Windows 7 Transfer with System on SSD and Profiles on HD

Is this an OEM or a retail license ?

jonhp said:

Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer
User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

windows 7 pro is on ssd
all profiles are on hard drive

question is, when replacing the motherboard (chip set, processor, memory), how to ensure that windows sees the SSD as the C: drive and the hard drive as the D: drive. If they don't appear with the correct drive letters, then windows is going to be confused about where the profiles are really at.

Sorry I don't understand it completely. What are you exactly transfering? So explain the old and new situation plz. Also explain current situation plz.

jonhp said:

current: windows 7 pro; system and applications (program files, program files (x86)) on an ssd; user profiles, programdata and other user data on a hard drive.

plan: replace the motherboard (chipset), cpu, memory. keep the rest of the system as is.

some SSD (c:\) data:
05/22/2012 11:27 PM <JUNCTION> ProgramData [D:\ProgramData]
05/22/2012 11:27 PM <JUNCTION> Users [D:\Users]

concern: since there are links on the ssd to the hard drive for the user profiles and program data, it is imperative that the os, when it boots for the first time with the new motherboard etc, sees the drives in the exact same order with the exact same drive letters. ie the ssd must be seen as the c: drive and the hard drive as the d: drive. otherwise the OS is going to get confused about the location of the user profiles and programdata and start automatically creating profile folders to satisfy itself before any user intervention is possible.

hope this helps further describe my concern/question.

Each physical disk has an unique disk signature. In win7 registry is defined what is called C, D etc. It is in registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices. It's the disk signature and start sector of the partition that is in that key that defines the drive letter.

You aren't going to relocate partitions? Not going to change disk signature? Even if you did with a good partition manager .... drive letters in registry will be updated by the program as well. So no problems at all!!

How are you making the system bootable after motherboard swap? sysprep doesn't work if you have relocated the stuff!!!! I advise you to do this: Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap . But first uninstall all unneeded drivers and software.

Please post screenshot of disk management as the situation is now ... so before swap. Only 1 ACTIVE partition I hope??!!

Post results

system boots from ACTIVE partition so "system reserved" . That has a boot menu that has a boot entry to win7 on C.
Drive lettering will give you no issues at all if you dont't move the partitions.

Don't use sysprep. I advise you to do this: Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap . But first uninstall all unneeded drivers and software.

Before swap, so now: Please post "device manager" screenhot. Expand all branches except "systemdevices". I think you have to make 2 screenshots to show everything.