PC won't boot with new hard drive?!

[mb5049]

Hi all,

Simply put... HELP!!!!... please.

My machine works perfectly with my 160gb Maxtor Hardrive.
My Dads old machine works fine with his 40gb Maxtor Hard drive.

My dad has had a new computer so I have had his old one so that I can make use of his faster motherboard/processor.

Simple eh!

I put my graphics card and DVD rw in my dads old case no problem. I then put my hard drive in making sure that cables were right and Jumpers the same as the old hard drive. However, when I came to start the computer it runs through it's boot procedure, then just as the Windows XP black load screen starts to appear, the machine starts to reboot again.

WHY?
What am I doing wrong?

Please help.

Thanks.

Matt. :x

 

[Scarchunk]

If I'm reading this right you are attempting to put a hard drive from another machine into a new comp. You are going to have driver conflicts. Basically Windows is trying to boot and find all it's hardware and it's all different. You can't just swap hard drives with operating systems like that. My advice is to pull all the files that you need off the disk ans reformat and reinstall Windows on the new comp.

 

[mb5049]

I was rather hoping you weren't going to say that! but thanks anyway.

Anyone any other ideas before I have to format? (hope I don't lose all my music on iTunes!!)

Matt

 

[Scarchunk]

Well you can try using a Windows disk and select the option for installing Windows. When the program detects that there is already a Windows installation present, you can select the option to repair the current Windows installation. I've heard that it works about half the time. If you're switching processor brands(Intel/AMD) then I'm pretty sure it won't work and a reformat/reinstall is you're only option. As for your iTunes music, just set the jumper on the hard drive to slave and plug it into an existing computer. You can then go into the hard drive thru "My Computer" and pull files off it and save them somewhere. Your iTunes music is located in "My Documents" under the music folder. You'll find all your music in the iTunes music folder and you can just drag the folder onto a blank CD or DVD(if you have a ton of mp3's) You can then add them to your new iTunes installation once you've reformated and reinstalled on the hard drive.

 

[paybax]

Dude........MB.......
Scar is right... you can't just take another hard drive and put it into another puter and expect it to work. 8O
It's like putting you in a COMPLETELY dark room that you can't see a thing.....scattering 100 pennies all over the floor......and then asking you to find ALLLL 100 pennies and then find you r way out of the room !!!!
What do YOU think would be going through your mind? TOTAL KAOS right?? Good analogy of what is going on with that hdd you are trying to boot from.
Sorry to say dude but reformat is your best route... and you won't lose your iTUnes....put the drive back into your old puter and back them up onto a few dvd's or another storage hdd then reformat the drive you want to use for your O/S

Might I suggest (if you haven't thought of it already) that you buy a sizable hdd ie 250 gig... and use it ONLY for storage. That way if you ever run into problems... like now all you have to do wipe out your main drive.. reformat .... and copy an paste the tunes from your storage drive BACK onto your main drive.

I have one Maxtor SATA II 250 gig hdd that I ONLY USE for backing up "my documents" . I back up once a week and date the folder. It has all my save games, mp3's, movies, files, etc. I hook it up and back up PIRIOD.
Good luck bro and hope we helped

RIG specs
Antec P180 PerformanceSeries Mid-Tower Case
SeaSonic S12 600 watt power supply
Asus A8N32 SLI mobo AMD N-Force 4 SLIX16 (bios 1103 V02.58)
RealTek 97 onboard digital 5.1 Surround
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo Core, 2 X 1mb L2 cache (AMD drivers w/MS hotfix)
2 gigs of Corsair TwinX3500LL Pro @ 437Mhz 2-3-2-6-1T
2- BFG Tech 7900 GT OC 256mg in SLI (nvidia driver 91.31)
Western Digital RAPTOR 74.3 gig 10-K rpm HDD for XP & Apps
Maxtor SATA II 250 G HDD for gaming, movies, MP3's
Maxtor SATA II 250 G HDD for document backup (unplugged)
Sony CD rom 52X
Plextor 708-A DVD/CD rom
Logitech Z-5500 digital 5.1 THX Surround 500watts

 

[SomeJoe7777]

You can try the following procedure. I have done things like this in the past successfully, but it's not guaranteed to work every time:

Upgrading a Motherboard Without Reinstalling Windows

Make sure to have a backup of your data before attempting, in case something goes wrong.

