jcland,

The answer to your question may depend on what method you choose to duplicate the stored data. Most programs offer two choices; image and clone. Generally speaking, software programs are more likely to require re-authorization when you select to image hard drive data versus when select to clone hard drive data.

Many people select to image hard drive data when the storage capacity differs between the original and replacement drives. My theory is the changes the program makes to accommodate the storage capacity are likely to "alert" the software that the physical environment changed.

However when a drive is cloned the copy is exactly the same all the way down to the bit level. Nothing is moved so operating system data like file and address pointers is not modified in any way, shape or form.

Of course if a software program uses the hard drive ID or other hardware IDs as part of the information it collects for authorization then the program would still require re-authorization.

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