Windows 8 HDD transfered to different machine, and won't boot.

[Guest]

I really need some help on this because I'm using a damn iphone for internet and it really sucks with the small screen and keyboard.
My OEM pc's motherboard got damaged, and I'm just 4 months over the 1-year RMA period so can no longer do. I decided to just build a new machine with similar chipset and architecture, and reusing the RAM, PSU, and HDD from the OEM.

Everything is good to go except the old HDD with Windows 8 won't boot!
I asked a friend to come over with his PC to temporarily plug the HDD from his PC (With Windows 7) into my new build to make sure everything works and boots. It did so well, which means all components are set up correctly. This only means the damned Windows 8 is somehow being stubborn and is probably not liking the new motherboard or something.

I also tried changing some settings in the BIOS like IDE to AHCI, but still not working.
Please help me get this to work.

 

[USAFRet]

Often, a HDD from PC 1 will not boot when put into PC 2. Period. There is almost no way to predict whether it will work or not, except in the instance of PC 1 and PC 2 being exactly the same.

Then we run into licensing issues. Different motherboards, etc.

But the actual boot issue is, as you have seen, the problem.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[jimpz]

While Win 8 is generally forgiving when changing components, your version is an OEM & most likely picks up it's key from the bios on the original mobo, not seeing this key it more than likely just doesn't boot.

 

[photonboy]

1) Windows 8 OEM (purchased, not pre-built) is fully transferrable. That's not the issue though since he can't even boot properly.

2) You must REINSTALL Windows. There must be some important motherboard difference, possibly your new one is set to Legacy and you installed the OS in UEFI mode or vice versa.

*You could try toggling from UEFI to Legacy (or vice versa) to see if you can now boot. Read your motherboard. Otherwise it's hard to help remotely.

(You should try to install in UEFI mode.)

 

[Guest]

Thank you all for your input. Unfortunately it still won't boot even after a whole day of trying different options. The only thing that got it to boot was using my USB backup image, but after performing a reset, Windows asks for a new key. Decided to contact Microsoft (which was a bad idea), and they told me that a new motherboard is considered a new PC, therefore a new license must be purchased.

I guess I dug myself a larger whole by contacting Microsoft. I really hope the rumor about a free version of Windows 9 comes into play, because I think this will be my last Windows (if not free) since I wasn't that fond of 8 or even 8.1 anyway.

Too bad games are too reliant on Windows. I am tempted to try SteamOS, but I fear that since it's only Beta, it may not be a good "plug n' play-ready out-of-the-box" option.

But back to my hard drive issue, I guess I'll just wait on things and leave it alone for now because I don't want to jump into something (like steamos) that will complicate things more. I am even considering SSD, so if I ever get convinced to get another license for Windows, at least it will be worth it with the performance of SSD. (at least from what I've read - SSD's will boost the entire system, especially Windows).

 

[Guest]

Hello everyone. I am still in a dilemma with this. I'm temporarily using a free OS since I can't get this old HDD with Win8 to work.
This does not sound right at all. I shouldn't have to pay for another Windows if I already have it - especially already installed in a HDD.
It's not like I'm trying to use two PC's with the same Windows and license. All I want is to get this HDD to work with my new components!
Anyone please help!

 

[jimpz]

When you bought that PC, you didn't 'buy' a copy of windows from MS, you got a copy of the OEM OS, different rules, it is tied to the original PC,
If they gave you a fully transferable copy, your PC would cost more.

 

[Guest]

When you bought that PC, you didn't 'buy' a copy of windows from MS, you got a copy of the OEM OS, different rules, it is tied to the original PC,
If they gave you a fully transferable copy, your PC would cost more.

So I'm guessing that the other threads about "Cloning HDD's with OS and everything" to be transferred to another PC are considered "not playing with the rules"?

Anyway, at this point I've been using a free OS and I've gotten quiet used to it already, so I think I'll just obliterate the contents of that OEM HDD, and use it as extra storage once it's been re-formatted.

Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

When you bought that PC, you didn't 'buy' a copy of windows from MS, you got a copy of the OEM OS, different rules, it is tied to the original PC,
If they gave you a fully transferable copy, your PC would cost more.

So I'm guessing that the other threads about "Cloning HDD's with OS and everything" to be transferred to another PC are considered "not playing with the rules"?

Anyway, at this point I've been using a free OS and I've gotten quiet used to it already, so I think I'll just obliterate the contents of that OEM HDD, and use it as extra storage once it's been re-formatted.

Thanks

If transferred to another "PC" (PC defined here as the motherboard), and if it is a Win7 OS or earlier, then that is, according to the MS license, 'not playing by the rules'.
That OEM license belongs to that original motherboard. How it gets transferred does not matter. Clone, reinstall, whatever...

Having said that...MS is often quite lenient about reactivating that license on a different PC (motherboard). But they do not have to be.
It is entirely up to the activation server, and/or whatever human you may get on the phone.