Can I transfer a hard drive from one macbook pro laptop to another?

I have a 2009 Macbook pro with a cracked screen and a messed up track pad (laptop A), but a fully functional hard drive. I have another 2009 Macbook pro (laptop B) with a blown hard drive, but everything else seems to be fine.
I removed the blown hitachi 320 hard drive from laptop B and set it aside. Then I removed the seemingly good Seagate 500 hard drive from laptop A and put it into laptop B. When I turn on Laptop B with the hard drive in it I get the folder with the question mark screen.
HELP. I am not tech savvy at all. But I can follow directions. Thanks.
Monica
*Please let me know if you need additional information from me.

Restart the computer with the Option key held down.
If you see the drive, click on it and then select it in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
If you don’t, insert a Mac OS X install DVD, press C if needed, and either repair the drive or install an OS onto it.
(110094)

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