Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

Thanks Kari for info you have made available on sysprep.

In an earlier post p750mmx ran into the same problem I am having - sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded from a pervious version. He suggested deleting the upgrade key in the registry - aided by a Google search. I'm hoping p750mmx might fill in here how to delete the upgrade key, as I have had no luck searching for it. Any info would be helpful.

Rob

p750mmx said:

Hello there Kari,

the first reply from my "new" system. All is well and activated, no errors after finishing Windows setup. Just a telephone call to reactivate Windows 7 Prof.

I should let you know that I first got a error when starting sysprep. The error that more users get in some circumstance; "sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded from a previous version".
That error is valid as my Windows 7 Prof. is an (unofficial) upgrade from a Windows Vista Ultimate installation (for keeping my old settings and programs, again). I disabled the error by the deletion of the upgrade key in the registry (Google is our friend).
Although I selected the "shutdown" option in sysprep, my system didn't shutoff after the completion of sysprep. I've checked all the active processes and saw nothing that indicated that sysprep was still running. So........, I shut the system down myself. Hope was high.

After that a Philips screwdriver (and my hands) did the rest :)

Starting the "new" hardware give me the screens you have put on the first page in a slightly different order, but he, what do I care, I'm happy

Thanks for the very useful information in this topic.

With kind greetings, Ad

Any way of doing this on Windows XP?

I see when this doesn't work, people get the c0000021a Fatal System Error.

What I am using is an image of Windows 7 32-bit Home Premium that was originally Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit RC2. I did the double install trick and made a registry change to allow the retail version to install over the release candidate.

This all worked on the original machine. Even when I switched over to a SSD in that machine it all worked, did a Bare Metal Restore from My WHS 2011 box.

Even ran with the new hardware, but that's when the Copy Protection problems started. Switched from HDMI back to VGA, seemed to work until I tired to record some races last weekend. Copy Protection came up despite PlayReady being updated and installed. To sort out any other problems, I decided to do a repair install. After it finished, I had to disable IPv6 to get internet and of course that broke HomeGroups, Server Connector and TV Archive.

So unless you can come up with an answer, I may have to go with a complete new install. Too many content providers flag stuff so I can't continue like this, never had that problem EVER in three versions of Media Center.

Sysprep after deleting the Upgrade key in the registry will run, Generalize Windows (no problems, no errors) and then either on shutdown or reboot, I get this error (c0000021a). I tried the System Repair Console and it found the problem, offered to fix it, I did. Rebooted, this time into Safe Mode, same problem (c0000021a).

This won't fix it - Jean-Pierre Paradis's Blog: SysPrep /generalize + BCD store + STOP: c000021a

I get the same error.

Help!

rrights said:

Thanks Kari for info you have made available on sysprep.

In an earlier post p750mmx ran into the same problem I am having - sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded from a pervious version. He suggested deleting the upgrade key in the registry - aided by a Google search. I'm hoping p750mmx might fill in here how to delete the upgrade key, as I have had no luck searching for it. Any info would be helpful.

Rob

p750mmx said:

Hello there Kari,

the first reply from my "new" system. All is well and activated, no errors after finishing Windows setup. Just a telephone call to reactivate Windows 7 Prof.

I should let you know that I first got a error when starting sysprep. The error that more users get in some circumstance; "sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded from a previous version".
That error is valid as my Windows 7 Prof. is an (unofficial) upgrade from a Windows Vista Ultimate installation (for keeping my old settings and programs, again). I disabled the error by the deletion of the upgrade key in the registry (Google is our friend).
Although I selected the "shutdown" option in sysprep, my system didn't shutoff after the completion of sysprep. I've checked all the active processes and saw nothing that indicated that sysprep was still running. So........, I shut the system down myself. Hope was high.

After that a Philips screwdriver (and my hands) did the rest :)

Starting the "new" hardware give me the screens you have put on the first page in a slightly different order, but he, what do I care, I'm happy

Thanks for the very useful information in this topic.

With kind greetings, Ad

The Upgrade Key is located under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/Setup

I did this and while Sysprep setups the disk to Generalize it, rebooting or booting after its completed (from a shutdown as well) I get the Fatal Error (c0000021a) and nothing seems to fix it.

I followed everything and after trying out everything I could, I got it to work.

Everything is fine now but every time I boot I get "Setup is updating registry". How can I fix this? It's not much of a problem just a nuisance really.

Thanks.

rrights said:

Thanks Kari for info you have made available on sysprep.

In an earlier post p750mmx ran into the same problem I am having - sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded from a pervious version. He suggested deleting the upgrade key in the registry - aided by a Google search. I'm hoping p750mmx might fill in here how to delete the upgrade key, as I have had no luck searching for it. Any info would be helpful.

Rob

p750mmx said:

Hello there Kari,

the first reply from my "new" system. All is well and activated, no errors after finishing Windows setup. Just a telephone call to reactivate Windows 7 Prof.

I should let you know that I first got a error when starting sysprep. The error that more users get in some circumstance; "sysprep cannot run on a computer that has been upgraded from a previous version".
That error is valid as my Windows 7 Prof. is an (unofficial) upgrade from a Windows Vista Ultimate installation (for keeping my old settings and programs, again). I disabled the error by the deletion of the upgrade key in the registry (Google is our friend).
Although I selected the "shutdown" option in sysprep, my system didn't shutoff after the completion of sysprep. I've checked all the active processes and saw nothing that indicated that sysprep was still running. So........, I shut the system down myself. Hope was high.

After that a Philips screwdriver (and my hands) did the rest :)

Starting the "new" hardware give me the screens you have put on the first page in a slightly different order, but he, what do I care, I'm happy

Thanks for the very useful information in this topic.

With kind greetings, Ad

What someone else above this reaction already suggested

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\setup

There was a key called “upgrade”, that once deleted lets you run SysPrep like normal. Delete that key and you are good.

Kari,

Thanks for this comprehensive tutorial!

A couple of questions.
I plan on cloning my SSD sata2 120gb to a new SSD sata3.
I will then boot off the new SSD on my current I7 920 x58 board, sysprep and move the new SSD to a new x79 board.

Do I need to be concerned with disabling any of the controllers in device manager or changing ahci\ide settings in the bios before running sysprep?

Also, I have a second physical hard drive with music and photo data etc. for implementing the move should I remove this drive?

Thanks again.

Kari said:

Hi SevenRick, welcome to the Seven Forums.

I have to be careful now, never syspreped an SSD. As far as I know there's no need disabling anything, sysprep should do it for you.


Kari

Thanks for the kind welcome and quick response.

I am surpised that you have not run a ssd yet.

Should I clone my ssd to a hhd before I run sysprep? Then take the syspreped hhd to the new board, make sure it boots and then clone the hhd to the new sata3 ssd?