Will windows 7 boot if it detects hardware changes?

[Sparkyork]

Hi everyone,

just upgraded mobo
CPU
graphics card

will windows fail to boot if it detects so many changes?
I wouldn't of thought so boot would like confirmation!

Thanks

rich

 

[manhunter2826]

It should still boot OK but, dependent on the magnitude of the HW changes, it might nag for (re)activation.

 

[Bill2]

What is most likely to happen is that Windows will grind away for a while (lot of hard disk activity) detecting new components and installing device drivers, it may reboot once or several times in the process, and eventually end with a working installation again. Windows 7 handles a hardware change such as a motherboard replacement quite well. The drivers that it is not able to find or install, those would likely have a yellow exclamation mark against the respective devices in Device Manager. Basic drivers would install quite well, but of course things like card reader may not be detected. So after installing, you'll need to update drivers.

The motherboard change would most likely deactivate windows, and particularly so if its an OEM license. So you'll need to do a telephone activation by calling MS and using your COA sticker key. But dont worry, just explain to the rep that you needed to change the mobo.

In case the system does not perform to expectations, you always have the option of formatting the disk and doing a fresh, clean install.

 

[Sparkyork]

Thanks for replies,

i figured it may just need re activating

I think my issues are hardware related then, more than likely ram issues

it gets all the way to the little orbs flying round then barely forms a windows then blue screens and restarts

 

[theog]

Try this:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

 

[Sparkyork]

Thanks

thing is I've tried this and it can't fix it I'm sure it's my ram that isn't comparable,I have Win 7 DVD but can't boot from that, get error code 5 can't boot from cd

 

[Bill2]

1) Sparkyork, this error code may be the result of incompatibility between your mobo and the boot sector used by MS in the win7 install dvd. There is a method described on the page below which replaces the win7 boot image with the vista one.

Error while installing Windows 7: CDBOOT: Cannot boot from CD - Code: 5 - Super User

Check if your mobo manufacturer has a hotfix.

2) Can you read the blue screen? If yes, pl. post a screenshot. Otherwise if it passes by, try taking a pic with a digicam and uploading it.

 

[Sparkyork]

hi im still convinced ive got ram issues but the bsod is something like this

stop:0x0000007e, (0xbacc3524, 0xc000000034, 0x00000000
this is all i could capture and might be missing a few zeros !

any ideas?

 

[Bill2]

Just a couple of questions.

1) Did you move from an intel mobo to an amd mobo by any chance? 7e used to happen in those cases in XP.

2) can you get into safe mode? For that restart the machine and keep tapping F8 or Del or whatever applies to your system. If you can get into safe mode, you may be able to lay your hands on the dump files. Those'll help debug.

Of course, you may be completely right about memory. Another thing i was thinking of, unplug everything that is not essential to booting. Take out any usb devices, unplug any extra hdds, if you have a discrete video card, unplug and let the system use onboard graphics. Basically, to eliminate hardware incompatibilities. Am sure you know far more about hardware than i do so just do it the way you think best.

 

[Sparkyork]

cheers bill, no i cant even get in to safe mode which is another reason im convinvced its ram related

just gonna try a bios update to see if it helps

cheers

 

[loaba]

Another thing i was thinking of, unplug everything that is not essential to booting. Take out any usb devices, unplug any extra hdds, if you have a discrete video card, unplug and let the system use onboard graphics. Basically, to eliminate hardware incompatibilities. Am sure you know far more about hardware than i do so just do it the way you think best.

This is a good suggestion for how to proceed when troubleshooting hardware.

To the best of my knowledge, Windows activation should not preclude the machine from booting into the GUI. To do so would be the same as cutting off your nose, to spite your face. MS wants you to get to the desktop, so you can reactivate from there (if that's even necessary). In my personal experience, from numerous XP installs, they get you at the point of OS installation (long after hardware upgrades have been made.)

Once you're able to get the machine booting properly, I highly recommend backing up your data and doing a clean, or dirty if you prefer, install. Changing out the motherboard is a major deal in Windows (for many debatable reasons), so this is usually a necessary evil. [edit] As I said above, it's at this point where you will need to (re)activate again. You might have to actually call India to get the process completed.

 

[Sparkyork]

right the above bsod report was from xp this one is from windows 7 hdd

stop:0x0000007b (0x80786b58,0xc0000034,0x00000000, 0x00000000

why cant they just have a report with the english version rather than goble de goop like this!

 

[Tews]

Upload the .dmp file and we'll be glad to look at it for you..

[1 - Novice] How to ask for help with a BSOD problem

STOP 0x0000007B Error Resolution

 

[Bill2]

Stop error 7b means windows cant access the boot drive. Either the drivers are acting or your hdd is failing. Try the following (whatever is possible on your system right now)

1) Update your chipset/ storage drivers.

2) Run a chkdsk on your hard drive. Do some hard drive diagnostics.

3) Check in the bios if there is an option to change drive mode from AHCI to IDE. If there is, set it to IDE.

 

[Sparkyork]

thanks ppl

im just gonna rebuild my old p4 pc and get it all running again, im sure my hdd will boot fine on this system im then gonna format one of the drives i have, rebuild this system and see if i can do a fresh install

i could do with a link if anyone has one to a bootable usb image of a disk checking utility maybe with formatting options so i dont have to rebuild the other one

i cant at this time access my hdd without the above utility or rebuilding my old system

thanks for your helps people

 

[Bill2]

Ultimate Boot CD - Overview

The cd apparently has a script which prepares a usb stick with the same tools. Scroll down the page. Have to scoot. Good luck!

 

[Sparkyork]

awesome thanks bill!

 

[Sparkyork]

ive rebuilt my old p4 setup on a piece of card board and installed all the bits, both hdd's with win 7 and xp floppies gpu etc, everything runnning fine on old memory etc

booted into windows 7 no problem so i formatted my other xp sata drive

rebuild "newer" machine using the asus p5ne fist of all with the q9300 (not supported officially by asus but ive been told it works!) stick all the bits back on cd, hd etc

still wont boot from cd but did on p4, get cd error code 5
have booted from usb and loaded memtest86 currently on the 1st pass about 75% complete with no errors
im thinking that the ram may be ok on this board but can never rely to much on memtest i guess?

in your expert opinions if i pass memtest with my 2 sticks in dual channel mode then my ram is possibly not the issue on this board but was on the ga ep45 ud3lr

i have also got a new 750w psu to eliminate that

still wont boot into windows 7 tho but now rather than the splash screen i get bootmgr missing? yet ten minutes ago it booted fine on my p4 setup

gonna leave it testing the ram for a while as its just passed the 1st pass with no errors and want to see if it findds anything

will try a spare dvd drive just in case it can boot from that instead, why am i getting this cdboot error and bootmgr error?

i have got the other ga ep45 ud3lr standing by to test aswell, but i feel i may be getting somewhere with the asus, as ive never seen it recognize the memory clock and ddr2 kinda thing in the post screen before

still dont explain why i cant boot off me dvd tho :-(

cheers for all your helps

rich

 

[gregrocker]

Run full HD diagnostics/repair CD scan: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.

Try the other DVD drive to see if you can get it to boot. Do you have USB flash stick to try that method?

I install on other hardware sometimes and so far it has always started up when returned to problem machine. Swaps out all drivers, requests several restarts, no issues thereafter.