Moving the hard drive with OS to another computer.

[bobtran]

OK. So I tried the custom install as suggested. Got a little farther. The drive I copied the image to is working fine. I tested it on another computer and was able to open files and navigate folders normally.

My new problem is now the install program for Windows 7 won't recognize the disk at all. What is funny is it asks me to browse for a driver to load so that it can find a hard drive. Under the choices to browse is the hard drive that I am trying to install windows to. I can open folders and browse normally, but it won't recognize it as a drive available to install windows 7 to.

I am at a loss as what to try next.

Any Ideas???

Thanks

Quick answer: Install Linux on the drive and windows will see it. Then install Windows using the whole drive. Don't bother to format to NTFS with the Linux installer, Windows7 does not like the format....just reformat with the Windows media.

 

[gregrocker]

My new problem is now the install program for Windows 7 won't recognize the disk at all.

Wipe the HD of all code: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

After Diskpart Clean All command completes, continue in Diskpart with these commands:
Create Partition Primary
Select Partition 1
Format
Active
Exit

Now try install again with all other HD's and USB devices unplugged. Report back.

 

[claib1]

If it won't start, then you can try booting into Safe Mode to change the chipset and display drivers which will often start it, or try other drivers until it starts if it will. Some have reported that Startup Repair will also start which makes sense because the MBR might not be read as before, or other of the many tests might start it.

The problem with this is that I can't get to that point. If I reboot without a windows disk in the drive, it just goes to a black screen with a single cursor in the top left corner that flashes. I have let it set there for more than an hour and it never goes any further.

 

[claib1]

Wipe the HD of all code: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

After Diskpart Clean All command completes, continue in Diskpart with these commands:
Create Partition Primary
Select Partition 1
Format
Active
Exit

Now try install again with all other HD's and USB devices unplugged. Report back.

Thanks. Will try this one. Looks promising.

 

[claib1]

My new problem is now the install program for Windows 7 won't recognize the disk at all.

Wipe the HD of all code: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

After Diskpart Clean All command completes, continue in Diskpart with these commands:
Create Partition Primary
Select Partition 1
Format
Active
Exit

Now try install again with all other HD's and USB devices unplugged. Report back.

This picture is actually were I am having issues. My hard drive is recognized in the other computer but it won't show in this screen

 

[orbitsville]

the drama is outstanding, 5.6, 4.2, 0.1 bla bla bla

 

[gregrocker]

Did you partition, format and mark it active?

This often will make it detected if it doesn't show up in Win7 installer but does register in BIOS setup.

If this doesn't work, check for newer BIOS version update on your computer or mobo Support Downloads webpage.

Then check your SATA controller setting in BIOS: Try AHCI first, then IDE mode.

Next Clear CMOS

Test your RAM with memtest86 CD for 5-6 passes.

Then test your HD with maker's full diag/repair CD scan: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities

 

[kodi]

My new problem is now the install program for Windows 7 won't recognize the disk at all. What is funny is it asks me to browse for a driver to load so that it can find a hard drive.

Any Ideas???

Thanks

If this is a SATA drive you will need to install the Drivers for your Sata Controller before it will recognize the drive

 

[spyknee]

The W7 OS install disk should create two partitions,
1 for system reserved, called "partition 0" and
2, primary partition, "partition 1".
Using the W7 disk, delete all partitions on the drive. Reboot. When the proper screen is advanced to, pictured above, select new and create partition. Should make the two. Select the primary partition and format it. Follow instructions to continue install. At Reboot, enter bios and select hard drive as primary boot drive. Reboot and continue install.

I just used the W7 install disk to align an SSD for an XP install. In my case I had to delete the created system reserve partition to achieve install. W7 needs that system reserved partition. XP does not. Got a disk error with XP and a system reserved partition. The install disk saw the 0 partition as C:\.

Your pic above shows only 1 partition.????????????????

The W7 disk has all kinds of drivers with it, it should practically install itself.

 

[kodi]

The W7 OS install disk should create two partitions,
1 for system reserved, called "partition 0" and
2, primary partition, "partition 1".
Using the W7 disk, delete all partitions on the drive. Reboot. When the proper screen is advanced to, pictured above, select new and create partition. Should make the two. Select the primary partition and format it. Follow instructions to continue install. At Reboot, enter bios and select hard drive as primary boot drive. Reboot and continue install.

I just used the W7 install disk to align an SSD for an XP install. In my case I had to delete the created system reserve partition to achieve install. W7 needs that system reserved partition. XP does not. Got a disk error with XP and a system reserved partition. The install disk saw the 0 partition as C:\.

Your pic above shows only 1 partition.????????????????

The W7 disk has all kinds of drivers with it, it should practically install itself.

This will not work because windows can't find the Hard drive.
The first thing to do is get windows to recognize the hard drive then it can install the OS on it.

