Swapping hard drives and files between laptops

[#1]

I have bought my missus a nice new Dell laptop, it has Windows 7 on it......
I have a (similar) Dell and it has Windows Vista on it
Assuming the HDD`s are the same type... (haven`t checked yet), I would like to swap them over, so I have W7 on my machine, and she has Vista.....
so far so good...(?)..... now, all my files and folders are on her (new) laptop,  I am wondering if there is a way to link the two laptops together via the Yellow or Blue cables that come with the router so I can transfer the files and folders direct, without the need to use a "caddy".....
After transferring my files back to my W7 laptop, I then need to tranfer her files and folders  from her old laptop onto her new one....
any advice please?

[#2]

Quote from: shutter

any advice please?

Don't!

[#3]

Short and sweet...... please elucidate.....

[#4]

all the drivers and setting will be wrong

[#5]

Where are the drivers and settings stored? .................................  On the hard drive?

[#6]

Quote from: shutter

please elucidate.....

You will likely kill both systems. Possible reasons:
1. Windows authentication will fail due to different hardware
2. Low-level mobo drivers will actually be different enough not to boot
Not to mention that you are actually likely to be breaching the OEM license agreement on both systems.

[#7]

Thanks HP.

[#8]

What do you actually want to achieve anyway?
There's not a whole load of difference really between Vista and W7 that you can't get round easily.
And moving "stuff" between systems has lots of different solutions.
Do you want faster/newer hardware yourself or W7 for some very specific reason or do you have a problem or what?

[#9]

What I wanted to achieve is basically set out in the original posting !....
I wanted the Window 7 on my laptop, and the Vista on hers.....
However, ... .... ... I have just had a good look around the underside of the new Dell and cannot find any way of removing the HDD>... (normally a couple of small screws, and it slides out, like a CD drive.... )  there does not appear to be a way of removing the hdd on this model....Dell Inspiron N5030....

[#10]

Quote from: shutter

I wanted the Window 7 on my laptop, and the Vista on hers.....

Well yes, but as I asked, why?
As I said before:

Quote

There's not a whole load of difference really between Vista and W7

[#11]

Quote from: shutter

What I wanted to achieve is basically set out in the original posting !.... I wanted the Window 7 on my laptop, and the Vista on hers.....

Tell her that you actually bought yourself the new laptop so that she can have your cast off  (or words to that effect )
To swap the files between the two machines - assuming you have a broadband router - wired or wireless. Connect both machines, put them in the same workgroup, share the c:drive. WIN7 should then see the Vista machine and vice versa. Drag & Drop the files as needed.

[#12]

Quote from: wisty

...... Drag & Drop

Essentially that's about it.
Or you can use the transfer wizards, which are quite good these days.

[#13]

I gave her my old laptop, when I bought my last new one... (actually I said I  was buying her a new laptop, but when it arrived she said she wanted my old one ! ! !..).. the old old one that she is using now has a couple of loose keytops on it, and it seems to be acting up, so I said I would buy her a new one for Xmas.... which I did,... and this time, she wants the new one.... 
Will do some research on how to remove the HDD from the new Dell, and see how it goes....
Thanks for your help, guys...

[#14]

Quote from: shutter

Will do some research on how to remove the HDD from the new Dell, and see how it goes....

I really wouldn't.......
1. Keys - You can always plug in a cheap USB keybord
2. Acting up - find out why and fix the problem (why move it to a new PC? not that you're likely to succeed   )

[#15]

HP... to remove the HDD from the Dell inspiron N5030 requires quite a lot of work.... first remove the battery, then remove the keyboard, then remove the "palmrest" (10 screws underneath) then disconnect the keyboard, and the speakers.... etc etc etc... not a simple job like my current laptop! ! ! ... so the original idea is now defunct...!..
As regards the original idea... the Dell N5030, is to be missus new laptop.....
I wanted to have the latest windows, on my Inspiron 1545,  so I thought I would swap the HDD`s...
missus has my old Dell,  Inspiron 2200, which is prior to my current Dell..
. so the "problems" associated with her old laptop, would not be transferred to a new machine.... only the files/folders which basically contain her photographs and not much else... the old old laptop would end up in the dump minus the HDD which I would keep for extra storage using a caddy.
so I am now stuck with Vista.... and she gets the shiny new machine with W7 !