Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

Elric said:

Hello there,

I've just travelled to another country with all my original internal and external HDDs.
On one of the hard-drives is the installation of the original OS (Win 7 Ultimate -32). For various reasons, I couldn't bring the old PC with me and I have made no changes (or any other preparations) to the OS beforehand. Now, I have received a new PC (with new and different hardware) and would like to ask if there's a way to still make the old OS load and work?

Please excuse me if this question has been already raised in this thread.

Thanks in advance!

Use Paragon Adaptive Restore https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ogvkez2hnab1isv/GMh6pwmwcP pdf manual is also there. Burn the ISO to DVD and boot from it. Did you simply swap harddisk from old disk to new disk. Or did you backup and restore?

Only thing to do in Paragon Adaptive Restore is "P2P Adjust OS" (all info is in pdf maual). Critical drivers that are missing can be found on internet. Most important are the SATA drivers but you see that in the wizard. After system boots succesfully (eventually to safe mode):

• In device manager uninstall graphics adapter driver. It's most likely another graphics card.
• boot to normal mode if you were in safe mode
• Goto device manager. Uninstall all device drivers for devices no longer attached to system (those with an exclamation mark). Not the ones under "other devices".
• uninstall special configuration software belonging to devices no longer attached to system.

Now install the correct drivers from manufactures website, or from driver CD. Most important is LAN or WLAN driver so you can go to internet.

Still drivers missing? Device Manager - Finding Unknown Devices

What brand and model is new machine? You have a valid win7 ultimate product key (NOT OEM!)?
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also see #520 and next few posts

Elric said:

First of all, thank you for your speedy reply; it is much appreciated.
Let me describe in more details my situation:
1. My HDDs were taken out as they were from the old PC.
2. One primary HDD has the win 7 ultimate (genuine license) OS and other software installed on it. The other HDDs are storage only.
3. Protection: The OS is password protected for 1 adminsitrator only. Some folders on all HDDs are protected by FolderGuard.
3. All HDDs are SATA.
4. Old PC had the MSI 915P Neo2 Platinum Mainboard with Inetel Pentium processor.
5. New PC will come with no hard-drive and will have the Gigabyte z77-d3h mainboard and Intel Core i7-3770 Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz 4 Core LGA 1155 in it.

My questions:
A. Is there a way to make the primary HDD load with the originally installed OS and programs (I must have access to FolderGuard) and let windows replace the drivers either automatically or manually?
B. If "A" is unlikely or impossible then is there a way to migrate the OS and programs from the old to a new Primary HDD with a freshly installed OS?

What's not clear for you in #530 ?

Windows replaces drivers automatically. But not the devices it doesn't recognize out of the box (as in normal win7 install). Graphics adapter doesn't work I assume. Boot to safe mode and uninstall the graphics adapter and associated software (it reverts to standard vga adapter, just as on standard win7 install). Uninstall all drivers and associated software not needed anymore.

New PC will come with no hard-drive

So you have the new motherboard driver cd?

For drivers GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1155 - GA-Z77-D3H (rev. 1.1)
and very handy GIGABYTE Download Center

You have 32 bit win7 ultimate? How much memory has new machine? 32bits OS only supports 4GB.
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so basicly it's a driver cleanup and new driver install

@Elric: Atheros LAN driverOS:Windows XP 32bit,Windows XP 64bit,Windows Vista 32bit,Windows Vista 64bit,Windows 7 32bit,Windows 7 64bit,Windows 8 32bit,Windows 8 64bit
2.1.0.73.08 MB2012/09/20Asia China America Europe Europe(Russia) : FTP / Http
That's the LAN driver to access the internet wired. Put on usb stick and run on new machine
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Your new mainboard has SATA "Intel® Rapid Storage Technology"... will work with default SATA as well. Paragon P2P adjust OS will gracefully upgrade to default win7 sata driver. Afterwards you can upgrade the driver. I expect no problems at all.

But sure to boot from correct HDD from BIOS!

Elric said:

What is vital for me right now is to reach the encrypted folders and back them up.

FolderGuard doesn't encrypt as far as I understand. It installs itself and prohibits access the "protected" stuff. But you can access the folders easily if you attach the disk with protected folders to another machine (without folderguard). Or boot into recovery environment. Or disable folderguard protection. Or uninstall folderguard.

I've reinstalled Windows and cannot access my protected folders. What should I do?
If you have not installed a fresh copy of Folder Guard yet and you still cannot access your protected folders, it means that the problem is not related to Folder Guard: when Folder Guard is not installed, it is not protecting anything. Most probably, the NTFS permissions of Windows prevent you from accessing your files and folders. To restore access, you need to "take ownership" of your files and folders. Please refer to Windows Help for more information or for the instructions on how to do that.

Will Folder Guard encrypt my files?
No, Folder Guard does NOT encrypt or otherwise modify your files in ANY WAY. Folder Guard protects your files dynamically, that is, it intercepts requests from other programs to open files or list the contents of folders, and then rejects such requests for the files in the folder you have chosen to protect. The files and folders themselves remain undisturbed during this process, in their original condition.
As a result of such design, there is no danger of losing your documents if you lose your encryption key. On the other hand, your secret folder is protected only on your computer, where Folder Guard is installed and configured. If you require your private files to be protected even when taken to another computer, or when Windows or Folder Guard are not running, then you need an encryption program.

Elric said:

If that is the case with Folder Guard then I will sleep well tonight... ha ha.
Your tips are formidable! can't thank you enough.

No more questions, all clear?

Elric said:

Zeg nooit nooit.

Why are you saying that? Are you Dutch emigrant?