 

[gregrocker]

Since the Win7 is so driver-complete a missing SATA HD usually means other problems. It will more likely need the driver if it is older IDE which may not be included in DVD.

However it is fairly easy to insert your SATA controller driver into the installer: unzip to stick or CD, from Load Drivers link at left below browse into folders until it plucks it out and installs it, refresh window, see if HD shows up:



Be sure to try all the other steps suggested, too.

 

[Cr00zng]

I have had TWO motherboard failures on two different systems and have just replaced the motherboards with Different ones than the original, booted them up and Windows 7 started then installed all the correct drivers without me having to do a thing.
I love windows 7

Well, I have an older custom built Windows 7 Professional box that about to have its hardware updated:

• CPU: Core 2 --> i5
• Motherboard: MSI P965 --> Asus P7P55D-E
• Memory: DDR2 --> DDR3
• Chipset: Intel P965 (ICH8R) --> Intel P55 (ICH10R(?))

The network card will be different as well, but the ATI video card will stay the same together with the DVD burners and the memory card reader; there's no floppy drive. The four SATA 2.0 drives will be kept as well, one of them has the OS.

The only additional hardware is a SATA 3.0 SSD drive where the OS is being planned to reside as a fresh install. Yes, I do have a retail, or genuine version of Windows 7.

Just out of curiosity, I am going to delay installing the SSD drive and the new OS and test Windows 7 with the updated hardware. It seems to me that recovering from chipset version changes might prove to be too much for Windows 7. Especially when it is couple of generations of difference between the two versions.

Now I am curious...

 

[GregP]

Cr00zng, I'm looking to do almost the exact same thing, so I'm wondering whether you tried it and if so, how it went?

 

[dmoney517]

I am attempting to do this same thing. I am currently running my copy of win7 64 bit Enterprise on an AMD machine. I am upgrading to an Intel Core i5 machine, with all componenets greatly upgraded. I would prefer to keep my OS intact, as it is a pretty fresh install (less than 1 month old) and I do not want to go through the trouble of doing it again in a week. If there is a way to mirgrate the OS from one syste (AMD) to another (Intel) please let me know!

 

[spyknee]

Get imaging software and store off the HD.
As you can see from earlier post input, you might be able to just swap over the W7 installed drive. I'm guessing you can use an install disc to prepare the current drive for the swap, as in XP.
IMO, put your new hardware togather, get the baseline bios settings correct, and do a clean install.

 

[Kari]

I am attempting to do this same thing. I am currently running my copy of win7 64 bit Enterprise on an AMD machine. I am upgrading to an Intel Core i5 machine, with all componenets greatly upgraded. I would prefer to keep my OS intact, as it is a pretty fresh install (less than 1 month old) and I do not want to go through the trouble of doing it again in a week. If there is a way to mirgrate the OS from one syste (AMD) to another (Intel) please let me know!

You might want to try this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html

Method 1 applies to you.

Kari

 

[gregrocker]

Unfortunately Win7 can't Repair Install from boot as XP did to adjust to new hardware. It will sometimes start up but often won't.

If not, if you can SysPrep the HD while on it's old hardware to remove all drivers, activation and prepare it to start on new hardware: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...lation-transfer-new-computer.html#post1161038

Or you can boot Paragon Adaptive Restore CD to prepare the HD to start on new hardware. This can be done on any machine as long as you don't allow the HD to start until it is placed in the target machine.

There is also an imaging option using Acronis 10 or higher with Universal Restore which will remove all drivers, activation, etc to prepare image to start on new hardware.

 

[GregP]

Kari, just wanted to thank you for the link -- I followed the instructions and it worked flawlessly (apart from an initial error message from sysprep that was fixed by a quick googling pointing to needing to stop all Windows Media services first). I took a Win7 64-bit Professional install and moved it to a new motherboard+CPU+RAM combo, and everything worked. I'm now happily up and running in less than a night, with no program reinstalls needed. Thanks!

 

[Kari]

Thanks, Greg.

BTW, you could have found that information about Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service sometimes disturbing sysprep, and how to fix it, also from my tutorial. It's mentioned, with pics and instructions, at the end of the tutorial

Kari

 

[GregP]

Thanks, Greg.

BTW, you could have found that information about Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service sometimes disturbing sysprep, and how to fix it, also from my tutorial. It's mentioned, with pics and instructions, at the end of the tutorial

Kari

Hehe, indeed it does, now that I scroll down that far. I guess I was too excited to even read that far.

This really is a revolutionary method for me, as I build new computers and/or reinstall Windows fairly often, and I always dread not the actual Windows installation itself, but all the time it takes to reinstall all my programs. I'm ecstatic that this headache seems now to be a thing of the past. Thanks again!