Replaced HDD - Windows will not load

Spider · 16 May 2007 at 13:46

I bought a 500GB samsung SATA disk to replace my aged 20GB WD (PATA) hard disk and earlier used Norton Ghost to copy the system image from the old drive to the new. This went well, and i removed the old drive, changed the startup drive in the BIOS but now the machine will not boot.
It begins to boot, but gets so far and BSOD's and reboots. This is the same if I try last known good config or Safe mode.

I dont really want the hassle of re-installing. Is there anything i can do to fix this?

Thanks

t31os · 16 May 2007 at 13:49

Did you format the new drive first?...., does the old drive still have windows on it?....

New drives need to be formatted first, and don't have the other drive connected if it still has the OS on it.

csmager · 16 May 2007 at 14:22

Ghost creates the partition - formatting isn't necessary.

Changing HDD controllers from PATA to SATA would probably cause the blue screens - if it's in IDE (not AHCI) mode in the BIOS already, then you might need to do a repair install.

Spider · 16 May 2007 at 14:48

thanks. i was hoping a repair install wouldn't be necessary.
am i right in thinking it will keep all my settings and files and just 'fix' the probs?

csmager · 16 May 2007 at 14:50

Spider said:
thanks. i was hoping a repair install wouldn't be necessary.
am i right in thinking it will keep all my settings and files and just 'fix' the probs?

Yep - best to make sure you've got the latest service pack slipstreamed in too, assuming that's what you had installed before. Else it'll replace the files with older ones.

You might need to have a floppy with the SATA drivers on, but suck it and see first.

PsiFox · 16 May 2007 at 15:03

Some versions of Ghost have been known to have problems with sata drives.

They are usually solved by running from a floppy.

The boot problem is likely to be because there are no sata drivers installed on the old pata disk.

When windows installs one of the first things asked is "press F6 to load any third party drivers" (something like that), these are your sata drivers.

Spider · 16 May 2007 at 15:34

Some progress. began a repair install, it copied over some files etc. rebooted and now netiher my KB or Mouse is working!
Works fine when at BIOS stage, but on the Windows/MCE setup it will not work. This means that I cannot click next or anything on the installation prompts and thus im just stuck there!

Its copied files to the HDD so that's OK, now i just cannot click next etc. to finish the repair install

When i reboot it just 'resumes setup' and starts the process again. tried USB and PS/2 Mice/keyboards (2 of each) and the same thing happens

csmager · 16 May 2007 at 15:37

Weird - was going to say try a PS/2 keyboard. Some BIOSes only enable them for use during the BIOS stage, then you're on your own.

But you've tried that.... Any settings in the BIOS about USB keyboard support or similar?

V1N · 16 May 2007 at 15:53

Ignore, sorry, posted comments about Ghost and Vista.

V1N.

skanky · 16 May 2007 at 16:52

Spider said:
Some progress. began a repair install, it copied over some files etc. rebooted and now netiher my KB or Mouse is working!
Works fine when at BIOS stage, but on the Windows/MCE setup it will not work. This means that I cannot click next or anything on the installation prompts and thus im just stuck there!

plug a ps2 keyboard in, mines the same, i have to plug a ps2 one in if i want to go through windows setup, even though bios and dos is fine with the usb one.

Spider · 16 May 2007 at 18:57

skanky said:
plug a ps2 keyboard in, mines the same, i have to plug a ps2 one in if i want to go through windows setup, even though bios and dos is fine with the usb one.

Ive tried both PS2 and USB and the same happens on both