Something weird just happened to me

[The boy 4rm oz]

As some of you may know my PC has recently died. Today I put the HDD in my brother's PC so I could get a few documents off it for Uni. I did this while the PC was running and everything went really well, I was even able to transfer some files over for my brother.

This afternoon I jumped back on my brothers PC after we had cleaned mum's car *YAWN*. I fired it up, went to get a drink and to my surprise when I got back I saw my custom log on screen looking at me. I thought this was kinda weird so I logged on and it was just like I was sitting in front of my own PC.

I know this has something to do with the SATA port my HDD was connected to because the PC obviously booted of it before detecting my brother's drive. The thing I found weird was that I didn't think this was possible. As far as I knew putting a HDD into a PC with 100% different system specs required a full format (under XP anyway). Is there something different in Vista that allows this or was it a one off freekish incident? The only system specs my brother's PC and LEXA have in common is the OS, 4GB RAM and that we both use Nvidia and Intel products.

I just thought this was an interesting little development that I would share with you guys and galls.

Later

[nevermind1534]

With xp, sometimes I get the BSOD, sometimes I don't. I don't know about vista. I think it's just by chance.

[chaksq]

I have never heard of needing to reformat a drive to do this. I have put XP system drives in different computers and booted up with minimal issues. The issue with doing so is they have drivers for hardware that is not there, and no drivers for the hardware that is there.

[nevermind1534]

I have never heard of needing to reformat a drive to do this. I have put XP system drives in different computers and booted up with minimal issues. The issue with doing so is they have drivers for hardware that is not there, and no drivers for the hardware that is there.

The time I did it, it was into an athlon xp system, from a P3. And I have a VLK, so I didn't have to re-activate.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Hmm all the times I have put a different OS HDD into a different PC I was forced to re-format. Perhaps it was just me.

[KiLLERMAN21]

Yeah, its just you Jase, youve got no idea what your doing :P


Please dont eat me...

[Vitz¥^]

Hmm all the times I have put a different OS HDD into a different PC I was forced to re-format. Perhaps it was just me.

same here tbh, so not just you :)

Didnt want you to feel you were the target of a M$ conspiracy :D

[Crazy Buddhist]

Sometimes you can switch a HDD into a new machine and it works out of the box.

If you're brothers mobo has the same chipset or even a near family relative it can work fine.

Windows 2K was best at doing this. You could throw a Win2K HDD into almost anything and it would automatically install the drivers for all the new hardware it found. XP worked too but not as reliably. Vista I think will continue this trend - so I would think you prolly have the same chipset or a near relative on the two Mobo's for this to have worked.

CrazyB

[The boy 4rm oz]

Thanks for that info CrazyB.

I use the 680iLT chipset and my brother has the 650i chipset so your probably right. I think it's kinda cool but haven't done it since just in case my HDD gets fried or something, I haven't done a backup in a few months now :(.

[Crazy Buddhist]

Thanks for that info CrazyB.

I use the 680iLT chipset and my brother has the 650i chipset so your probably right. I think it's kinda cool but haven't done it since just in case my HDD gets fried or something, I haven't done a backup in a few months now :(.

If you look at this page (http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_vista_15.23.html) you will see that the two chipsets use EXACTLY the same Nforce driver, version 15.23. You can safely put the drive in your brothers machine to do the backups you want. It was not a fluke. It will not *ALWAYS* work but pretty much you can put that HDD in any system with any of chipsets listed in the same family and it will work 99 times out of 100.

CrazyB

From linked page:

nForce Driver WHQL Certified
Version: 15.23
Release Date: September 12, 2008
Operating System: Windows Vista 32-Bit
Language: U.S. English
File Size: 50.8 MB

I have read and agree to the terms and conditions of the NVIDIA Software License Agreement.

Windows Vista 32-bit Driver Versions:

* Ethernet Driver (v67.89) WHQL
* Network Management Tools (v67.91) "Sedona"
* SATAIDE Driver (v10.3.0.42) WHQL
* SATARAID Driver (v10.3.0.42) WHQL
* RAIDTOOL Application (v10.3.0.42)
* SMU Driver (v1.61) WHQL
* SMBus Driver (v4.69) WHQL
* Away Mode Driver (v6.0.6000.107) WHQL
* Installer (v6.14)

Supported Chipsets:

nForce 790i Ultra SLI
nForce 790i SLI
nForce 780i SLI
nForce 750i SLI
nForce 680i SLI
nForce 680a SLI
nForce 680i LT SLI
nForce 650i SLI
nForce 650i Ultra
nForce 590 SLI Intel
nForce 590 SLI AMD
nForce 570 SLI Intel
nForce 570 SLI AMD
nForce 570 Ultra AMD
nForce 560
nForce 550
nForce 520
nForce4 SLI X16 Intel
nForce4 SLI X16 AMD
nForce4 SLI Intel
nForce4 SLI AMD
nForce4 SLI XE Intel
nForce4 Ultra Intel
nForce4 Ultra AMD
nForce4 AMD

[The boy 4rm oz]

Wow that's awesome, I will have to remember than, may be usefull. +rep

[Crazy Buddhist]

Thank you. You're most welcome.

CB

[x88x]

Actually, I think Vista is improving this. About a year ago I upgraded my system from an Athlon 64 FX-55 on (iirc) a Asus K8N-E (Via shipset) to a C2Q9450 on an Asus P5K-VM (Intel chipset) and I was able to drop the HDD right in and go. Incidentally, you could also transplant Win98 HDDs...as long as you 'uninstalled' all the hardware before shutting it down the last time in the old system.

[Luke122]

Incidentally, you could also transplant Win98 HDDs...as long as you 'uninstalled' all the hardware before shutting it down the last time in the old system.

I've done that a few times myself. ;)

[Crazy Buddhist]

Actually, I think Vista is improving this. About a year ago I upgraded my system from an Athlon 64 FX-55 on (iirc) a Asus K8N-E (Via shipset) to a C2Q9450 on an Asus P5K-VM (Intel chipset) and I was able to drop the HDD right in and go. Incidentally, you could also transplant Win98 HDDs...as long as you 'uninstalled' all the hardware before shutting it down the last time in the old system.

Wow .. finally something concrete on the "good" list for Vista :P