Win7 not reaching login after replacing motherboard (identical)

[m00se]

"Setup Preparing for first use" loop is a known issue after some uses of PAR and can be resolved with the steps (especially regedit) given here: David's Blog: Windows 7 - Preparing your computer for first use

I tried this but didn't get a command promt with Shift+F10. Tried it again pressing this combination multiple times during startup but still no result.

Is there a way to edit the regestry and doing the same as suggested in that article when I start up in Windows XP mini (Hirens Boot CD)?

Maybe important: Before that it says "resuming Windows" instead of "starting Windows".

From the blog:

While you see the message "Setup is preparing your computer for first use" you can press Shift F10 on the keyboard and you will see a command prompt.
Type in taskmgr.exe and you will get the Windows Task Manager
Look for a process called windeploy.exe and kill it (End Task)
Then you are taken to the Windows Logon screen where you can login normally.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Did you do that and after killing windeploy.exe the Windows Logon screen appeared and you could logon successfully?

The shift F10 did nothing (tried a few restarts), so I didn't get that far.

 

[Kaktussoft]

How did you change the registry settings if you can't boot?
How did you run msconfig?

 

[gregrocker]

The shift F10 did nothing (tried a few restarts), so I didn't get that far.

I just told you above that you can access Command Prompt from disk using System Recovery Options

 

[Kaktussoft]

The shift F10 did nothing (tried a few restarts), so I didn't get that far.

I just told you above that you can access Command Prompt from disk using System Recovery Options

I know ... by mounting the system hive. But does OP know?

 

[m00se]

If you have black screen with blinking cursor, then confirm the Partition Marked Active and run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times no matter what it reports.

If this fails everything else possible that can be done to start Win7 is in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

Currently I attached the drive to a desktop for a complete backup (the important stuff gets backed up regularly, but this way I do have everything). Then I'm going to check the "Partition marked active". Everything in the Troubleshooting you mention I have already done. If it's not the partition marked active, then I'm going to give up and do complete wipe and install.

Thanks a lot gregrocker and Kaktussoft for your great help.