Windows refuses to boot after upgrade

[brynmoorhouse]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into windows
XP not even into safe mode.(sorry couldnt find an xp forum) Really really
dont want to reinstall windows. Old PC was a dell. I tried installing
windows onto a clean drive and that works without needing any drivers from
the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

 

[Malke]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into windows
XP not even into safe mode.(sorry couldnt find an xp forum) Really really
dont want to reinstall windows. Old PC was a dell. I tried installing
windows onto a clean drive and that works without needing any drivers from
the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

At the very least you will need to do a Repair Install. If the Repair
Install doesn't work, you will need to do a Clean Install. That's just the
way it is. And you *are* in an XP newsgroup (not a forum).

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install How-
To
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into windows
XP not even into safe mode.(sorry couldnt find an xp forum) Really really
dont want to reinstall windows. Old PC was a dell. I tried installing
windows onto a clean drive and that works without needing any drivers from
the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

Apart from the hardware issues that Malke addressed, there is also the
licensing issue. If your old PC ran an OEM version of Windows then you
cannot transfer it to the new PC. If it ran a Retail version then you can,
but only after ringing your nearest Microsoft office and explaining that you
have retired the old machine.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into windows
XP not even into safe mode.

That's typical, unless the new computer is almost identical to the old
one.

(sorry couldnt find an xp forum) Really really
dont want to reinstall windows. Old PC was a dell. I tried installing
windows onto a clean drive and that works without needing any drivers from
the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

At the very least, you will have to do a repair installation after
installing the drive in the new computer. Worst case, if the computers
are different enough, the repair installation won't be enough, and you
will have to clean install from scratch.

Moreover, you should be aware that you are committing a licensing
violation. If the old computer was a Dell, your copy of Windows is an
OEM version, and the biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that
its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed
on. It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given
away (except with the original computer).

That means that the copy of Windows on the old drive may not be used
on the new computer.

 

[BillW50]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:27:18 -0700:

That's typical, unless the new computer is almost identical to the old
one.




At the very least, you will have to do a repair installation after
installing the drive in the new computer. Worst case, if the computers
are different enough, the repair installation won't be enough, and you
will have to clean install from scratch.

Moreover, you should be aware that you are committing a licensing
violation. If the old computer was a Dell, your copy of Windows is an
OEM version, and the biggest disadvantage of an OEM version is that
its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed
on. It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given
away (except with the original computer).

That means that the copy of Windows on the old drive may not be used
on the new computer.

Another idea is that Paragon's Drive Backup which claims it *can*
restore Windows on unlike computers through its technology called
"Adaptive Restore". To get it to work with Windows 2000 or XP, it may
need to read files from the Windows Install disc.

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-personal/

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My apologies to Malke and Pegasus, who between them said the same two
things I said below. I didn't see their messages until after I sent
mine.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

My apologies to Malke and Pegasus, who between them said the same two
things I said below. I didn't see their messages until after I sent
mine.

No apology required - happens all the time, and since we say much the same
thing it re-enforces the message.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:27:18 -0700:

Another idea is that Paragon's Drive Backup which claims it *can*
restore Windows on unlike computers through its technology called
"Adaptive Restore". To get it to work with Windows 2000 or XP, it may
need to read files from the Windows Install disc.

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-personal/

I know nothing about Paragon's Drive Backup, so I am neither for nor
against your suggestion, but can you can explain how that's any
different from doing a repair installation? If it's reading files from
the Windows Install disc, it sounds to me like it's essentially doing
the same thing.

 

[HeyBub]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into
windows XP not even into safe mode.(sorry couldnt find an xp forum)
Really really dont want to reinstall windows. Old PC was a dell. I
tried installing windows onto a clean drive and that works without
needing any drivers from the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

To restate what others have said:

In all likelihood, the version of XP on your hard drive is hooked to the
Dell machine's BIOS. It will not run on anything other than the Dell machine
onto which it was originally installed.

