Switched HD into new system

[mallik]

I have a HD from my old system that is loaded with windows XP and all software, and I just assembled a new system. I don't have a second HD so I took the HD from my old system to the new system to test it. Well the HD is detected and everything, and it starts to load up Windows, but then it just reboots the system out of nowhere.

Is it because the drive is pre-configured for the settings for the old system? Would I have to reformat it? Is there a way to just get it working for testing?

 

[mechBgon]

That's normal. WinXP is Not Amused by mobo swaps. Put it back in your old system and figure out a way to back up your data, for starters. Then you can do a fresh installation of Windows if you like, or you can try the repair-install method:

oh heck, I just typed this out three times today already... copy/paste...

1) start Windows Setup from CD-ROM

2) when you're first allowed to choose Repair versus Install, choose Install.

3) Windows Setup proceeds for a couple minutes, you agree to the EULA, and it shows the existing disk partitions. Choose the C:\ partition and Windows Setup should see the existing C:\WINDOWS directory and offer to repair that installation. NOW choose "Repair."

4) Make sure your network cable is unplugged, or your wireless access point and/or modem are turned off, to prevent direct worm attacks on your "raw" Windows installation. Before connecting the computer to a network, enable the Internet Connection Firewall (consult Windows Help if you don't know where) or install Service Pack 2 from a CD (which enables the firewall, called "Windows Firewall" on WinXP SP2, and patches many vulnerabilities too).

5) when your repair-installation of Windows is done, you will have your data and programs still in place, but you'll need to reinstall your service packs and patches for Windows. Visit Windows Update and Office Update several times until you come up clean.

Good luck

 

[dierbouten]

I have the same problem as the first poster. I followed your directions completely about repariing windows and was able to go through the entire process. However, windows xp continues to reboot as before. Is there anything else I should do?

 

[daveybrat]

I have the same problem as the first poster. I followed your directions completely about repariing windows and was able to go through the entire process. However, windows xp continues to reboot as before. Is there anything else I should do?

Yup, it's time for a format.

 

[dierbouten]

Anything besides a reformat, I mean.

 

[Genesis15]

You see with computers there are just about NO easy ways out. Sorry guys :-/

 

[mallik]

You see with computers there are just about NO easy ways out. Sorry guys :-/

Don't I know it. I can't believe it, but I'm having another problem. I didn't want to format or reinstall windows on that drive, so I tried another (clean) drive. The thing is I had installed a different CPU (Athlon TBird 1GHz) earlier (I know, I'm asking for trouble). Well the system booted and went to the SCSI portion where it detects all devices, but then it just shut down out of nowhere. I couldn't turn on the system again unless I unplugged the power cord from the PSU for a few seconds.

I plugged in the power cord, and it started up again and the same thing happened. On the third try, the system powered up but nothing came up on the screen, and then it shut down by itself again.

The thing is I couldn't find my thermal paste, so I just installed the heatsink/fan with the little amount of thermal paste that was already on the CPU. Is that bad? Could the CPU damage like that, or is it just if you run it for really long periods without thermal paste? Anyways, is that the reason why the system is shutting down suddenly?

 

[mechBgon]

Is that bad?

Yeah.

Could the CPU damage like that

Yeah.

Another issue that used to be very frequent was people getting their heatsink backwards, see third & fourth photos on this page. Also, if your motherboard is set up to use a higher bus speed than your 1GHz TBird is made for, it could be running at 133%, 166% or 200% of its rated speed, or trying to at least. On some mobos that's controlled with a jumper, on some it's controlled via the BIOS. What motherboard is this?

Big picture: if the worst thing that happens is you toasted a 1GHz Tbird with a market value of ?$20?, don't sweat it too hard

 

[mallik]

Even if the system was only on for less than a minute? The MB is a Gigabyte GA-7VTXE. Is there any sign that I would see if the CPU got damaged as a result? Also the system shuts off by itself after a few seconds. Doesn't the system usually stay on if the CPU is damaged?

 

[mechBgon]

If the CPU isn't making good flat contact with the heatsink, or has no thermal grease, it'll reach overheat in about 1-3 seconds. Think about it, go wrap your hand around a 60-watt lightbulb for five seconds. Now imagine all that heat focused on just your thumbnail (which is about the mass of the CPU core). I bet you'd punch out of that situation in 1-3 seconds too

The Thunderbirds don't have an overheat-shutdown circuit like the AthlonXPs do, so I could be barking up the wrong tree, but trust me, if you want your Tbird to survive, you need proper thermal transfer to the heatsink, which means the heatsink has to be on the right way and there has to be thermal-transfer material to bridge the microgap between the CPU and the heatsink.

Now that I've talked that subject to death the other possible cause for auto-shutdown that I can think of, is if the mobo is designed to do that in the absence of an RPM signal on the CPU_FAN header. Once you get some thermal grease and are ready to take another run at this, make sure also that you have an RPM-sensing fan hooked up to the CPU-fan header, in case that's what's troubling it.