 

[mb5049]

Thanks guys I appreciate your help and honesty!

One more thing... thick of me I know... but reformatting the hdd, do I do it in my 'old'machine or the one I want to move it to??

Thanks again guys.

Matt.
:roll:

 

[Scarchunk]

After you've pulled the files you need, you might as well reformat it in the machine that you're going to install Windows on.(you can reformat in either though) When you hook up the hard drive in the new comp and boot from the Windows CD, the Windows installer will detect the old Windows already on the disk. You'll have to tell the installer to delete the old Windows partition, and then when you select to install Windows on the now empty partition it will automatically reformat the disk.

 

[g-paw]

You can try the following procedure. I have done things like this in the past successfully, but it's not guaranteed to work every time:

Upgrading a Motherboard Without Reinstalling Windows

Make sure to have a backup of your data before attempting, in case something goes wrong.

Getting a new mobo this week, will be interested in seeing how this works. One questions, in XP does this affect the Activation? Thanks

 

[mb5049]

Scar..,

Think I get what you mean, although (I maybe reading between the lines too much) the system I am putting the hdd into is an existing system with xp etc... its just that I want to swap the old hdd for my bigger one.

Does the same still apply?

Sorry for being 'a bit thick' but I suppose we all have to start somewhere don't we.

Thanks.

Matt.

PS I'm in the UK so off to bed now. back on some time tomorow so keep the advice coming please!

 

[Scarchunk]

You're taking a 160GB hard drive from your old comp and putting it in your dads comp to replace the 40GB he had, right? The 160GB has your old Windows XP install on it so it has all the old drivers from your old comp. When you try to put the 160GB in your dads comp Windows can't find the cpu, chipset, etc. from your old comp so it freaks out and shuts down/reboot. Your best off to plug the 160GB into the primary master channel in your dad's comp and set it in the bios to boot from the dvd/cd drive(if it isn't already). The comp will boot into the Windows installer and you will tell it to install Windows. It will then detect that you have Windows already on a partition on the disc and you will tell it to delete that partition. Then you will install Windows on that now empty partition. This will automatically format and install Windows and you should boot up after. You will then have to check device manager to see what hardware that you need to get drivers for. Your best to install drivers from the manufactuters website so as to get the most recent ones. Hope this helps.

 

[mb5049]

Cheers Scar. I will give that a try and let you know when I have sorted it.

Thanks again.

Matt

 

[Alyarbank]

I would suggest Symantec GhostPE to image the 40GB to the 160GB. It will work perfectly and you won't need to reinstall anything at all. (If your 40GB is in good working condition) that is. It will copy all data and spread the free space evenly between the partitions if you have more than one. You can even divy it up manually if desired.

Another option would be to upgrade it in place. ieMow over it with Setup and fix the broken stuff after it boots) But this will require reinstalling anything installed that is not a part of the OS, basically everything. Except paint and WordPad.

Not sure if you need Data from 160GB but if not Ghost is easiest way out.Beware that ghost will delete data on the target drive (160GB) so if you like the stuff there back it up first!

Good Luck

 

[aakashsharma191]

Hey this is a very stick problem you are having.You first see the manual of the HDD whether your MOBO does'nt support the HDD.There should be jumper settings(change them)AND HEY check the raid configuration also

If it does'nt do try patching the old bios to a new one avialable in net


I think your pc would be running again

 

[SomeJoe7777]

You can try the following procedure. I have done things like this in the past successfully, but it's not guaranteed to work every time:

Upgrading a Motherboard Without Reinstalling Windows

Make sure to have a backup of your data before attempting, in case something goes wrong.

Getting a new mobo this week, will be interested in seeing how this works. One questions, in XP does this affect the Activation? Thanks

If only the motherboard is changed (i.e. same processor, hard drive, network card, video card, memory size, etc.) then no, you will not have to reactivate Windows.

The more components you change, the more likely it is that Windows will want to reactivate.

Generally changing only one of those components (like the motherboard) is not enough to make Windows want to reactivate. But changing two or more will usually do it.