 

[Mark Adams]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into windows
XP not even into safe mode.(sorry couldnt find an xp forum) Really really
dont want to reinstall windows. Old PC was a dell. I tried installing
windows onto a clean drive and that works without needing any drivers from
the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

Contrary to what other posters have said here, you may be able to move your
hard drive to the new computer. You need to prepare the drive for the move on
the old computer first, so the old machine must still be working. See the
following article:
http://www.motherboard.windowsreinstall.com/problems.htm
Step 2 is what allows the drive to boot on the new machine. Make sure you
take an image of the drive before attempting this, because it could go south
on you real easy. Granted, this proceedure is for Win2K, but should work for
XP as well. I was able to move an install of Win2K on a laptop to a desktop
and all the applications survived the move as well. No repair install was
necessary. You will need drivers for the new machine. A little bit of effort?
Yes. But less than a clean install; particularly if you have a lot of
applcations. DO NOT attempt this without a reliable backup of the original
drive. I have used Acronis for backup with very good success.

 

[BillW50]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:03:50 -0700:

I know nothing about Paragon's Drive Backup, so I am neither for nor
against your suggestion, but can you can explain how that's any
different from doing a repair installation? If it's reading files from
the Windows Install disc, it sounds to me like it's essentially doing
the same thing.

Hi Ken! While I have many Paragon products, I have not tested their
"Adaptive Restore". And all I know is by what I have read about it
(there isn't much information about it either). And here is what I
believe the big difference between the two:

As the Windows repair installation has the side effect of restoring your
Windows back to the same version/build as the installation disc. Thus
you lose all of your Service Packs and updates. Which can under some
conditions make the OS unusable. Say for example, can't see the large
drive that the OS is on for one.

Paragon's "Adaptive Restore" doesn't do this as far as I can tell. All
it does is to use what I call generic drivers which Windows install uses
(also the repair installation does too). So it can get the OS up and
running to then search and replace better drivers for the hardware. But
I don't believe you lose any Service Packs or updates already applied.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:03:50 -0700:

Hi Ken! While I have many Paragon products, I have not tested their
"Adaptive Restore". And all I know is by what I have read about it
(there isn't much information about it either). And here is what I
believe the big difference between the two:

As the Windows repair installation has the side effect of restoring your
Windows back to the same version/build as the installation disc. Thus
you lose all of your Service Packs and updates. Which can under some
conditions make the OS unusable. Say for example, can't see the large
drive that the OS is on for one.

Paragon's "Adaptive Restore" doesn't do this as far as I can tell. All
it does is to use what I call generic drivers which Windows install uses
(also the repair installation does too). So it can get the OS up and
running to then search and replace better drivers for the hardware. But
I don't believe you lose any Service Packs or updates already applied.

OK, thanks, that might be right. If you should learn any more about it
in the future, I'd appreciate hearing it.

 

[BillW50]

In Ken Blake, MVP typed on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:52:41 -0700:

OK, thanks, that might be right. If you should learn any more about it
in the future, I'd appreciate hearing it.

Okay Ken, will do.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi,
bought a new pc. put my old hdd into new pc. refuses to boot into windows
XP not even into safe mode.(sorry couldnt find an xp forum) Really really
dont want to reinstall windows.

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
installations are BIOS-locked to a specific motherboard chipset and
therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - check yours
before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical
(same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one
on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to
perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with WinXP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
"tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
than the Win9x group.

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than
120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Old PC was a dell.

And was that a Dell OEM license installed on the hard drive? If so,
that's why it won't work. First of all, OEM licenses are *NOT*
transferable to an new computer under any circumstances. So, what
you're attempting, rather inadvertantly or not, is software piracy.
Secondly, Dell specifically designs their installation CDs so that you
can't commit this sort of thing; they're "married" to the Dell hardware.

I tried installing
windows onto a clean drive and that works without needing any drivers from
the disc. Has anybody got any ideas??

Purchase a legitimate license for the new computer.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Doum]

"Pegasus [MVP]" <[email protected]> écrivait

<snip>

If it ran a Retail version then you

can, but only after ringing your nearest Microsoft office and
explaining that you have retired the old machine.

I recently transfer a retail licence to a new PC and I did not have to
contact MS. It activated over the net without problem.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

"Pegasus [MVP]" <[email protected]> écrivait

<snip>

If it ran a Retail version then you

I recently transfer a retail licence to a new PC and I did not have to
contact MS. It activated over the net without problem.

It depends on how long it has been since the last activation. If it's
been more than 120 days, your experience is to be expected. If fewer
than 120 days, it has to be done by telephone.