BSOD on replacement motherboard

[Menno Hershberger]

I have an eMachine T2692 here that had a fried motherboard. I've replaced
it with a new one from PCChips. What I'm trying to do is save the current
Windows installation.

I'm getting the blue screen of death on startup which flashes off so fast
I can't read it. I'm assuming it's trying to load drivers that don't
match the new motherboard. Fixboot and fixmbr don't help as I suspected.

From past experience I suspect that a repair install won't work because
it will crash the first time it reboots since the drivers haven't been
changed yet.

A fresh install would work but with new hardware it probably wouldn't
activate.

I could manipulate files from the repair console if I had any idea *what*
to manipulate so I could get it to boot.

Data is no problem. I've cloned the hard drive and also have all his data
burned to DVDs. So a new install is acceptable. It's buying a new copy of
Windows that we're trying to get around.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Quanta]

I have an eMachine T2692 here that had a fried motherboard. I've replaced
it with a new one from PCChips. What I'm trying to do is save the current
Windows installation.

I'm getting the blue screen of death on startup which flashes off so fast
I can't read it. I'm assuming it's trying to load drivers that don't
match the new motherboard. Fixboot and fixmbr don't help as I suspected.

From past experience I suspect that a repair install won't work because
it will crash the first time it reboots since the drivers haven't been
changed yet.

A fresh install would work but with new hardware it probably wouldn't
activate.

You analysis is generally correct...what do you mean 'wouldn't activate'?
The fresh install is IMO imperative.

 

[Menno Hershberger]

You analysis is generally correct...what do you mean 'wouldn't
activate'? The fresh install is IMO imperative.

It's an OEM installation. With new hardware I doubt if a reinstall would
recognize it as an eMachine and probably wouldn't activate.

 

[Og]

I have an eMachine T2692 here that had a fried motherboard. I've replaced
it with a new one from PCChips. What I'm trying to do is save the current
Windows installation.

I'm getting the blue screen of death on startup which flashes off so fast
I can't read it. I'm assuming it's trying to load drivers that don't
match the new motherboard. Fixboot and fixmbr don't help as I suspected.

From past experience I suspect that a repair install won't work because
it will crash the first time it reboots since the drivers haven't been
changed yet.

A fresh install would work but with new hardware it probably wouldn't
activate.

I could manipulate files from the repair console if I had any idea *what*
to manipulate so I could get it to boot.

Data is no problem. I've cloned the hard drive and also have all his data
burned to DVDs. So a new install is acceptable. It's buying a new copy of
Windows that we're trying to get around.

Any ideas?

Thanks

The OEM version of Windows XP that shipped with your eMachine is branded and
BIOS-locked by eMachines.
You can neither perform a repair installation, nor perform a clean
installation to the new motherboard using your OEM version of Windows XP.
Your next step is to purchase a non-branded Operating System that will
install to the new motherboard.
Steve

 

[Richard Urban]

Unless you have a retail XP CD you will not be able to do the type of repair
install that will solve your problem.

As you suspect, using the restore CD's that came with your computer is for
the M/B that was originally supplied with the computer. It will not boot any
better that what you have now.

I would suggest that you get either a Windows XP O.E.M. CD and do a clean
install or purchase a retail version of Windows XP and do a repair install.
In either case, you will have to hunt down the requisite drivers from the
eMachine web site for your particular computer.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[P. Johnson]

I have an eMachine T2692 here that had a fried motherboard. I've replaced
it with a new one from PCChips. What I'm trying to do is save the current
Windows installation.

Your best hope is to boot into safe mode and remove everything under the
System Devices section in the device manager, reboot and hope everything
gets detected OK.

A fresh install would work but with new hardware it probably wouldn't
activate.

You could always give MS a call in that case.

 

[Menno Hershberger]

Your best hope is to boot into safe mode and remove everything under
the System Devices section in the device manager, reboot and hope
everything gets detected OK.

Won't boot in Safe Mode either.

You could always give MS a call in that case.

I've done that before when I had problems. It might work.
Never tried it with a changed motherboard though.
Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Menno Hershberger]

Unless you have a retail XP CD you will not be able to do the type of
repair install that will solve your problem.

As you suspect, using the restore CD's that came with your computer is
for the M/B that was originally supplied with the computer. It will
not boot any better that what you have now.

I would suggest that you get either a Windows XP O.E.M. CD and do a
clean install or purchase a retail version of Windows XP and do a
repair install. In either case, you will have to hunt down the
requisite drivers from the eMachine web site for your particular
computer.

It won't be an eMachine anymore...

 

[Richard Urban]

But the other hardware in your computer supposedly came with the computer,
courtesy of eMachine - NO? Don't you need drivers for them also? Or, was
"everything" on the motherboard?

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Menno Hershberger]

But the other hardware in your computer supposedly came with the
computer, courtesy of eMachine - NO? Don't you need drivers for them
also? Or, was "everything" on the motherboard?

Everything that the CD had drivers for was. Sound and video were on board
and the other drivers were for chipset and USB.
I haven't given up just yet. I have the hard drive slaved in my shop
computer now and can "edit" files on it. Now if I just knew what file
those drivers were loading in...
If I can get it going and it needs re-activating, I'll call MS and see if
they'll let me get by with it. It's not like I'm trying to do anything
crooked.

 

[Menno Hershberger]

I have an eMachine T2692 here that had a fried motherboard. I've
replaced it with a new one from PCChips. What I'm trying to do is save
the current Windows installation.

I'm getting the blue screen of death on startup which flashes off so
fast I can't read it. I'm assuming it's trying to load drivers that
don't match the new motherboard. Fixboot and fixmbr don't help as I
suspected.

From past experience I suspect that a repair install won't work
because it will crash the first time it reboots since the drivers
haven't been changed yet.

A fresh install would work but with new hardware it probably wouldn't
activate.

I could manipulate files from the repair console if I had any idea
*what* to manipulate so I could get it to boot.

Data is no problem. I've cloned the hard drive and also have all his
data burned to DVDs. So a new install is acceptable. It's buying a new
copy of Windows that we're trying to get around.

Any ideas?

I did a repair install with the original CD. It never even asked me for
the COA number. However it DID require activation, but it activated with
no problem. Then I ran the PCChips CD and got all the right drivers
installed and everything works fine.

Thanks for all your ideas!