Windows 7 Transfer with System on SSD and Profiles on HD

[jonhp]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html

windows 7 pro is on ssd
all profiles are on hard drive

question is, when replacing the motherboard (chip set, processor, memory), how to ensure that windows sees the SSD as the C: drive and the hard drive as the D: drive. If they don't appear with the correct drive letters, then windows is going to be confused about where the profiles are really at.

 

[whs]

Is this an OEM or a retail license ?

 

[jonhp]

Retail I think. Channel ID in Product ID is 702.

 

[Kaktussoft]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html

windows 7 pro is on ssd
all profiles are on hard drive

question is, when replacing the motherboard (chip set, processor, memory), how to ensure that windows sees the SSD as the C: drive and the hard drive as the D: drive. If they don't appear with the correct drive letters, then windows is going to be confused about where the profiles are really at.

Sorry I don't understand it completely. What are you exactly transfering? So explain the old and new situation plz. Also explain current situation plz.

 

[jonhp]

current: windows 7 pro; system and applications (program files, program files (x86)) on an ssd; user profiles, programdata and other user data on a hard drive.

plan: replace the motherboard (chipset), cpu, memory. keep the rest of the system as is.

some SSD (c:\) data:
05/22/2012 11:27 PM <JUNCTION> ProgramData [D:\ProgramData]
05/22/2012 11:27 PM <JUNCTION> Users [D:\Users]

concern: since there are links on the ssd to the hard drive for the user profiles and program data, it is imperative that the os, when it boots for the first time with the new motherboard etc, sees the drives in the exact same order with the exact same drive letters. ie the ssd must be seen as the c: drive and the hard drive as the d: drive. otherwise the OS is going to get confused about the location of the user profiles and programdata and start automatically creating profile folders to satisfy itself before any user intervention is possible.

hope this helps further describe my concern/question.

 

[Kaktussoft]

current: windows 7 pro; system and applications (program files, program files (x86)) on an ssd; user profiles, programdata and other user data on a hard drive.

plan: replace the motherboard (chipset), cpu, memory. keep the rest of the system as is.

some SSD (c:\) data:
05/22/2012 11:27 PM <JUNCTION> ProgramData [D:\ProgramData]
05/22/2012 11:27 PM <JUNCTION> Users [D:\Users]

concern: since there are links on the ssd to the hard drive for the user profiles and program data, it is imperative that the os, when it boots for the first time with the new motherboard etc, sees the drives in the exact same order with the exact same drive letters. ie the ssd must be seen as the c: drive and the hard drive as the d: drive. otherwise the OS is going to get confused about the location of the user profiles and programdata and start automatically creating profile folders to satisfy itself before any user intervention is possible.

hope this helps further describe my concern/question.

Each physical disk has an unique disk signature. In win7 registry is defined what is called C, D etc. It is in registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices. It's the disk signature and start sector of the partition that is in that key that defines the drive letter.

You aren't going to relocate partitions? Not going to change disk signature? Even if you did with a good partition manager .... drive letters in registry will be updated by the program as well. So no problems at all!!

How are you making the system bootable after motherboard swap? sysprep doesn't work if you have relocated the stuff!!!! I advise you to do this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/292068-make-windows-7-bootable-after-motherboard-swap.html . But first uninstall all unneeded drivers and software.

Please post screenshot of disk management as the situation is now ... so before swap. Only 1 ACTIVE partition I hope??!!

Post results

 

[jonhp]

My intent was to sysprep: oobe, generalize, shutdown. swap motherboard, cpu and memory. then reboot.

 

[Kaktussoft]

system boots from ACTIVE partition so "system reserved" . That has a boot menu that has a boot entry to win7 on C.
Drive lettering will give you no issues at all if you dont't move the partitions.

Don't use sysprep. I advise you to do this: Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap . But first uninstall all unneeded drivers and software.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Before swap, so now: Please post "device manager" screenhot. Expand all branches except "systemdevices". I think you have to make 2 screenshots to show everything.

 

[jonhp]

It appears that the "Paragon Adaptive Restore" has been replaced by the "P2P Adjust OS Wizard" on the "Paragon Recovery Media Builder" prepared bootable environment (have Paragon Drive Copy V14).

Is the "uninstall all unneeded drivers and software" really required? If the "P2P Adjust OS Wizard" adds drivers for the new hardware and the OS on reboot does all plug-and-play, do a few extra unused drivers make any difference?

"sapw"? not familiar.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Some extra driver don't make a huge difference indeed. But I prefer to uninstall the NVIDIA driver totally before swap. Maybe system doesn't boot with wrong driver. But you can always do a "safe mode" boot and uninstall the stuff.

More important: install "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller". You already did that... nice. That works with all controllers in AHCI mode.

Most likely you can boot without using Paragon Adjust OS Wizard at all(?) But be sure to cleanup "device manager" afterwards.

 

[jonhp]

oh, display adapter, good point. in this instance a separate video card, PCI Express x16 2. it will be the same before and after the motherboard swap. so probably not a driver concern here in this particular case.