install ubuntu and switch laptop hard drive to another laptop?

[terry@softreq.com]

Hello!

I have a laptop with a dead CDROM.

So I was thinking of installing Ubuntu on another laptop (fresh newly purchased hard drive), then transfer that hard drive over to the 2nd laptop with the CDROM that isn't working.

Would that work? Would the 2nd laptop boot up and go for it?

Thanks, Terry

[abn91c]

In theory it may, depends on how similar is the hardware on both, especially the video cards

[terry@softreq.com]

thanks ABN931C,

Is that because the install configures for the hardware setup?

Or would it be generally a compatibility issue with the hardware/ubuntu, regardless of the fact I used a "disk swap" method?

[albinootje]

I have a laptop with a dead CDROM.

So I was thinking of installing Ubuntu on another laptop (fresh newly purchased hard drive), then transfer that hard drive over to the 2nd laptop with the CDROM that isn't working.

Would that work? Would the 2nd laptop boot up and go for it?
If the hard disks have the same hard disk interface, yes.
I've done this successfully a few times in the past.

The newer laptops however, come with SATA disks, and, afair, you cannot attach an IDE laptop disk to a SATA interface.

As alternative you can do an install from usb-stick on the laptop with the dead cdrom-drive.

[terry@softreq.com]

I tried a USB install once and got the error message "missing partition" or something to that effect.

both machines are ATA drives.

One is an inspiron 5100 and the other a dell 600m, which supposedly use the same type of drive.

One uses an ATI 7500 graphics card and the other an ATI 9000 graphics card.

I believe the 600m doesn't have the option of usb boot.

Sorry to burden you with this technical stuff.