Win 7 will not start or reinstall after motherboard change

[lesthegringo]

Guys, need some help here.

My motherboard died on me, and so I had to change it together with the processor and RAM as there were no socket 775 motherboards available locally. However, Win 7 blue screens every time on start up, but very briefly, so I can't see the error message.

Win 7 repair then kicks in, but finds nothing wrong, so it goes round and round like that ad infinitum.

All the repair methods I have found require that you work within windows, which is patently stupid if you want to repair because you can't get windows to work - it's a bit like trying to open a box with a tool that's inside it!

I tried a new install, which has backed up my old Windows as Windows.old, and it goes though all the paces, but then refuses to accept the activation code.

I am now stuck with a non functioning PC, and am scared to add anything in the future in case of this type of thing.

What can I do to recover the old Windows installation?

Les

 

[Brink]

Hello Les, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Is activation your only issue at this point?

It's not activating since you changed the motherboard, CPU, and RAM. It thinks you have installed it on a new computer with it still installed and activated on the old computer (motherboard etc...).

If you have a retail copy of Windows 7, then you should be able to do a phone activation, wait for the operator (if need be), and let them know that you changed out the motherboard, CPU, and RAM.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[lesthegringo]

Thanks, it is the retail version, the 3 upgrades Home Premium edition. Will I lose one of the activations, as I'd only used two of the three.

The other thing is that there is the previous Win7 installation on the HD, which will have all the data and so forth, will I be able to merge them back again? I also stipped the computer out, wondering if there was a problem with the GPU and so forth - will I have to do this every time I install a new component?

 

[Brink]

Les,

No, you will not lose one of the activations if you use the same number and do a phone activation.

The Windows.old folder should contain all of your files from the old installation that you could just copy back. However, you will need to reinstall all drivers and programs again.

No, you will not have to activate like this again everytime you change a minor component. This only happens when you change major items like your motherboard that would have it think that it may be a different computer.

 

[lesthegringo]

Thanks, I'll give it a go, wish me luck!

 

[Brink]

Good luck. I hope it goes smoothly.

 

[lesthegringo]

No, now I am getting a BootMGR message, and when I put the windows disc in it the goes to some MAC Addr Boot agent trying to establish a link

Client MAC ADDR - ( a load of numbers) no boot filename received error. When I try to reinstall win 7 using the disc it tells me I can't, I have to remove the disc and restart

Now it's giving me a 'media test failure, check cable' - changed the cable to no avail

I've checked and the HD is now burnt out. I have lost all my data from the previous install due to all the mucking around - what do I do now?

 

[dustywoodworker]

A Limit of 3 Activations

Les,

No, you will not lose one of the activations if you use the same number and do a phone activation.

The Windows.old folder should contain all of your files from the old installation that you could just copy back. However, you will need to reinstall all drivers and programs again.

No, you will not have to activate like this again everytime you change a minor component. This only happens when you change major items like your motherboard that would have it think that it may be a different computer.

Where do I read about there being only three activations? Is this something I would have caught if I had I read the EULA carefully.

 

[lesthegringo]

It's a special windows upgrade package that lets you install on three PC's at home, trouble is I've done two of them and one of those PC's has had the motherboard die, and the HD with windows on it followed suit. I don't want one of my installations to be used up repairing my failed PC

 

[Brink]

Les,

No, you will not lose one of the activations if you use the same number and do a phone activation.

The Windows.old folder should contain all of your files from the old installation that you could just copy back. However, you will need to reinstall all drivers and programs again.

No, you will not have to activate like this again everytime you change a minor component. This only happens when you change major items like your motherboard that would have it think that it may be a different computer.

Where do I read about there being only three activations? Is this something I would have caught if I had I read the EULA carefully.

Microsoft came out with a Family Pack version of Windows 7 that came with a volume product key number that would allow you to activate on up to 3 separate computers at once.

 

[Brink]

No, now I am getting a BootMGR message, and when I put the windows disc in it the goes to some MAC Addr Boot agent trying to establish a link

Client MAC ADDR - ( a load of numbers) no boot filename received error. When I try to reinstall win 7 using the disc it tells me I can't, I have to remove the disc and restart

Now it's giving me a 'media test failure, check cable' - changed the cable to no avail

I've checked and the HD is now burnt out. I have lost all my data from the previous install due to all the mucking around - what do I do now?

It sounds like you may have a HDD failure (dead). If so, about all you can do is get a new HDD, and install Windows 7 on it.

Afterwards, see if the old HDD may show up so that you might be able to recover some of your files from it.

 

[lesthegringo]

No, I found a spare HDD that had an old xp install in and have used that. The installation has worked OK, the PC is up and running and everything, but I had to use up one of the three installations allowed. Is there any way that I can get the installation back? I have only done two PC's and there is still one more that I needed to do

The old HDD has a visibly burned out chip on the circuit board, so unless I can find an identical drive to use the circuit board from, it is gone

 

[Brink]

Sorry to hear about the HDD.

You should be able to still use all 3 activations as long as they are only activated on 3 computers and not more. If you have a problem activating it on one of them, then you could do a phone activation as posted above to get it activated.

 

[Doooford]

Found a miracle

Hello all,
I just needed to let you know that I've had a day of struggling with that flipping loop of Windows trying to fix my "error" in the fact that I had a new motherboard.
Anyway, just as I was about to give in and buy a second HDD ti fresh install to I thought I'd try and delete the drivers with Paragon HD manager pro. Well blow my socks off, there was a migration option in there which actually is made for this purpose. In 30 seconds it had set my win 7 drive to accept a new hard drive.
I don't want this to sound like a sales job, and unless you had this lying around then it wouldn't be the best option. But chuffing hell, that was easy, although I did waste 6 hours until I got it!

 

[gregrocker]

When WIn7 will not start on new hardware your options are to SysPrep it on the old hardware first, boot Paragon Adaptive Restore (which is an add-on to the HD manager you have) CD to adjust the drivers/SID/HID first on new hardware, or capture an image of the old install using Acronis True Image with Universal Restore which will make the necessary adjustments when it reimages to the new hardware.

SysPrep to move HD to another computer