How to switching bootable harddrive between computers?

[GermyBoy]

Every time I try to switch my bootable harddrive from motherboard "A" to motherboard "B" with a different chipset, Win2k gives me this blue screen error telling me to check my disk for errors. I ran scandisk from a bootable Norton disk I had, and ran virus check, and then I tried doing a Repair from the Win2k boot disk.

Is there anything I can do to fix this other than reinstalling the OS?

Thank you for your time.

Peace,
GermyBoy

 

[WTT0001]

I don't really think there is anything you can do, It really happens because all the drivers are different for each computer. If it is a one time switch then just do the reinstall, it will work perfectly, If you need to do multiple switches either (1) break down and pick up a 40 or 60 gig Hard Drive for $50 AR (see hot deals) or use a couple of small hard drives as the bootable drives and use your current one as a non-bootable data drive (removable hard drive bay or something of that sort).

Edit: as a dumb thought, is there a way to switch hardware configurations in Win2k??? I am pretty sure there was a way in Win98.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Use images, or use hardware profiles (System properties -> Hardware -> Hardware Profiles).

 

[Linflas]

If it is IDE you might want to boot it back up on the old MB and change over to the generic IDE drivers. Once you have successfully booted on the new MB you can install the drivers for your new MB.

 

[Mutilator]

Have you tried going into device manager... removing everything... shutting down the computer... removing the hard drive... putting the hard drive in the 2nd computer... and booting it up? That will probably work because it'll pickup the new hardware when you boot instead of trying to find the older stuff and blue screening on you.

 

[GermyBoy]

Originally posted by: Mutilator
Have you tried going into device manager... removing everything... shutting down the computer... removing the hard drive... putting the hard drive in the 2nd computer... and booting it up? That will probably work because it'll pickup the new hardware when you boot instead of trying to find the older stuff and blue screening on you.

Yes, I figured that that would work in the beginning. I deleted all drivers from the device manager and switched. I am really wondering if anyone has ever done this successfully with Win2k. I never have, nor do I know anyone that has.

I guess formatting is the price I have to pay for doubling my clockspeed.

 

[GermyBoy]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q268066

This is such crap. I cannot believe this. This is first of all, not fair, and they should fix it. Makes me wanna format and install Linux, although I know I won't right now in my life, as I don't know it well enough to use as a primary machine.

 

[GermyBoy]

Darn. I guess the only way to do this would be using a PCI IDE controller for boot, and always using between computers. Jeez, what a lousy design.

 

[NogginBoink]

This is really a Very Bad Idea. Changing the motherboard out from under the OS is a risky operation.

In theory, as long as both computers use the same HAL and the same disk controller driver, it should work. But even so, there are unquantifiable risks there.