Mark Twain wrote:
Question: at some point I may need to
replace the 750 GB HD in the 780. So
is there a conflict of putting a 2TB
HD in the 780 and using the Mrimg when
it was a 750 GB HD ?

Just curious,. can you have two operating
systems on the same HD? One for the 8500
and one for the 780? So that it could be
used by either computer?

Thanks,
Robert

If you changed from a 750GB to a 2TB

1) Restores still work.
2) The backup definition still works, because
it's based on partitions as far as I know.
If a partition changed size, it would probably
still back it up.
3) What I can't tell you, is how "identifier sensitive"
it is. Does it use the disk serial number ? There
are a number of identifiers that "don't matter",
but then there will be one or two identifiers that
do matter.

I haven't tested whether a backup definition is
insensitive in that way.

It certainly won't take you long to define another
regularly schedule or on-demand backup if you want.
It might even be possible to edit the definition
of an existing one.

I would class this as "a problem you could deal with".

*******

Now, your second question is one I've never tried before.
And basically, your question amounts to "how tolerant
is the boot loader to hardware changes".

Windows To Go, is the only mode of OS installation
I know of, that demonstrates a boot loader can
tolerate life on two different machines. But I don't
know if that implies that this will also work for you.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_to_go

"When using a PC as a host, only hardware certified for
use with either Windows 7 or Windows 8 will work well
with Windows To Go."

Certainly, if the 8500 OS "comes up" on the 780 hardware,
the activation logic is going to detect that. But since
this is Windows 7, the Royalty OEM OS activation is SLIC based,
both machines give the "I'm a Dell" secret handshake, and
in fact the activation logic is supposed to tolerate
that.

But this is a whole area where I have no experience,
and you'll be in "blue sky" country,
"experimenters paradise", when you try it :-)

It doesn't have to be hard to do, either. You
could clone over a second OS partition, then
use EasyBCD to add the second OS to the boot
menu. No OS re-installation should be necessary.

You'll never lack for a hobby... :-)

Paul