Win 7 clone to new WD HD Fails

[Kaktussoft]

Indeed it's a bad driver.
Do you still have the original DISK1 attached to system? Otherwise attach it to system. Now run "device manager" and open branch "IDE ATA/ATAPI-controllers" . What do you see?

If it is a non microsoft driver (for example intel):

• rightclick ->upgrade driver
• find on computer
• pick from list
• put a checkmark at "display compatible hardware"

Now you see your current driver and the "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA controller". Select the "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA controller" and click Next. Follow on screen instructions. Does it stick after reboot and is system working?

Problem has nothing to do with bootmgr, bootmenu, primary/active at all.
Windows7 boots but crashes

 

[bamafamily]

Indeed it's a bad driver.
Do you still have the original DISK1 attached to system? Otherwise attach it to system. Now run "device manager" and open branch "IDE ATA/ATAPI-controllers" . What do you see?

If it is a non microsoft driver (for example intel):

• rightclick ->upgrade driver
• find on computer
• pick from list
• put a checkmark at "display compatible hardware"

Now you see your current driver and the "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA controller". Select the "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA controller" and click Next. Follow on screen instructions. Does it stick after reboot and is system working?

Problem has nothing to do with bootmgr, bootmenu, primary/active at all.
Windows7 boots but crashes

Screenshot of Working system with original C:\ Drive (Disk1/Active/System)
When I try and update the Intel Drivers from your instructions, I am not given any choices in the pick list. The list is blank...It is asking me to and find the Intel Drivers. Question I have is that if I dont change controllers, why dont the Intel Drivers copy over from the original disk to the new target disk when I either clone or do an Image/Restore?? Thanks for all the help Kak...

 

[Kaktussoft]

If you clone... all is the same. It's a clone of the disk. Did you plug in the clone in EXACTLY the same SATA port on mainboard? If not ... is that other sata slot working fine? To test it... plug in the good booting disk in that sata slot and boot.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Sorry I misread it. Both the original and clone were connected to SATA0. I'm afraid I can't solve this strange error.

 

[Kaktussoft]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html
Method TWO or THREE
Post results.

 

[gregrocker]

It is incorrect to say that which partition is marked System Active does not matter, as it always matters. This is why I asked you to plug back in the source HD to check this in Disk Mgmt. Where is the Disk Mgmt screenshot of this?

Did you unplug all other HD's during the repairs run previously?

Win7 has all SATA drivers so the lack of one would not be the issue, and never has been.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html

 

[bamafamily]

It is incorrect to say that which partition is marked System Active does not matter, as it always matters. This is why I asked you to plug back in the source HD to check this in Disk Mgmt. Where is the Disk Mgmt screenshot of this?

Here you go...

Did you unplug all other HD's during the repairs run previously?
Yes I Did
Win7 has all SATA drivers so the lack of one would not be the issue, and never has been.

Would it make life simpler to remove the old Vista boot partition and the Dell recovery partition?? I dont need either.....(I can use my Win 7 DVD to reinstall if necessary.....)

 

[gregrocker]

If you confirmed the clone has C marked Active and it still wouldn't repair after 3 Startup Repairs then it may not be reparable. The boot files are clearly on C as it is booting the OS as shown in screenshot.

If you don't need Recovery then what I would do is boot the Win7 installer, do a Clean Install Windows 7 deleting all partitions during install using the Drive Options shown in Steps 7 and 8. Unplug all other HD's.

Other tips here to get and keep a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[mjf]

If you have your original working HDD then you could try starting from scratch. Image each partition with free macrium reflect. Boot the pe macrium recovery CD and restore to the new drive with only the new drive connected. See if system image restore (which is what I always use) rather than cloning.

 

[bamafamily]

If you have your original working HDD then you could try starting from scratch. Image each partition with free macrium reflect. Boot the pe macrium recovery CD and restore to the new drive with only the new drive connected. See if system image restore (which is what I always use) rather than cloning.

