Migrating an XP setup to a new computer

[LIVAN]

Ok guys, before I start, I know it's best to do a fresh install but I just cannot do that in this case so please help.


Here is the deal.


I built a new computer, everythng is ready to go. Athlong 64 3300+ with Biostar NF250 MObo, 512MB pc3200 DDR, 350W power, Radeon 7200 32MB DDR

It's sort of a budget system as seen by some components here. But anyways, I have a Drive that had Win XP installled operation on a dell dimension 3000, I want to try to migrate that over to the new computer.

Once migrated, I was able to get into Safemode and uninstall the old Onboard vid driver and some other things I can see to be installed. I then installed all the new chipset drivers fromt he new Mobo CD but for some reason the ATI driver package would not install and its asking me to install standard VGA first.

By the way, for the life of me I cannot get XP to install standard VGA, it just defaults to RADEON 7200, anyone know how to install Standard VGA?

Anyways, after all that, I reboot, I do get the Windows XP start screen but as it is about to go into windows, I get a blue screen and auto reboot.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[LIVAN]

help!

 

[Cr0nJ0b]

Step 1) backup your data with something like Ghost (my favorite). If you have a secocnd drive put the backup image there.
Step 2) Format your primary drive
Step 3) Install XP from the CD fresh
Step 4) Install all the latest drivers
Step 5) Patch and then patch some more till it's fully patched up
Step 6) Start system restore and take a restore point, call it "Clean Install"
Step 7) Add applications, games etc...make sure they are all patched
Step 8) Add in all the Security utils like AV and Spyware stuff
Step 9) Take another restore point call it "Clean install with Apps and patches"
Step 10) Load up ghost again and start pulling back your personal stuff like favorites and email and documents.

that's it.

The long and the short of it is that you generally are not well served by moving a living XP installation to a new hardware home. Lots of stuff gets plugged into the registry and other places that you just don't see. I've never had success at moving an OS across hardware...even after doing all the driver stuff that you are attempting now.

You can keep trying the uninstall reinstall with the drivers, but you will likely hit snags along the way and in the end...after much wasted time...format and reinstall.

 

[LIVAN]

hmmm

 

[TG2]

Wipe and load, it'll take you a long time to solve all the driver problems going from Dell/Intel to AMD/Nvidia setup

 

[LIVAN]

Thanks, basically I just want to try to get past the blue screen and actually boot into windows. Is there some sort of boot bypass that will let me get through the blue screen I am getting now?

 

[LIVAN]

Originally posted by: TG2
Wipe and load, it'll take you a long time to solve all the driver problems going from Dell/Intel to AMD/Nvidia setup

Ok so is there a way to migrate all the program installs, printers installs and all the network links in the original install over to a new wipe and install?

 

[sonoma1993]

it called file and setting tranfer wizard in the start men. But most likely all your programs will have to reinstall.

 

[TG2]

If you cant get it to boot, which is due to the different hardware/chipset/drivers from the old install, you cant run the transfer wizard, so basically your SOL.

You can try safe modes and stuff all you like

 

[LIVAN]

is it possible to run this wizard over the network?

How EXACTLY do you bring up this wizard?

 

[LIVAN]

Originally posted by: sonoma1993
it called file and setting tranfer wizard in the start men. But most likely all your programs will have to reinstall.

Does this Wizard only transfer settings for MS programs?

 

[HannibalX]

Well what I would do is this.

Sysprep the machine, ghost it and put the ghosted sysprep image onto the new hardware. Have all your driver's ready for the first boot up.

Thats just me, very easy and takes 30 minutes if you have sysprep (free from MS) and some ghosting software.

 

[ktwebb]

Generally speaking moving an install to a different machine is not going to work. I would suggest running sysprep on the box. Reseal option. Doubt it will solve anything but it's worth a shot. The other thing, and you may have already done this, but since you can get into safe mode, have you removed everything in Device manager? Not only drivers, but PCI bus, bridges, the whole bit, the reboot. That and sysprep before a reboot might do the trick.

 

[LIVAN]

Originally posted by: ktwebb
Generally speaking moving an install to a different machine is not going to work. I would suggest running sysprep on the box. Reseal option. Doubt it will solve anything but it's worth a shot. The other thing, and you may have already done this, but since you can get into safe mode, have you removed everything in Device manager? Not only drivers, but PCI bus, bridges, the whole bit, the reboot. That and sysprep before a reboot might do the trick.

Actually I haven't removed everything in device manager, that sounds good. I am not familiar with the sysprep software. I will do a search now for it. Is there a link to teh DL directly?

