Windows 7: Migrate Win 7 from one HDD to another?

Hi folks,
here is my problem:
I want to migrate my systempartion from my old HDD (160 GB IDE) to my new HDD (1TB S-ATA). I've tried it with Acronis True Image and at first it worked fine. After changing the boot-properties, the windows-startscreen showed up, but after that there has been a "clean" desktop, without taskbar or Icons or else. Could it be, that Windows 7 (I've got the RC1) does not support Cloning , so to speak ?

I hope. that you can help me. Otherwise I would have to reinstall all my programms and stuff (would be more than 2 days of work...)

Well first off your using an old version 7100 rc that is not going to be validated in 2 days. So your going to have to do a clean install sooner or later. Personaly I would transfer all my critical data, apps,music, video and whatever else you want to keep to a flash drive or USB HD. And then purchase a genuine copy of 7 and do a clean install and transfer the other data to a supported OS. I know this isn't the answer you wanted but maybe someone else can steer you in the direction of a third party drive image app that will suit your needs.Free software imagining, partioning ect http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilit...neditors.shtml Good luck. Fabe

That my win 7 version is not going to get validated is new to me. I thought it would last till March 2010 and would after that restart every 2 hours.
Damnit.
Win 7 will be released tomorrow? I think I have to buy me a copy, otherwise I can through all my suff in a garbage can or I go back to Win XP but that's really the last way out.

You can still use it but you should really have RTM 7600. Thursday, actually one Tuesday MS issued an update that can't be installed without going thru the validation process. So even though you can still use your current version you won't be able to get critical updates. To my understanding. If I'm wrong I expect I'll be informed of this shortly.

Now it's too late. I've bought win 7 on amazon and it should be delivered tomorrow. Today I'll make some backups and work with my old HDD and my "old" win 7 RC1.
But thanks for the help :-)

The Win7RC is good until March 2010.

You can try startup repair to fix you Win7RC issues.

When I switched my 7RC to a different HD I did a Clean install with a memory stick, took about 15 min, then restored from a backup of my old RC which took about the same amount of time. It worked just as before.

Your better off with the New Windows 7. Is it an Upgrade or Full version?

You can use Windows Easy Transfer and get all the settings and user files, but still have to install all the programs, it will be just like your RC.

Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers

it's neither Full nor upgrade. It's a Systembuilder (called SBV or OEM ) version for 114 €.

The only difference between them is, that my version has no Microsoft support i.e. I won't get help from the MS Support team, if something goes wrong.

Ok, I am going to take a wild guess and suggest that Windows "re-assigned" your C: drive to some other drive letter when you restored the clone. This happened to me just a few days ago with a restored clone image of Windows 7 RTM. It booted fine, even gave me the correct login screen, but after I logged in with my password I ended up just like you with a blank desktop, no icons, no taskbar.

I want you to try something: Try to get into task manager ctrl-alt-del, then "start task manager", then try to run a program from there. "File" "New Task" "Run". Type "explorer". See if anything comes up. If it does, see if you can find your system drive and see what letter it is assigned. I bet it is not C: anymore. If you can't get explorer to run, try running some other program. If you get an error message like "path can't be found" that also would suggest to me that you are missing your C: drive assignment.

If that is the problem, then here is the solution that worked for me:

Multibooters, Vista Dual and Multibooting - Drive Letter Problems

I had to boot into Windows 7 safe mode with a recovery DVD to do the registry hack, I could not get into disk management service at all, and others here will tell you not to do it as it will make your system unuseable, but IF you have no other option and you are ready to re-install the whole thing anyway, I might try it first.

Let us know what happens.

Damon