mobo change+ keep hdd data

[themaster1]

Has anyone here tried to move a hdd from a mobo to another mobo (with different cpu,chipset etc...) without data loss.
I'd be interested in the procedure to follow a.s.a.p.That would be for an XP os, thanks.

[johns0]

You can try and boot with the hdd and hope it updates and bring you back to the desktop and then install all the other drivers needed,I've done it with winxp before but also tried with a different MB and got a blue screen of death booting up.

The safest way is to install winxp as a new os but not deleting the partition so the old winxp is saved as data,You will have to install programs again but you keep all the data that you had before.

[bevills1]

I've done this on WinXP, and all I had to do was boot to the hdd and install drivers that come with the new board. The only problem I encountered was when going from an old Intel system to a new AMD board it won't boot straight away. To fix the problem so it boots to the new AMD system you need to boot to WinXP CD and choose Recovery Console; once there enter from a command line "Disable Intelppm" and you're good to go.

[ranchhand]

I have the same experience as belvills1 above. In addition, you could try first uninstalling the chipset and video drivers in the old box, then install the HD with the new mobo and try to boot. Hopefully XP's generic drivers will get you booted (same as a new build setup), then first thing run the new chipset/video drivers for the new mobo and you are up & running. However, if the boot stalls run a repair reinstall (not new install) from the XP OS disk and that will get your MBR straightened out and enable you to boot. As long as you don't delete anything else, your data will still be accessible with a virtual distro like UBCD or Reatogo. And also.. you can back up your data first off-computer.

[Cornucopia]

I've done this before with a W2k box. For it to all sort itself out, it worked best when you did a reboot for EACH driver replaced (which means it could go through 10 or 15 reboots to get everything done).

Scott

[nic2k4]

The first thing you should do is retrieve your Windows Key with Jellybean Keyfinder.

It's feasible, most likely XP won't boot, in that case reboot with the installation CD in and do a repair installation. Also, you will have to register Windows again.

It would be preferable to start with a fresh install; it's a good way to cleanup all those programs you installed and never used, that are just slowing down your PC. Use the migration wizard (migwiz is on every Windows CD, the Windows 7 version is much nicer) to transfer all your files and settings to an external drive. Use the custom option, if you have more than 1 partition, by default migwiz will retreive all your files even the ones on D drive... Works well when upgrading Windows version.

[jagabo]

When possible I clone the disk to another drive and make sure the clone is bootable in the old computer. Just to make sure I can go back to the old motherboard if necessary. Then I boot one of the drives with the new motherboard. About 50 percent of the time the the new computer boots up and new drivers can be installed. Another 40 percent of the time the motherboard wouldn't boot completely and I've had to run a repair reinstall (all programs and settings retained). The last 10 percent of the time I was never able to successfully boot on the new computer and had to do a clean install.

In my experience the likelihood this working with Win 7 is much lower.

[themaster1]

Now that i think about it, it's an OEM XP (x86, family edition) and the theme is customized i got the feeling it's gonna be hard to do it right. ~Bsod right ahead~

What about installing win7 ultimate (x64) on the primary partition (where Xp reside) and keep the two logical partitions intact (created with XP indeed), these 2 contain important data.
Has someone tried this before ? I'm looking for first hand experiences, not best guesses if possible.

[Constant Gardener]

Acronis True Image Home + Plus Pack will do what you want - I have moved boot drives to different motherboards many times in the past but not with the current version of the software. You may have problems reactivating that OEM XP since it is only licensed for the original machine.

Best to work with a clone of the original hard drive, or have good backups, just in case.

[themaster1]

It turns out that when you reinstall win7 on the primary partition you don't lose the others logical partitions, i wasn't sure so i've tried with another hdd and it worked. Xp wasn't brilliant in this domain hence my fears.
Previous os: win7 ultimate x86, on C:, new: win7 u x64...no problem

[Nelson37]

As long as you don't wipe out the partition, the data is safe no matter what you do. The drive does not get formatted.

Delete all the motherboard hardware in device manager. swap the drive to the new mobo, and do a repair install. MS has a point system which will dictate how much hardware change triggers a re-installation requirement. New mobo almost always triggers this, unless VERY similar to original. New videocard can cause it.

BAckup, clean install, then program re-install and data restore is always preferrable. Some progs may be affected by driver removal and change, regardless, the "housecleaning" is almost always a good thing.

For quick and dirty, the repair install will work, even with OEM XP. Done this many, many times. Only failures have been in cases of drive corruption.

Repair install accessed from the Second option, not the first one mentioning the recovery console.

[bevills1]

I've upgraded 4 or 5 times on different systems over several years and have never needed to to a repair install but simply boot old drive with new mobo and install drivers for new mobo after boot. The only exception being need to disable intelppm from Recovery Console if going from Intel to AMD mobo as stated in my reply #3,

[cal_tony]

I posted my success with converting my Intel mobo to a newer AMD mobo and chip change on this site a couple of years ago. Search my earlier post and it gives some specific info re: the small files required to migrate your hard disk to a new computer.

Moving a Windows XP Hard Disk to a New Computer
=================================================


1. BEFORE moving the hard disk:

a. Copy the *.SYS files included in this folder to the %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS. (If files already exist, you do not have to overwrite them)

b. Merge the MERGEIDE.REG file (in this folder) into the registry by double-clicking the file. Then Windows XP displays the following message:
Are you sure you want to add the information in Mergeide.reg to the registry?

Click Yes.

2. Install the hard disk into the new computer.


3. Check that Windows identifies all the new hardware.


4. You will probably need to re-activate Windows and maybe Office as well.

the files required were:

atapi sys
intelide.sys
MergeIDE.reg
pciide.sys
pciidex.sys

You might also want to read Microsoft-explains-stop7b-error.txt

I found this info from a UTUBE video uploaded by a computer repairman from India I think his name was SAM

I was surprised how easy it was. I did have to keep going back to my mother board disk to install drivers but my XP sys drive accepted everything.

Tony

[themaster1]

Another finding i made this week:

I've connected my old hdd (win7 ultimate x64) to the new motherboard i have so with completely differents cpu/ram/controllers in fact it's Intel vs AMD and guess what it worked perfectly without doing nothing, the drivers were found automagically

[hello_hello]

Simply changing the motherboard, re-connecting the hard drive and booting can be a bit hit and miss. I've done it successfully in the past. Windows booted, found all the new hardware, installed it and I was up and running again. I've also done so unsuccessfully in the past. Windows booted, blue-screened and continued no further.

Success or failure might simply come down to whether Windows itself has the necessary drivers to run the new hardware (in which case the older the version of Windows you're running, the less likely it might be it'll work successfully). I haven't done it enough myself to come to any conclusions though.

[jagabo]

Simply changing the motherboard, re-connecting the hard drive and booting can be a bit hit and miss. I've done it successfully in the past. Windows booted, found all the new hardware, installed it and I was up and running again. I've also done so unsuccessfully in the past. Windows booted, blue-screened and continued no further.

Yes, and then sometimes the drive doesn't work in the orignal computer anymore either. So my usual procedure is to clone the drive, verify the cloned drive boots properly in the original computer, then transfer either the original drive or the clone drive to the new computer and see what happens. If it doesn't work I still have a drive that works in the original computer and can look into other options.