Windows XP SP2 freezes after installing new motherboard and CPU

[Guest]

I'm using Win XP SP2 at my work and recently we upgraded my computer, which
included getting a better motherboard and CPU. After putting the system
together, I tried to boot it up, from the same XP install -- from the same
hard disk -- but XP would not boot up, and it would freeze and reboot after
attempting to load some agp???.sys. It locks up even in trying to run a safe
mode or even a command prompt. It wouldn't even get to give me a command
prompt (freeze and auto-reboot when I try bypassing the system files with F8).
I tried re-installing it and booted from the Install CD, but it could only
do a full reinstall, during which it erased all installed programs and had to
reinstall everything. Earlier Windows versions (i.e 98 and 95) just did an
autodetect of new devices and went just fine whenever I updated hardware, but
I just can't get Win XP to do the same.
I was wondering if there is an easier way to get the same installed windows
running on an updated hardware, instead of having to reinstall everything. Is
it possible to force a new system devices detect istead of attempting boot
with the old installed devices -- which seems to lock up the system, as no
longer present?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The hardware abstraction layer is no longer valid because of the changes to
the hardware. It would be the same if you took the hard drive out and put
it in a different computer.

You have to do a repair install of XP from an XP cd that matches the license
(probably a corporate edition).

repair install
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I'm using Win XP SP2 at my work and recently we upgraded my computer, which
included getting a better motherboard and CPU. After putting the system
together, I tried to boot it up, from the same XP install -- from the same
hard disk -- but XP would not boot up, and it would freeze and reboot after
attempting to load some agp???.sys. It locks up even in trying to run a safe
mode or even a command prompt. It wouldn't even get to give me a command
prompt (freeze and auto-reboot when I try bypassing the system files with F8).
I tried re-installing it and booted from the Install CD, but it could only
do a full reinstall, during which it erased all installed programs and had to
reinstall everything. Earlier Windows versions (i.e 98 and 95) just did an
autodetect of new devices and went just fine whenever I updated hardware, but
I just can't get Win XP to do the same.
I was wondering if there is an easier way to get the same installed windows
running on an updated hardware, instead of having to reinstall everything. Is
it possible to force a new system devices detect istead of attempting boot
with the old installed devices -- which seems to lock up the system, as no
longer present?

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM installations
and licenses 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

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.


--

Bruce Chambers

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both at once. - RAH

 

[Michael Stevens]

In

I'm using Win XP SP2 at my work and recently we upgraded my computer,
which included getting a better motherboard and CPU. After putting
the system together, I tried to boot it up, from the same XP install
-- from the same hard disk -- but XP would not boot up, and it would
freeze and reboot after attempting to load some agp???.sys. It locks
up even in trying to run a safe mode or even a command prompt. It
wouldn't even get to give me a command prompt (freeze and auto-reboot
when I try bypassing the system files with F8). I tried re-installing
it and booted from the Install CD, but it could only
do a full reinstall, during which it erased all installed programs
and had to reinstall everything. Earlier Windows versions (i.e 98 and
95) just did an autodetect of new devices and went just fine whenever
I updated hardware, but I just can't get Win XP to do the same.
I was wondering if there is an easier way to get the same installed
windows running on an updated hardware, instead of having to
reinstall everything. Is it possible to force a new system devices
detect istead of attempting boot with the old installed devices --
which seems to lock up the system, as no longer present?

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
Move XP to new hardware.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
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