Windows 7 Not Booting after Moving Hard Disk from Server to Desktop

pacificfils said:

Hello all,

Let me explain my situation.

I have a server (HP Proliant ML350 G5) that has a hard disk with Windows 7 Enterprise and Ubuntu (I'll talk about that on UbuntuForums, though). I recently acquired a Dell Dimension 9150.

I moved the hard disk from the server to the Dell. Now Windows won't boot. It gets as far as the OS selection. I select Windows 7 from the OS choices. I don't even get the Starting Windows screen. If I try Safe Mode, I get the driver loading screen, but nothing more than that. When I try Startup Repair, it hangs at "Loading Windows Files".


I cannot re-install windows because of programs and admin tools found on that hard disk.


Please help!

all the drivers related to the motherboard will be installed with the windows 7 install so you would need to put the hard drive back on the server then run sysprep on win 7 shut down then put back onto the desktop which will have a different mobo and hardware setup which will be installed at first boot.

For Sysprep open an elevated cmd prompt and enter %windir%\System32\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe

In the sysprep dialog that opens, choose System Cleanup Action as Enter System Out-of-Box-Experience (OOBE), select Generalize, select Shutdown Options Shutdown. Click OK

At switch off pull power move the hardrive to the new machine and then boot where sysprep will run as if it was a fresh install possibly needing reeboots.

use test user to start to desktop.

google it if your unsure :)

*NB If you get a fatal error trying to run sysprep You just need to stop the WMP networking service, and run sysprep with generalize option again.

You can stop the service in question by typing net stop WMPNetworkSvc to command prompt, and hitting Enter: (use cd C:\windows\system32 to set correct directory)

or easier still use task manager

I am thinking the problem you have here is that Dell do not have Win 7 drivers for the Dell Dimension 9150, which means when trying to transfer your install windows 7 is going to struggle and even worse if your setup is 64 bit

not sure to be honest if this will even be possible but a sysprep technically should work at least to the point where you will have some devices missing at desktop , then you use Vista drivers to get them working >

Does the Dell Dimension 9150. have the latest BIOS ?

Here is the tutorial on sysprep . I just used it when changing motherboards and it worked perfect for me. Ickymay may be right though, it may be something to do with Dell.