Question Help: cant load windows after motherboard upgrade

[saint666]

Hi

I just upgraded my PC including a new motherboard from Gigabyte Z390 M GAMING Micro ATX to MSI MPG Z690 EDGE WIFI DDR4 ATX.. and connected my old system SSD drive, which is detected in the BIOS along with the other drives and full 32gb RAM and CPU

So I tried the following:

1) Removed all other drives and kept only the SSD (system) drive .. no luck
2) I used another drive (HDD) that contained a clean windows installed.. and it logged into windows
3) I changed BIOS mode to CSM and then selected Hard drive and UEFI Hard Drive... got "There is no VBIOS support detected..." .. This seems to be the solution recommended everywhere but its not working or I'm not doing it correctly

I don't want to do a fresh windows reinstall as I have many programs and setups related to my SIM racing gear also I don't think I have my windows key and therefore a fresh install on a new motherboard might require repurchasing a new windows key

Please note that I sued a USB boot and saw that drive is working and contains all folder so its I'm guessing it cant be defective drive

Your input and assistance will be highly appreciated

​

 

[Zerk2012]

Hi

I just upgraded my PC including a new motherboard from Gigabyte Z390 M GAMING Micro ATX to MSI MPG Z690 EDGE WIFI DDR4 ATX.. and connected my old system SSD drive, which is detected in the BIOS along with the other drives and full 32gb RAM and CPU

So I tried the following:

1) Removed all other drives and kept only the SSD (system) drive .. no luck
2) I used another drive (HDD) that contained a clean windows installed.. and it logged into windows
3) I changed BIOS mode to CSM and then selected Hard drive and UEFI Hard Drive... got "There is no VBIOS support detected..." .. This seems to be the solution recommended everywhere but its not working or I'm not doing it correctly

I don't want to do a fresh windows reinstall as I have many programs and setups related to my SIM racing gear also I don't think I have my windows key and therefore a fresh install on a new motherboard might require repurchasing a new windows key

Please note that I sued a USB boot and saw that drive is working and contains all folder so its I'm guessing it cant be defective drive

Your input and assistance will be highly appreciated

​

Most of the time a fresh install is required.
3 Things can happen, it works, it don't work, or your chasing issues for months.

 

[saint666]

3 Things can happen, it works, it don't work, or your chasing issues for months.

did understand what you mean ?

 

[JeffreyP55]

Hi

I just upgraded my PC including a new motherboard from Gigabyte Z390 M GAMING Micro ATX to MSI MPG Z690 EDGE WIFI DDR4 ATX.. and connected my old system SSD drive, which is detected in the BIOS along with the other drives and full 32gb RAM and CPU

So I tried the following:

1) Removed all other drives and kept only the SSD (system) drive .. no luck
2) I used another drive (HDD) that contained a clean windows installed.. and it logged into windows
3) I changed BIOS mode to CSM and then selected Hard drive and UEFI Hard Drive... got "There is no VBIOS support detected..." .. This seems to be the solution recommended everywhere but its not working or I'm not doing it correctly

I don't want to do a fresh windows reinstall as I have many programs and setups related to my SIM racing gear also I don't think I have my windows key and therefore a fresh install on a new motherboard might require repurchasing a new windows key

Please note that I sued a USB boot and saw that drive is working and contains all folder so its I'm guessing it cant be defective drive

Your input and assistance will be highly appreciated

​

Unless the motherboard is exactly the same hardware you are doomed to failure. Different motherboards have different components needing different drivers. Do yourself a favor and do a fresh windows installation. Incompatibility comes to mind. Hopefully you have been backing up your data. Forget about the boot drive.

 

[saint666]

Unless the motherboard is exactly the same hardware you are doomed to failure. Different motherboards have different components needing different drivers. Do yourself a favor and do a fresh windows installation. Incompatibility comes to mind. Hopefully you have been backing up your data. Forget about the boot drive.

well.. It seems that this is the only way .. so Ill get a Fresh NVME and install the windows there.. and i wont have to delete anything

2 questions ...

1) How can get my windows 10 Pro Key in order to install windows.. the SSD is installed in the new system and the old system and motherboard are not available

2) Will the fresh install be affected by having another drive containing windows system files

 

[SkyNetRising]

1) How can get my windows 10 Pro Key in order to install windows.. the SSD is installed in the new system and the old system and motherboard are not available

Use windows activation troubleshooter - section about reactivating about significant hardware change.

Reactivating Windows after a hardware change - Microsoft Support

Learn how to prepare your Windows device for a hardware change and find help reactivating Windows after a hardware change is complete.

support.microsoft.com

2) Will the fresh install be affected by having another drive containing windows system files

While installing windows, have only single drive connected.
Connect other drives only after install is done. Then install process can't affect your other drives.

 

[JeffreyP55]

well.. It seems that this is the only way .. so Ill get a Fresh NVME and install the windows there.. and i wont have to delete anything

2 questions ...

1) How can get my windows 10 Pro Key in order to install windows.. the SSD is installed in the new system and the old system and motherboard are not available

2) Will the fresh install be affected by having another drive containing windows system files

Only effects the boot drive. You need the key or buy a new one. Window 10 keys are very cheap.
All previous windows system files will be null and void. Back up all critical data. Everything on the boot drive will be deleted before the installation begins
Good luck!

 

[Moonstick2]

did understand what you mean ?

The point is that when you change such an integral component as the motherboard for a different one without reinstalling Windows, then either:

1) It all works fine and you never have any problems.
2) It doesn't work at all and you can't even get into Windows.
3) You can get into Windows, but you after a while you keep running into regular issues; network/USB connections disappearing, blue screens, black screens, graphics glitches, assorted crashes...

(1) is pretty uncommon.

Because of (2) and (3), if intending a motherboard upgrade you should plan for a potential full OS install accordingly: backing up, getting the key, noting down settings and so on. But then by the time you've done all that, you may as well reinstall the OS regardless after the upgrade instead of hoping you'll fall luckily into (1).

Not so helpful to you now, but more for anybody else reading that might be thinking of doing the same.

In your case, how far towards booting Windows does your system get? If you can't get into Safe Mode via F8 you could try Method 2 here?