Connecting Laptop HDD to PC

Hi all,

I've been trying to re-install Windows XP on my mate's lappy but it's a netbook so it hasn't got a DVD drive. I've tried making a bootable USB stick but my stick doesn't seem to like any of the methods that I try.

Are there any dangers to connecting up a regular SATA laptop hard drive to my PC? It's got the right data and power connections but I just want to make sure I don't blow it up or anything

absolutely fine

Cheers, i tried it and it worked... didn't blow it up anyway! However..... I half installed XP on it but it didn't like the product key cuz I think it's for SP3 but I was installing SP2.

Anyway, after I unplugged the HDD, my computer now won't boot Windows!!

It comes up after POST saying "Error starting Operating System". I Googled it and it's apparently because the BIOS can't find the XP hard drive. However, I'm trying to load from my regular Win 7 drive, it's first in the Boot list in the BIOS and everything but for some reason it's still coming up with that error and won't load Windows 7!!

Tried system restore but I have no restore points tried Startup repair and that didn't work.

Help seriously need please!!!!

Just tried a load of MBR fix commands in a command prompt on the Windows disk but they haven't fixed it. Weirdly though, when I use the /scanOS command it says "number of windows installations: 0" or something to that effect. I assume rebuilding the MBR would fix that so that Windows is recognised again, but how do I do it? Google is just incredibly confusing.

[EDIT] Panic over; I tried a couple more commands at it fixed it. Computer back up and running

Check your PMs, NickyBoyJunior. Sounds like you are learning a lot from this experience

I am indeed... I'm learning that laptops are annoying, and nothing ever does what I want it to

I actually got the USB stick working in the end, so I used the demo of a program called FlashBoot to make it bootable and I installed XP from it straight to the laptop. Would've been a lot easier if I'd just done that in the first place instead of buggering up my computer as well

It's all up and running now though, cheers Saundie!