Thanks again. IF anyone else have any other ideas, I am all ears right now!

 

[LIVAN]

Originally posted by: Trinitron
Well what I would do is this.

Sysprep the machine, ghost it and put the ghosted sysprep image onto the new hardware. Have all your driver's ready for the first boot up.

Thats just me, very easy and takes 30 minutes if you have sysprep (free from MS) and some ghosting software.

So Sys prep the OLD Machine, Ghost it and restore the image onto the new machine? Sysprep seems like it's a Comandline type of program. I have no experience with it. Any good tips?

 

[HannibalX]

Right.

Sysprep basically is for creating images that can run on disimilar hardware. You can get it free from Microsoft on their site.

Its a program that runs in Windows. Basically you copy the i386 dir. from your XP CD. Sysprep uses the directory to rebuild the HAL when you put it up on another machine. Directorty structure, registy, everything is left in tact.

 

[LIVAN]

Originally posted by: Trinitron
Right.

Sysprep basically is for creating images that can run on disimilar hardware. You can get it free from Microsoft on their site.

Its a program that runs in Windows. Basically you copy the i386 dir. from your XP CD. Sysprep uses the directory to rebuild the HAL when you put it up on another machine. Directorty structure, registy, everything is left in tact.

Will using Sysprep adversely affect the functions of the source computer?

 

[LIVAN]

I have always used Acronis products. What do you guys think about this?

http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATISWin/universal-restore.html

 

[KELBOY]

I've unistalled the PCI HOST bridge and anything associated to the chipset out of device manager, when i moved an installation to a new computer and then when it booted it installed a default chipset for the mobo...

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: LIVAN

Originally posted by: Trinitron
Right.

Sysprep basically is for creating images that can run on disimilar hardware. You can get it free from Microsoft on their site.

Its a program that runs in Windows. Basically you copy the i386 dir. from your XP CD. Sysprep uses the directory to rebuild the HAL when you put it up on another machine. Directorty structure, registy, everything is left in tact.

Will using Sysprep adversely affect the functions of the source computer?

Not at all. Just don't boot into Windows until you have created your image of the Sysprepped machine. You need the "mini-setup" thats runs on the first boot to detect all your new hardware.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: LIVAN
Ok guys, before I start, I know it's best to do a fresh install but I just cannot do that in this case so please help.


Here is the deal.


I built a new computer, everythng is ready to go. Athlong 64 3300+ with Biostar NF250 MObo, 512MB pc3200 DDR, 350W power, Radeon 7200 32MB DDR

It's sort of a budget system as seen by some components here. But anyways, I have a Drive that had Win XP installled operation on a dell dimension 3000, I want to try to migrate that over to the new computer.

Once migrated, I was able to get into Safemode and uninstall the old Onboard vid driver and some other things I can see to be installed. I then installed all the new chipset drivers fromt he new Mobo CD but for some reason the ATI driver package would not install and its asking me to install standard VGA first.

By the way, for the life of me I cannot get XP to install standard VGA, it just defaults to RADEON 7200, anyone know how to install Standard VGA?

Anyways, after all that, I reboot, I do get the Windows XP start screen but as it is about to go into windows, I get a blue screen and auto reboot.

Anyone have any suggestions?

1. Make a Ghost-based backup of the entire hard drive before you do anything else; store it somewhere save and know how to restore it if you must.
2. Change your IDE disk interface to "Standard PCI IDE interface" in device manager, and immediately shut down the machine. Do not boot up again.
3. Put the drive into the new AMD machine.
4. Boot up.

If your HALs are the same and if the AMD box has an IDE disk controller compatible with the standard IDE controller (usually it will as long as it's not a RAID controller) it should boot, and then you'd need to supply all the right device drivers.

I suggest avoiding Sysprep for a single machine swap. It's made for enterprise deployments.

 

[HannibalX]

dclive 10 bucks says the system will blue screen doing it that way.

 

[dclive]

It's worth a shot. Sysprep can fail because it does not correctly switch between the existing HDD driver on the source machine and the unknown disk controller on the target machine. Those with knowledge of Sysprep can fix this by using -BMSD switch and creating driver directories, but that's considerably more difficult than simply doing the one-off step I mentioned.

The key questions are - will the new box boot with a standard PCI IDE disk driver, and does the new box have the same HAL. If the answer to those is yes, typically the box will boot fine, and then drivers must simply be installed.

 

[Brazen]

oops, post count +1