Using the same Windows installation on a different PC

[Dream Operator]

I know this isn't recommended, but my pc is on the fritz (see "Trying to determine if my PSU is fried"). I moved my HD's over to a different pc. It sees the drive with xp as the primary and goes to the XP bootscreen, but 1 second after, it blue screens. I guess I should check the bios for the setting to not reboot on BSOD, if there is one.

Is it possible to get past this?

I connected the borrowed pc's original HD back up and now using it's windows install to access my files, but not able to use my programs of course.

You can see the pc that my windows was installed on in my sig.

The pc I'm trying to use is...

Asus P4S8X-MX
Celeron D 3.06
512MB Corsair VS PC3200
Nvidia 6200

 

[RebateMonger]

Two words: "Repair Install".

XP (assuming that's what you are using) doesn't like being moved to significantly different hardware. You can reconfigure the necessary system drivers by booting to your Windows XP Install CD, and perfoming a "Repair Installation" of XP. Do a search of Microsoft's support site for intimate details on how to perform this. Read the directions CAREFULLY.

If possible, copy any important data files to your other PC, and then you can try the repair install. I've had good luck with it in the past.

 

[Dream Operator]

Great tip, I didn't realize that repair could be used for this. I will check it out. I do have the ability to back up so not much to lose.

 

[RebateMonger]

Only problem is....as soon as you complete the Repair Installation, you'll have to re-activate Windows. If you are using an OEM version of XP on your old (broken) PC, you'll likely have to do a Phone Activation, since Online Activation will be refused.

If you explain your situation to the Microsoft rep, you'll, doubtless, be allowed to re-activate. If you have RETAIL XP, then you shouldn't have any problems re-activating your old XP install on the new computer.

 

[amdskip]

Eh, good luck. I wouldn't trust a repair install.

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: amdskip
Eh, good luck. I wouldn't trust a repair install.

Well said.
When i was in this position, i used the hard drive on another computer as a slave and just pulled the files i needed.

 

[chusteczka]

[*]Swapping a hard drive, with the system files ( C: ), from one system to another
Swapping a hard drive with the operating system files on it, from one system to another is similar to changing a motherboard in one system. The hard drive with operating system files and motherboard must communicate through drivers and if either the operating system hard drive or motherboard are changed, then the drivers must be updated. There are different ideas on how to update these drivers for the operating system and these ideas include:

• Clean Installation
• Repair Installation
• Use of Sysprep (more than one system)
• Standard PCI IDE Controller trick (only one system)
  
  • Helping Windows Survive a Motherboard Upgrade
  • How to: Upgrade your motherboard without reinstalling Windows.
  • "Standard PCI IDE Controller" trick
    • Put the HDD in the old machine, change the HDD controller to "Standard PCI IDE Controller", and then immediately shut the PC down and move it to the new PC. As long as the HAL is the same, the PC will boot. Be ready with driver CDs or floppies, and you're all set. (written by dclive)
  • Google: How to Move a Windows XP Installation to Different Hardware
  • Microsoft Support: How to Move a Windows XP Installation to Different Hardware
  • How to use the Sysprep tool to automate successful deployment of Windows XP
  • Windows XP Setup - Missing HAL.DLL
  • Microsoft: HAL Compatibility List

[*]Windows Repair Install

• Microsoft Support: How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
• Michael Stevens: How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

 

[furballi]

Swap the PSU if you believe the unit is defective! Why create another variable by swapping out the PC?