Exchanging HDD between two laptops

[byronichero]

After having trouble with my PC recently, I reverted to using my old laptop I had stored under my bed. Browsing the laptop i found a lot of important files i had totally forgot about. After a few days of use, the monitor began flickering, I put this down to a long period of inactivity, until the monitor just wouldn't turn on any longer. So i bought a cheap replacement off eBay, from someone who had acquired it from a house clearance. I thought i could simply take the HDD from the monitor less laptop and transfer it to the eBay replacement, however upon doing so i received a blue screen. what should i do ?
P.S the laptops in question are a "Toshiba Satellite Pro A100-722" and a Toshiba Satellite Pro A100. Does the suffix "722" make any difference

 

[Paul NZ]

Do a clean install Not a good idea putting a hdd in from another system, into something else

 

[USAFRet]

Only way to know is to try.
Don't be surprised if it does not work.
If it does boot up, don't be surprised if the OS unactivates itself.

I tried the same on a couple of almost identical Compaq laptops. No dice....no boot. At all.

 

[byronichero]

Would placing the HDD with the files I need into the new laptop, and then doing a clean OS install erase all the data i need

 

[USAFRet]

Would placing the HDD with the files I need into the new laptop, and then doing a clean OS install erase all the data i need

Yes, a clean install would wipe out whatever is on that drive.