Windows 7 BSOD after HDD move.

[RolandHazoto]

I would still try booting the Win7 DVD Repair console, click through to Recovery Tools list and run Startup Repair repeatedly. Running a repair which is offered during attempt to boot Win7 is not always the same.

If you boot Partition Wizard CD, how much space will it allow you to shrink your current install from the left when you select Resize and use the grey slider bar?

I've run the DVD repair into the ground, it cannot fix it.
Partition Wizard let's me slide it down to about 101GB unallocatd space from the free space available (I leave just a little free space) but every time I apply it it says error code "36 run file system check" but check file system is greyed out... I've even tried setting the partition as inactive, and retrying to no avail (the inactive worked but not the size change)
EDIT: to word that better, I can resize the filled partition down to 362GB, creating 101GB unallocated, but it will not allow me to apply
EDIT2: If anyone would know how to remove the motherboard driver by hand and/or edit the registry entries referring to it please let me know... I got my hands on Hiren's boot CD and I may be able to edit it without booting into the installation

 

[gregrocker]

Will it allow you to Resize the partition from the right side since System files don't need to be moved? I'd take it if it does, as you can siphon files into new Win7 by enlarging new partition in steps until all that is left in old one is old Win7 - then delete that partition.

Smart to deactivate it, too.

 

[RolandHazoto]

That's the side I was trying it from... it would not apply

 

[gregrocker]

Then try it from the left side. If System File Checker won't run, then try Surface Scan.

 

[RolandHazoto]

Then try it from the left side. If System File Checker won't run, then try Surface Scan.

Neither method worked, I also tried 3 other partition managers including paragon, all gave me some error or another... So Using Hiren's Disc I booted into a mini version of xp and much to my alarm I cut and pasted my users\rol file from there to c:\rol and it moved no problem without even a write protection error message?! I find this alarming but I won't complain I guess... Now I believe I can reinstall windows 7 without it erasing my files as long as I do not format

 

[gregrocker]

Windows 7 may overwrite that file if you try to install it to C:

Suggest you use your boot disk to write your user file to external or DVD to be safe.

 

[RolandHazoto]

Well my files remained intact, I'll have to use the mini xp to move em back I believe cuz when I go to open the file it warns me about not having permissions but now I have come across another issue:
For some god awful reason it says my product key is invalid, despite this being the discs I received from microsoft via their expertzone program! Tried the regular and upgrade installs, both say the product key is invalid the minute I type it and click next... Any thoughts or am I gonna have to call Microsoft and harass em in the morning?
EDIT: On another note, for anyone else who has this problem, it seems when you reinstall, windows 7 does infact move your documents to windows.old also...

 

[chev65]

I was wondering what all the fuss was about. All you had to do was install to a new partition and the Windows old file will be there with your old files in there.

As for the invalid key, because you changed hardware the product key became invalid. You need to call Msoft in these cases and explain that to them so they can revalidate your product key.

 

[RolandHazoto]

not a new partition, just a reinstall on the old partition... I simply wasn't sure if it would store my documents. If someone would have said it, this would have been done 2 days ago... C'est la vie.
As for the invalid key, an X looked like a K... (don't do computer repairs at 5am!) That has been resolved and so has every other issue... I'll continue to keep the .old file and the user files from the old install until I am certain I no longer need them...

If anyone else ever has this issue, if possible run Windows upgrade to the point that it restarts the computer before moving the hard drive when possible. When not possible just do a new install without formatting.

Thanks for everything guys! Ciao.

 

[gregrocker]

There is no way anyone could assure OP that his files would be in a windows.old folder after reinstalling on a failed in-place upgrade interrupted by a power failure.

 

[RolandHazoto]

There is no way anyone could assure OP that his files would be in a windows.old folder after reinstalling on a failed in-place upgrade interrupted by a power failure.

none of that ever happened... I was bridging 2 network connections and the bridging screen froze so I restarted and it just never came back on... That when I moved the hard drive to the gateway...
So yes, all you had to say was normally they would be in windows.old...
I even asked twice if the documents folders would be in there and never received an answer...
I appreciate your attempts at help but perhaps next time you should pay closer attention to the post-ers needs rather than just making random suggestions. You guys remind me of the computer repair guys from my home town. They would always come up with these convoluted and long methods to doing something simple like modifying a registry key or something. (and why I used to always say that I ran circles around them) Here you guys spoke of purchasing an external wire or moving the files to another HD or partitioning it and moving em over little by little, but if people would have paid attention to my posts and answered my questions when I asked them we all could have saved a few people a few headaches. (examples: post #6, post #15,, post #21)
So I guess what is to be learned from this in conjunction with my previous post would be: look at the problem for what it is, pay attention to the information given, and if you can't answer a question, don't go making random suggestions as you could make the situation worse. But thank you for the attempts anyway.
Jack Sparrow and Jonathan King, you guys were very helpful and I appreciate it. Greg, you were at a good start...

