Windows not starting after major PC upgrade

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abhishek.130490

Broken In
Hi Digitians,

My windows is not starting after a major Hardware upgrade. Actually i only retained HDD & mouse and everything else is new.

When I start windows I see blue screen (BSOD) just during initial windows load, and doesn't stays for me take down the error number.
Then during next restart I got a screen saying a windows didn't start due to recent hardware or software changes with an option to Launch repair (other option being start windows normally). But after taking long time, it says windows couldn't repair.


I use windows 7, and is dual booted with Ubuntu 11.04(need to be updated). I am actually using Ubuntu to post this, which is running fine for now.
I googled it and ironically got all result which answers when you get that error randomly, but not when actual hardware changes are made. Please help. I am taking part in Samsung's app contest and was about to update the app, but delayed it for the new system (as emulator is very slow on my previous system). Now I can't do anything about it until windows starts again.

My previous system:
Intel Pentium D 1.8 Ghz
Lenovo OEM MoBo (don't know actual figures)
2GB DDR2 Ram
nVidia 9800GT 512MB
DVD Writer...

My New System:
Intel core i5 2320 (3.3 Ghz)
Asus P8 H61-M (going to change that, bad option)
4GB DDR3 Ram
nVidida 560GT 1 GB
and usual lot...

Using Samsung 500 GB, don't know the exact model (feeling lazy... :D)

What do you say guys? I really don't want to format and re-install windows, it will take quite a time to get all the software up and running, and so much of data to backup. There's actually mo room in my HDD, and I will upgrade to a beefier one as soon as I get a chance.
HELP!!!
 
M

macho84

Ambassador of Buzz
Letmeexplainthe real fact .

First all hardwares are changed so reinstall is also not possibleas this will have to be fresh install. If it's just could it won't mess up but motherboard also changed

Better start now and install software to finish the app for contest.

Bewst of luck.
 
warfreak

warfreak

Talk to the hand!!!
abhishek.130490 said:
Well, I am trying to not to do that. But how the drivers are interfering when windows is not even starting. It doesn't even get to logon screen. Please help guys!!! I do not have time to wait. :(
Click to expand...

You have no other option bro. You said that you've changed everything except HDD. When windows is installed for the first time, it installs the necessary drivers for the motherboard and processor. And everytime it subsequently boots up, it looks for these drivers to communicate with the components. You may change gpu, soundcard, mouse etc, windows would work fine. But you are basically changing the processor and motherboard which is kind of essential for startup. That is why it wont go to log on screen. BTW windows starts the moment ntldr is loaded into memory and that happens before the windows logo displays, not the logon screen.

You can run a program called sysprep which basically acts as if windows is getting installed for the first time(But you wont lose any data). What you need to do is run this program from your old hardware, uninstall all drivers, and plug the hdd back into the new system and install the correct drivers again. But sysprep, like all other windows programs, is broken and I don't guarantee it would work.(Never tried it myself).

Best option would be to take a backup to another hdd and perform a clean install.
 
W

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
i know its too late but just for future reference there is a simple way by which you can prepare your windows installation on a hard disk so that you can put it in a new system & then simply install new drivers for new/changed hardware without reinstalling windows.in fact if you still have your old system/hardware it can still be done.if still interested then post here.
 
krishnandu.sarkar

krishnandu.sarkar

Simply a DIGITian
Staff member
abhishek.130490 said:
Well, I am trying to not to do that. But how the drivers are interfering when windows is not even starting. It doesn't even get to logon screen. Please help guys!!! I do not have time to wait. :(
Click to expand...

Yes that's right. How are you even supposed to get Login Screen when the drivers are not loaded correctly?

@warfreak is right.

It'd be better to reinstall everything.

Keep backup of Imp. data if you need them.
 
OP
A

abhishek.130490

Broken In
Seems you guys are right. I googled again and got that win 7 can bear any changes but Motherboard. I will have to re-install windows 7. Too bad...

And sad thing is I am exchanging this MoBo for a good one, got rushed into this (plus the tight budget). Will get new MoBo only after 2 days. Till then I have to wait. But thanks for all the help.

whitestar_999 said:
i know its too late but just for future reference there is a simple way by which you can prepare your windows installation on a hard disk so that you can put it in a new system & then simply install new drivers for new/changed hardware without reinstalling windows.in fact if you still have your old system/hardware it can still be done.if still interested then post here.
Click to expand...

Actually I have my old System just in the next room. It would be great, although, I have already removed every s/w to prepare it for a new installation, so there is no s/w conflict in next installation. But I would still like to know that.
 
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whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
you don't need to uninstall anything :) in corporate environments/oem manufacturers a single windows install is prepared & then deployed across multiple machines/hardwares because otherwise it would be very time & cost consuming tedious process.you need to run a windows tool called sysprep(included in windows cd & on hard disk in vista/7).you can select an option which will strip your existing windows install of all current hardware device drivers/system specific information & then turn off the pc.after this take out your hard disk & install it in new system.when you start the new system windows will load just like 1st time after install & after login it will prompt you to install drivers for new found hardware.after installing drivers your system will be ready to go with all your previously installed softwares/settings unaffected(of course it will affect software activation which depend on hardware ID like photoshop etc).

also just for future reference it is the device drivers loaded when windows boot which cause conflict on a changed hardware with old hard disk & not any software so uninstalling softwares is meaningless.if you didn't uninstalled your softwares before asking me then using sysprep with your old system you would be running your old windows install on your new hardware by now.i guess this is what they call bad luck.
 
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whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
^^that is not the solution.chances are very less & even if it succeeds it will still not solve the op's issues.the method i posted is the only one with highest chances of working & solving all the op's issues.
 
OP
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abhishek.130490

Broken In
Yeah, safe mode doesn't work. I had already tried that.

But I really didn't know about 'sysprep'. Reading digit for so many years, and didn't know about that. Digit should had it covered, or should cover it now :D.
But still I am going to format the system as I have already uninstalled all the softwares using the old system. I uninstalled because in my previous system windows and s/w were in different partitons and if I didn't uninstalled them they would be in a limbo state in the new windows installation. As much as I would loved to have experiment with the 'sysprep', I am trying to make my new system up & running.
But for next time I will keep it in mind. And who knows I may try that just for the fun of it.

But still thanks for the help and info.
 
W

whitestar_999

Super Moderator
Staff member
sysprep is indeed a very useful tool if you know how to use it but most people don't know much about it.also i am pretty sure that even with your programs in different partition sysprep would have been able to successfully migrate your windows install.
 
S

smithrick

Broken In
MANUAL FIX TO WINDOWS UPDATE LOOP

1. Place the Recovery/Install DVD into the pc
2. Begin off of the DVD. When you start your pc, the first display you see should provide you with the key mixture to media to get into a 'multi-boot' selection. On Dell's this key is F12 but it varries by each producer. Once you discover it and are at the multiboot selection, select as well of CD/DVD
3. When persuaded (after it has kicked to the CD/DVD) select "repair my computer" and get into the control immediate
4. Kind C: (with colon) and media get into
5. Then type cd c:\windows\winsxs and media get into
6. Then type del awaiting.xml and media get into
7. Reboot your pc

That should destroy any awaiting up-dates.
 
R

rawgeek

Broken In
If you have not formatted the box,here is what you can try:
Press the power button and keep pressing the 'F8' key.That will take you to advanced bootup menu.Choose the option to 'Disable Automatic Restart' and boot the system again.That should give you a blue screen which does not go away and from that you should be able to give us the bug check.
Second option is the 'Disable Driver Signature Enforcement Mode'.
Google Image Result for *motherloaded.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/enDeviceDriver.png
 
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