I did try this with Acronis and it failed in the same way...On a side note, when I did a clone I did NOT do a sector by sector copy...

 

[bamafamily]

If you confirmed the clone has C marked Active and it still wouldn't repair after 3 Startup Repairs then it may not be reparable. The boot files are clearly on C as it is booting the OS as shown in screenshot.

If you don't need Recovery then what I would do is boot the Win7 installer, do a Clean Install Windows 7 deleting all partitions during install using the Drive Options shown in Steps 7 and 8. Unplug all other HD's.

Other tips here to get and keep a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

So...the original machine had Windows Vista which I then purchased a Win7 upgrade for ....
I need to find it again, but there is something around here that shows that you can legally use Win 7 upgrade s/w to do a full up install, correct???
Not sure how I would do that if I downloaded a Clean SP1 copy from digital River??
Last question on this post....I dont remember if I installed the AHCI drivers with the Win 7 upgrade...? Is there anyway to tell?? I am currently running in what Dell calls ATA mode with the only other choice being RAID. I have read that the RAID setting in BIOS is actually an AHCI equivalent even if there is only 1 drive...

And lastly, thanks to all who are trying to get me through this...I REALLY appreciate all of your efforts....

bama

 

[gregrocker]

Stick with the ATA setting. Don't worry about SATA drivers in Win7 as they're all supplied in the installer. Put your network driver in the backup so if it's not provided you can install it, enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then run all rounds of Important and OPtional Window Updates until there are no more. There should then only be one or two missing drivers in Device Manager to import from the Support Downloads webpage for the PC model.

Do you still have the Win7 Upgrade version Product Key? If not audit it from the HD using Belarc Advisor and one other keyfinder like Magical Jellybean to confirm it.

If you have the key follow the steps for Clean Install Windows 7 with all other hD's unplugged, deleting all partitions during the booted install. Use Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download burned to DVD/stick with Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool

Even if you delete all partitions during install the booted installer will detect an OS on the target HD and pass a flag to allow use of Upgrade version key during install. If not, leave the Product Key blank during install, then afterwards do the quick Option 3 Registry workaround in Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version to activate at Computer>Properties.

Other tips for getting and keeping a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
compile what works best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here.

 

[bamafamily]

I will start gathering up my personal files to move from my old disk to my secondary (plenty of room).
Quick question...I currently have 5 partitions on my Boot Disk0. Can I do a full install of Win 7 on the new drive C and then create images of D,E,F,&G for recovery to logical partitions later??? See questions and answers inline below...

Stick with the ATA setting. Don't worry about SATA drivers in Win7 as they're all supplied in the installer. Put your network driver in the backup
so if it's not provided you can install it,
(not quite sure what you mean by put in the backup??)

enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then run all rounds of Important and OPtional Window Updates until there are no more. There should then only be one or two missing drivers in Device Manager to import from the Support Downloads webpage for the PC model.
(naturally assuming this is after Win 7 installed on new disk)

Do you still have the Win7 Upgrade version Product Key? If not audit it from the HD using Belarc Advisor and one other keyfinder like Magical Jellybean to confirm it.
(still have it)

If you have the key follow the steps for Clean Install Windows 7 with all other hD's unplugged, deleting all partitions during the booted install. Use Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download burned to DVD/stick with Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool
(I assume this is a second option as I thought I had already installed at this point from the upgrade disk in the above step???) (Is the ISO bootable?? I usually use Imgburn..)

Even if you delete all partitions during install the booted installer will detect an OS on the target HD and pass a flag to allow use of Upgrade version key during install. If not, leave the Product Key blank during install, then afterwards do the quick Option 3 Registry workaround in Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version to activate at Computer>Properties.
(Is this using the ISO to install???)

Other tips for getting and keeping a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
compile what works best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here.
(I will definitely take a look at this as well)

I guess I am a little confused on which way you are suggesting to install windows...Upgrade Disk or ISO file?? Sorry for not understanding....

