Desktop / Laptop hardware compatibility

[Dindo]

So an uneducated and naive version of me, about two years ago, bought the Alienware m11x laptop. I bought the basic one with none of the optional parts or anything. Now of course I've come to realize the hinges on the screen are pure unadulterated crap and have already broken for the second time. The warranty is up and I don't want to pay R$500 just for a new screen to break in a few months.

Anyway... Given that my computer works GREAT just the screen blows, and the fact that I want a desktop now as opposed to a laptop, I was thinking of buying pieces to build my own computer. I'm no tech genius, but I do have a solid understanding of how they work, at least I think.

I was just wondering if there are any inherent differences between desktop and laptop parts. Might be a stupid question but I've scoured the internet for information and can't seem to find it. I want to know if there are pieces that I can use from my broken laptop in my new desktop. I.E. the laptop has a 1GB NVIDIA 335M graphics card. Can I use that in a desktop? How about my internal hard drive? It would be MUCH more cost efficient if I could reuse any of the parts that I already have.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-m11x/pd

That's the site for the actual laptop, but any advice will be helpful. Thanks in advance.

[stalkerzzzz]

You could use your HDD but you would probably need an adapter bracket so that you can fit it in your 3.5" bay from your case. The GPU is soldered to your MB and even if it was an actual card the ones from laptops are different from the ones in a desktop PC, you wouldn't be able to use it.

[Dindo]

How about my RAM? Sorry I don't have the right screwdriver in hand so I can't open my laptop to see what pieces actually do or don't come out, but I'm pretty sure the RAM is removable.

[Milkshake86]

Laptops do not use desktop ram. Ill go into detail here on why 0 parts except your HDD or SSD would work. #1 Most internals of a laptop are proprietary #2 They are all made to use a lot less power #3 most parts are soldered in and not removable. Now that being said the HDD and or SSD can be used as they just sata devices same as your pc, now in most situations you would need a 2.5" bay or bracket these are sold all over for SSD's at this point.

[Dindo]

Would it be possible to use both my laptop's hard drive and another hard drive that I buy? My laptop has a tiny hard drive, only 250 gigs and it's pretty loaded but at the same time I don't wanna just lose everything I have on it.

[stalkerzzzz]

Yes, you could use both HDDs.

[Demoness]

HDD from laptops are about the only thing with identical plugs as desktops, its just that they are smaller and use a difference bracket to be screwed into place. Most PC cases you can buy will come with everything you need to use a laptop HDD or a solid state hard drive.