New Motherboard with old hard drive

fotosetc · 04-25-2008, 07:12 PM

My question concerns getting the original hard drive to boot after being connected to a new motherboard and processor. It won’t boot and I’m wondering if this is normal and if so, is there any way to work around it so as not to have to reformat and reload Windows?
Any help would be appreciated.

**johnhook** · 04-25-2008, 07:21 PM

fotosetc,

If your old hard drive has Windows installed for a different motherboard - you're going to have problems trying to boot Windows on a new motherboard. This is because the motherboard likely has a different processor, chipset, video hardware, sound hardware, etc. There ARE some cumbersome ways around this - but you're better off completely reinstalling Windows on the NEW system (i.e. old hard drive connected to new motherboard).

- John

**linderman** · 04-25-2008, 07:23 PM

your problem is VERY common

you need to perform a "repair" install

it wont mess with your data or programs

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XP...install.htm#RI

**linderman** · 04-25-2008, 07:25 PM

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operat...txprepair1.htm

fotosetc · 04-26-2008, 09:07 PM

I have followed both links and have tried the recommended steps. Nothing has worked. It doesn't make it to the setup screen for the licensing agreement. I get a blue screen that says, "A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
session3_initialization_failed.....Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed..."

Also, I don't have the original recovery CD, but instead have a different XP CD. Could this be the problem? Is there anything else to try before giving up and losing the data?

**johnhook** · 04-26-2008, 09:37 PM

fotosetc,

To perform the "repair" install that linderman recommended - you'll need the a CD with the same version of XP that was originally installed. There are many different flavors of XP (Home, Pro, OEM, SP2, etc..) so having the same version is essential.

Have you tried bringing it up in SAFE mode on the new motherboard (press F8 before windows boots and pick SAFE MODE)? I've actually been able to bring systems up in SAFE mode, delete all of the incompatible hardware in Device Manager, restart and let Windows auto-detect the new hardware. This is NOT foolproof - so I only offer it as one possible approach.

If you can't get ahold of that XP CD, you may end up installing XP from scratch. This will overwrite all of your data, settings, installed programs, etc. so make sure you have backups of your data files, as well as install CDs or other means of re-installing your applications. Also - make sure you download any hardware drivers specific to your new motherboard - i.e. graphics drivers, network card drivers, sound card drivers, etc. Save all of this stuff on a flash drive or burn it to a CD or DVD.

A fresh install might be more time consuming and tedious considering all the drivers, apps and data you'll need to re-install - but this approach will give you a cleaner running copy of Windows that's specific to your new hardware.

- John

**linderman** · 04-27-2008, 05:12 AM

if you still have the old motherboard and it operates

then I would set-up the old motherboard on a bench test / and then run sysprep to clean out the old drivers and this will also start a new mini hardware detection

here is the "how to bench test"

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f255...em-171424.html

here are the instructions for sysprep

http://www.infopeople.org/training/p...ut_sysprep.pdf

**linderman** · 04-27-2008, 05:15 AM

dont forget; as Johnhook has so accurately stated, when trying to execute the repair intall the CD version you borrow must be the same as yours, their are many flavors of XP >>>>> like Home vs Pro vs media center