Bama

 

[gregrocker]

Unless you already have Win7 disk with SP1 I would use the latest official ISO burned to DVD to have the latest. This has no bearing on the Upgrade version. I only added it as an afterthought in case you don't have an installer with SP1.

Plugged in by wire there's a 70% chance the ethernet driver will be provided during install, a 50% chance the wireless driver will be provided. In case it doesn't start up ready to connect, have your network driver handy so you can install it to get online and do the Updates first.

 

[bamafamily]

Unless you already have Win7 disk with SP1 I would use the latest official ISO burned to DVD to have the latest. This has no bearing on the Upgrade version. I only added it as an afterthought in case you don't have an installer with SP1.

Plugged in by wire there's a 70% chance the ethernet driver will be provided during install, a 50% chance the wireless driver will be provided. In case it doesn't start up ready to connect, have your network driver handy so you can install it to get online and do the Updates first.

Thanks Greg....I think I will hit the Dell site and toss all of the drivers for my machine on a flashdrive in case needed...
Here is my plan:
Clean up the original drive as well as I can..(uninstalling unneeded programs, etc..)
Make a backup copy of all the partitions from Disk0 (C,D,E,F,G) to my Disk1
Remove old disk0 and integrate new WD drive.
Install Win7 SP1 on C:\ partition and do all applicable updates.
Reintegrate Disk1 and do a Backup of the Clean C drive to it
Recover Disks D,E,F,G from Disk1 to Disk0 (I know this does not integrate the programs back, but all of the data will be accessible)
Install needed programs

I realize there are some little extra I will do along the way, but these would be the major steps??
Did I leave anything out??
Should I install Win7 w/ AHCI (setting BIOS to RAID) or just leave at ATA??

thanks
bama
Reinstall needed programs

 

[gregrocker]

I don't understand why you're making all of those extra steps? Just plug in the new drive, delete all partitions during the booted Clean Install Windows 7. Afterwards run all of your Windows Updates until there are no more, import any drivers still missing in Device Manager, copy your data in from the backup.

Everything that needs to be considered is compiled in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

 

[bamafamily]

And one more thing...Do I really need the 100MB Reserved Partition??? Or do most people just go with C:\ Drive housing the boot info??? I plan on deleting the Dell partition when I do this as well.... thx

 

[gregrocker]

It doesn't matter at all whether you have the 100mb System Reserved partition. Since the installer will issue it when you create and format a New partition in the space from the other deleted partitions, just leave it as it is. There is no purpose in wasting a minute thinking about it. Just ignore it.

I would Run Built-In Diagnostics for Your Dell Computer | Dell US to test the hardware and see if it will run from boot. If so then you can leave the Dell OEM partition onboard since having the bootable diagnostics is a good enough reason to leave that one partition. No other partitions are needed or will run if you leave them. So delete all other partitions using the Drive Options shown in Steps 7 and 8 of Clean Install Windows 7, create and format a new install partition (and any other partitions you want) in the deleted space.

 

[bamafamily]

So I decided to try one more thing before a fresh install as this problem was really bugging me...
I decided to use CLonezilla to copy the source 640GB drive to the new 1TB drive.
I could have sworn I told it to proportionalize the volumes for larger sizes, but it did not.
When the copy was complete, it booted into windows and installed the driver for the new hard drive...
I opened Device Manager and once again saw 4 yellow exclamation points saying something was wrong with the Volume Driver.
Instead of rebooting right then, I installed the Win7 SP1 disk I had downloaded and burnt and did a Repair Install....(upgrade)..
IT WORKED!!! whatever windows did during the upgrade fixed the issue....
(although it copied the partitions exactly as were on my smaller drive so I now have 345GB I need to do something with)
The only thing I have to do is Activate the copy of Windows, but all I have is my upgrade key......
How do I go about activating a Repair Install Win7x64 SP1 installation with a normal Win7 Upgrade key?? online?? phone??

TIA for all the help you guys have given...

 

[gregrocker]

Just go ahead and activate it.

You can browse from Device Manager for any missing drivers in the old installation's Windows>System32 folder.