 

[gregrocker]

Sorry, I help more than a dozen people with serious problems here most days and got your original problem from four pages back confused with another's.

The statement stands though that no one could assure you with certainty your files would be in windows.old if you reinstalled your OS over them.

not a new partition, just a reinstall on the old partition... I simply wasn't sure if it would store my documents. If someone would have said it, this would have been done 2 days ago...

Since you weren't able to install to another partition as chev65 and I urged, I then suggested you use your boot disk to write them to DVD or external first because windows.old isn't always created.

I'm glad it turned out alright for you.

 

[RolandHazoto]

Well I suppose we have all learned quite a bit from this, and for future reference anytime I have ever had to reinstall windows (goin back to 98) if you put something in the root of the hard disc, as long as you do not format, it is safe, hence me moving my documents to the root before the reinstall, even though in the end I did not need to... So if anyone is ever concerned about windows.old not being created properly or at all, you can move files to the root as long as you do not format or delete the partition.
Thanks again for everyone's support and if you guys ever need anything hit me up! I've been doin PC repair since I was 15 (goin on 9 years now) so I am quite familiar with a lot, 7 was just a new beast that needed to be learned from, and as such I will continue to learn the ins and outs and the tweaks and issues. I always urge people "Don't be afraid to play with your computer, almost anything can be fixed" and because of such, there is at least 3 people slightly younger than myself that will never need a computer repair guy (for pc's anyway)
I can't say I'll be around these forums much as I am a mod on other forums completely unrelated to these matters, but if someone drops me a visitor's message hopefully I'll get an e-mail notification (this forum lacks a pm system apparently...)

 

[jcgriff2]

. . .I appreciate your attempts at help but perhaps next time you should pay closer attention to the post-ers needs. . .

I was not personally involved in this thread, but feel a need to comment anyway.

I am of course very glad that all of this worked out in your favor and that you ended things amicably in your last post, giving thanks and praise to those that gave up their free time to respond. As a self-professed Mod yourself, you are aware that all here are volunteers.

From your posts you seem to be one that is up for any challenge; enthusiastic, adventurous, an "out of the box" thinker and one willing to take risks in pursuit of a solution. I would imagine that you have been or will go to every corner of your system to learn it inside-out. Your own words describe such -

". . .I always urge people "Don't be afraid to play with your computer, almost anything can be fixed. . ."

I agree with you 100%.

However, being in systems for 9 years, you know that OS installation can always go awry and the backing up of important files is a necessity. Pages like THIS from Microsoft have been around for many years and urges one to perform a backup before OS upgrade or installation.

You say Windows 7 "is a new beast" to you. So when those upgrade discs came in, I would think that you would have known the difference between a "custom" and a "clean" installation, possibly from the Installing Windows 7 FAQ site.

You were in fact told 3 days ago about Windows.old - which exhibits the same behavior in Windows 7 as in your prior OS, Vista.

Your files will be backed up to a folder called Windows.old, and placed in C:.

There is no way anyone could assure OP that his files would be in a windows.old folder . .

So I just need to know for certain that I will not lose my documents?

At 24, you should know that there are NO guarantees in life, especially in systems and gregrocker so informed you. I agree.

. . .I appreciate your attempts at help but perhaps next time you should pay closer attention to the post-ers needs rather than just making random suggestions. You guys remind me of the computer repair guys from my home town. They would always come up with these convoluted and long methods to doing something simple. . .

. . . but if people would have paid attention to my posts and answered my questions when I asked them we all could have saved a few people a few headaches. . . .
. . .
So I guess what is to be learned from this . . . look at the problem for what it is, pay attention to the information given, and if you can't answer a question, don't go making random suggestions as you could make the situation worse. . .

