This evening I attempted to upgrade my motherboard and processor on my computer that is running an OEM version of Vista.
I understand that I probably would have to purchase a new license, which I was prepared to do.
The processor I went from was a 2.0 ghz dual core pentium processor that fit into a LGA 775 socket. I replaced it with an E8400 3.0 ghz dual core pentium processor, also a LGA 775 chip.
The motherboard was something unheard of and generic from a bare-bones system I purchased this time last year after my last computer (where I got the OEM CD-ROM from) crashed. It took an LGA 775 processor chip. I hadn't checked the board before purchasing the processor but later found that the board was outdated enough that FSB wasn't compatible with the new chip. To support the new chip I purchased a Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3LR board.
For hardware installation I followed the same steps I did when building a new machine earlier this year, and that I did when moving the HDD (which was then running XP-Pro) to the bare-bones system last year, everything appeared to go flawlessly. Then I tried booting the system up.
The system boots through the BIOS and start-up checks fine. But, when it goes to load Vista, I get a split second glimpse at the loading bar screen for Vista and then the computer restarts. Upon restart, it pulls up a screen stating that says: Window Failed to Start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem: 1. Insert Windows installation disc and restart, 2. Select language settings, 3. Click "repair your computer", and then gives me various Windows boot-up options. When I select to start-up in Safe Mode, the start up hangs at the crcdisk line and then again restarts to the same "Windows Failed to Start" screen.
When following the instructions and inserting my Windows install disc and selecting the repair option, it attempts to repair the problem, but eventually stalls out and tells me that the repair your computer option cannot fix the problem. I can reinstall, but since it's an OEM Disc the upgrade option is not available.
In researching the problem I've tried various things I've come across on the internet including turning on and off certain options in the motherboard (i.e. Legacy USB storage detect, setting the CD-ROM IDE as a slave as well as turning it off and disconnecting it completely). I also ran the Windows memory check to ensure that all the system memory survived the transition and was working; it checked out.
The only site I've read that made sense suggested that the new hardware needs to be configured by Windows at instillation and that since it has changed, if the repair doesn't work, Windows must be reinstalled either as a fresh install or as an upgrade. Outside of Windows, I have about 300 GB worth of data on the HDD which, unfortunately, isn't backed up, and the upgrade option is only available from within the Vista environment which I can't get into.
I'm hoping someone here may have some suggestion that will work to get Windows to load and the computer functioning properly.
Thanks for your help and time.
I understand that I probably would have to purchase a new license, which I was prepared to do.
The processor I went from was a 2.0 ghz dual core pentium processor that fit into a LGA 775 socket. I replaced it with an E8400 3.0 ghz dual core pentium processor, also a LGA 775 chip.
The motherboard was something unheard of and generic from a bare-bones system I purchased this time last year after my last computer (where I got the OEM CD-ROM from) crashed. It took an LGA 775 processor chip. I hadn't checked the board before purchasing the processor but later found that the board was outdated enough that FSB wasn't compatible with the new chip. To support the new chip I purchased a Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3LR board.
For hardware installation I followed the same steps I did when building a new machine earlier this year, and that I did when moving the HDD (which was then running XP-Pro) to the bare-bones system last year, everything appeared to go flawlessly. Then I tried booting the system up.
The system boots through the BIOS and start-up checks fine. But, when it goes to load Vista, I get a split second glimpse at the loading bar screen for Vista and then the computer restarts. Upon restart, it pulls up a screen stating that says: Window Failed to Start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem: 1. Insert Windows installation disc and restart, 2. Select language settings, 3. Click "repair your computer", and then gives me various Windows boot-up options. When I select to start-up in Safe Mode, the start up hangs at the crcdisk line and then again restarts to the same "Windows Failed to Start" screen.
When following the instructions and inserting my Windows install disc and selecting the repair option, it attempts to repair the problem, but eventually stalls out and tells me that the repair your computer option cannot fix the problem. I can reinstall, but since it's an OEM Disc the upgrade option is not available.
In researching the problem I've tried various things I've come across on the internet including turning on and off certain options in the motherboard (i.e. Legacy USB storage detect, setting the CD-ROM IDE as a slave as well as turning it off and disconnecting it completely). I also ran the Windows memory check to ensure that all the system memory survived the transition and was working; it checked out.
The only site I've read that made sense suggested that the new hardware needs to be configured by Windows at instillation and that since it has changed, if the repair doesn't work, Windows must be reinstalled either as a fresh install or as an upgrade. Outside of Windows, I have about 300 GB worth of data on the HDD which, unfortunately, isn't backed up, and the upgrade option is only available from within the Vista environment which I can't get into.
I'm hoping someone here may have some suggestion that will work to get Windows to load and the computer functioning properly.
Thanks for your help and time.