I just finished building a new computer. All the hardware works fine, but for some reason, right before it would reach the Windows loading screen (the one with the windows logo and the little bar going across), it bluescreens and restarts. I am using a hard drive from the computer I had before this one. Ideally, I’d like to keep the data on the HD intact.
specs
EVga Nforce 590 motherboard
1GB DDR2 RAM
AMD Athalon X2 2.0ghz processor
NVidia GeForce 7950 KO video card
80 GB hard drive from my old computer (containing windows XP SP2, and load of files)
old CD read/write DVD reader from old computer.
BIOS: Phoenix AwardBIOS
So far, I’ve looked at the BIOS, it recognizes my HD as SATA master, all the temperatures are fine, and the HD works when i put it back in my old computer. Just to make sure it wasn’t a virus or something, I tried starting in safe mode anyway with no luck.
So, any ideas how to get this to work while keeping the data on the old HD intact?
oh crap, you’re thinking. and you’re right. The old windows is trying to load all the old drivers for all the old hardware, and it aint working cause all the hardware is new. yup. like taking my brain out of my body and putting it in a little purple martian dude with six arms and googly eyes and stuff. aint gonna work. Try rebooting from your Windows CD (set your BIOS to boot from CD). Other than that, get another hard drive ($99 for a 600G here), install your windowz on it, and plug that original drive in as a secondary. Then you should be able to get your data.
yep, roger has got it. that’s a good solution too. you can keep all your old files on the secondary HD from the old one. That way you have a real backup in case either fails.
yeah… install new. even reinstalling over the top is likely not to work. it didn’t for me, but then again i went more drastic and went from Intell to AMD… sometimes you can get away with changing a few things like the Mobo, or the CPU. but not the whole lot.
In cases like this, a repair install of windows often works. Proceed through the windows set up as normal, but when the setup detects an existing Windows install, choose to repair it instead of installing over it.
I’d personally just backup your data and start afresh though…