. . .But thank you for the attempts anyway.
Jack Sparrow and Jonathan King, you guys were very helpful and I appreciate it. Greg, you were at a good start...

It is the bits and pieces that each of us takes from another's advice that cause the bits and pieces in our own mind to come together. Everyone troubleshoots differently and no one way is the correct way. In my book there is no such thing as a "random suggestion...that could make a situation worse.." - especially not at a prestigious forum like this. The old adage "Just throwing out an idea" is what got us to the moon in 1969 when MIT and NASA had just 64k to work with for the entire spaceshot. (64k is what I recall; I was in grammar school then).

Well I suppose we have all learned quite a bit from this, and for future reference anytime I have ever had to reinstall windows (goin back to 98) if you put something in the root of the hard disc, as long as you do not format, it is safe, hence me moving my documents to the root before the reinstall, even though in the end I did not need to... So if anyone is ever concerned about windows.old not being created properly or at all, you can move files to the root as long as you do not format or delete the partition.
Thanks again for everyone's support and if you guys ever need anything hit me up! I've been doin PC repair since I was 15 (goin on 9 years now) so I am quite familiar with a lot, 7 was just a new beast that needed to be learned from

Again, I am surprised that with your experience and having Vista for the last 14 months you did not know this. But to say "it is safe" is not accurate whatsoever.

Wait until you are re-installing Windows 7 someday and find a non-OS partition locked and don't know the reason for such; or after a re-install find that you wiped out a partition containing data rather than the OS drive because the driver letters somehow changed. Trying to figure out such things alone without others throwing ideas at you have lead to downfalls for some.

You are young, very bright and I believe have a good career ahead of you. But I would suggest to you that you keep this entire thread as a reminder that you should never belittle anyone on what it is that YOU think they know or do not know and its relation to your thought process. Doing so will instantly damage your rapport with co-workers and result in the losing of a suggestion in the future that just may hold the answer you are seeking.

You were damn fortunate to have had the opinions/ suggestions of the many experts that replied in this thread as you yourself said that it aided in your finding a solution. I am glad to see that you thanked all for their interest and posts.

My apologies to you if taken personally; not my intent at all. I have seen many similar threads in recent years and have written similar replies. It really is not my place to write this here at SevenForums as I am simply a member, just as you are.

Have a nice weekend. I wish you the best of luck with Windows 7 - and your future.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.

Microsoft MVP Support - jcgriff2

Tech Support Forum - View Profile: jcgriff2

View Member - jcgriff2

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[RolandHazoto]

Just to clarify 2 things:
1.) I didn't have Vista the entire fourteen months, the original hard drive came refurbished and came with Vista on it yes, but I downgraded it to XP for awhile to do so some speed comparisons (about 4 months or so) which I'd like to say was quite amusing at first cuz I got in this massive arguement with HP cuz they swore up and down I couldn't do it and I was telling them I already had I just called them for a compatible XP audio driver, after arguing with the guy for about an hour and a half for my own personal amusement ( I was highly amused he called it "impossible" ) finally they got tired of arguing and told me they could send me XP discs for my machine but I needed the full discs and could not get just the audio driver... Ok I'm getting off my original thought, anyway so after about 4 months of XP I went back to Vista, then I ghosted the HD over to the 500 GB I have now and then I came across a pre-release copy of 7 about 5 months later (it was late September at this point) that I used until I got my full discs from Expert Zone, then I just changed the key to my key when they arrived
and 2.) I honestly never had any such issues with doing upgrades. And the Windows.old folder I only first came across with Vista about a year after release, so I really couldn't remember what the thing kept... Typically I do clean installs (as in full formats) or upgrades. The root trick I used to use back when XP was fresh but never tried it nor had the need to with Vista or 7 and was unsure how it would handle it or if the security would even let me move em out....

I can say though that I have come across locked partitions! I used to have a piece of software that solved that but for the life of me I could not tell you the name anymore...

As for drive letters changing I always watch my sizes! If a partition size doesn't look right I double/triple check em... (DOS is your friend for doing this quickly)

I do apologize though for any sort of belittlement, I did let my frustrations get the better of me and working till dawn never helps that... (nasty habit of not being able to stop working till I am done or literally falling asleep) I can't say that that is any excuse, it should not have happened, and I did feel kinda bad for it afterwards....

I thank you kindly Mr. Griffith and you are correct, this should stay in my records... As I stated earlier, a lot was learned from this experience.