how do I do that?


I am totally confused about the BIOS. Does a different OS change the BIOS details? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

If your PC came with a IDE HDD, you do not have a embedded in BIOS Windows Product Key, as the PC would be to old.

He calls it an IDE drive but its likely just a regular (spinner) SATA drive as his other drive is an SSD. He just doesn't know the difference.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Tezza, no a different OS will not change the key stored in the BIOS. It will change the product code stored in the Windows Registry though. A lot of the utilities like AIDA32 or Belarc advisor will read it out of the registry. If you didn't swap drives they would read out your Windows 7 key as that's what's installed. Swap drives and they would likely read out your Windows 8 key. RWEverything cuts to the chase and retrieves it right from the BIOS, that's why I recommended it.


Just so you know, official Microsoft Windows 8.0 install media will retrieve the embedded key automatically and install the matching version without prompting you to enter it. That's why its not printed on the COA sticker. The only glitch with that is if your installing Windows 8.1. It won't use that code and ignores it. It wants an 8.1 product code.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Thank you for all the information alphanumeric!!!


P.S. Thank you all others. Yes I should have stated "SATA":think:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    lenova g560
    CPU
    Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 380 @ 2.53GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo G560 Intel Laptop Motherboard s989
    Memory
    3 Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Security Essentials
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