This was one of those situations where you just want to throw the whole system out the window.
But I didn't do that. Instead, I found the answer on the web. Here's the story:
For reasons explained in this thread
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2288216
I decided to replace my 64GB Kingston SSD with a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD. I opted to use an Apricorn SATA3 SSD adapter to house the 840 Pro because my ASUS P6T motherboard only supports SATA2.
I got the drive installed A-OK but I found that the Norton Ghost software which Samsung points you to will not do cloning unless you buy the registration key. So I tried the EZGig cloning software that came with the Apricorn Solo adapter. This also failed, I think because it could not handle the separate system partition on the Kingston SSD. So I downloaded the free version of Macrium Reflect and that did the cloning A-OK.
When I booted from the 840 I got the Starting Windows message OK, but Windows booted to a plain blue screen with tiny text at the bottom right corner that said "This version of Windows is not genuine." The only option at that point was Ctl-Alt-Delete which provided no help at all.
I had read that in this situation you have to call Microsoft to get your system re-validated because the MS Validation server (whatever that is) thinks you have tried to install their precious Windows 7 software on a 2nd PC. So I called them.
I took me 45 minutes and 4 call transfers to get to someone who thought he could help, but after 15 min. of trying several things, none of which helped, he said the problem was that something bad must have happened in the cloning process. He said he'd send me an email with info on cloning software their techs knew worked.
The first item in the email was the exact same software I used. So I figured re-doing this would not help. Instead I did some Google searches and found this posting:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188
So here's how I fixed the problem:
1. From non-functional "not genuine" screen hit Ctl-Alt-Delete
2. Start Task Manager
3. Click the Start New Task button and enter "Regedit"
4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices
5. Find \DosDevices\C: and change it to \DosDevices\X: <=== this is the Kingston "old" boot drive
6. Find \DosDevices\D: and change it to \DosDevices\C: <=== this is the new 840 Pro boot drive
7. Exit Regedit & reboot
My system rebooted fine with the 840 Pro as C: and the Kingston as X:. I got a message about needing to Validate my Windows; it pointed me to a MS site that wanted me to download an update. So I did that, installed and ran it, and it said I was validated but had to reboot. So I rebooted again, got a quick message about "Installing updates", and Windows came up A-OK.
Now I may have done something wrong with Macrium Reflect when I cloned my Kngston boot drive. But I don't recall seeing anything about changing drive letters.
Additional info:
Would you believe that after I rebooted off the 840 I got the dreaded "Missing Boot Manager" message? Well to fix that I had to boot off the Win7 DVD and run "System Repair." Had to do this 3 times in succession to get the boot sector fixed - even though it said the fix completed successfully each time.
Good grief!
But I didn't do that. Instead, I found the answer on the web. Here's the story:
For reasons explained in this thread
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2288216
I decided to replace my 64GB Kingston SSD with a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD. I opted to use an Apricorn SATA3 SSD adapter to house the 840 Pro because my ASUS P6T motherboard only supports SATA2.
I got the drive installed A-OK but I found that the Norton Ghost software which Samsung points you to will not do cloning unless you buy the registration key. So I tried the EZGig cloning software that came with the Apricorn Solo adapter. This also failed, I think because it could not handle the separate system partition on the Kingston SSD. So I downloaded the free version of Macrium Reflect and that did the cloning A-OK.
When I booted from the 840 I got the Starting Windows message OK, but Windows booted to a plain blue screen with tiny text at the bottom right corner that said "This version of Windows is not genuine." The only option at that point was Ctl-Alt-Delete which provided no help at all.
I had read that in this situation you have to call Microsoft to get your system re-validated because the MS Validation server (whatever that is) thinks you have tried to install their precious Windows 7 software on a 2nd PC. So I called them.
I took me 45 minutes and 4 call transfers to get to someone who thought he could help, but after 15 min. of trying several things, none of which helped, he said the problem was that something bad must have happened in the cloning process. He said he'd send me an email with info on cloning software their techs knew worked.
The first item in the email was the exact same software I used. So I figured re-doing this would not help. Instead I did some Google searches and found this posting:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188
So here's how I fixed the problem:
1. From non-functional "not genuine" screen hit Ctl-Alt-Delete
2. Start Task Manager
3. Click the Start New Task button and enter "Regedit"
4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices
5. Find \DosDevices\C: and change it to \DosDevices\X: <=== this is the Kingston "old" boot drive
6. Find \DosDevices\D: and change it to \DosDevices\C: <=== this is the new 840 Pro boot drive
7. Exit Regedit & reboot
My system rebooted fine with the 840 Pro as C: and the Kingston as X:. I got a message about needing to Validate my Windows; it pointed me to a MS site that wanted me to download an update. So I did that, installed and ran it, and it said I was validated but had to reboot. So I rebooted again, got a quick message about "Installing updates", and Windows came up A-OK.
Now I may have done something wrong with Macrium Reflect when I cloned my Kngston boot drive. But I don't recall seeing anything about changing drive letters.
Additional info:
Would you believe that after I rebooted off the 840 I got the dreaded "Missing Boot Manager" message? Well to fix that I had to boot off the Win7 DVD and run "System Repair." Had to do this 3 times in succession to get the boot sector fixed - even though it said the fix completed successfully each time.
Good grief!
Last edited:
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