Blue Screens

[kremer22]

Hey guys, I'm currently building my first Windows XP system (I've built with '98 and ME before) and seem to be running into some booting issues. I'm doing the build for a friend who wants to keep his hard disk from his past computer. The HD already has XP installed and activated with the old hardware settings. Now that I'm trying to boot it with a new MB, CPU, GPU, and RAM it's giving me blue screens and resetting itself. I know that XP has protection to keep people from moving hard disks like I'm doing but is there some workaround for this? If not, do you have any suggestions as to how I can get the OS working without losing all his data? Thanks in advance.

If it makes any difference at all here's the setup:
DFI NF4 Ultra D Mobo
1 Gb OCZ DDR400
BFG 6600GT GPU
AMD Athlon 64 3200+

It's a Seagate hard disk but it came out of a Dell system. I did a clean install of XP on it before to replace Windows ME that was originally on the Dell, so it is free from any Dell programs. Thanks again.

[Darthtanion]

Re: Blue Screens

Your problem isn't Windows in itself, but the fact that your installation of WinXP on the previous machine is having trouble communicating with the new hardware. When you install any version of Windows, it creates profiles in how it communicates with the installed hardware. When you make large changes to those system specs (such as in your case where everything is new), the installed OS doesn't know how to properly communicate with the new gear. You can try installing drivers over the old ones but this seldom works flawlessly, and most of the time it doesn't give any measure of stability, hence your abundance of BSODs.

With so massive a hardware change, you and your buddy need to bite the bullet and reinstall Windows fresh. Just make sure to back up any vital data beforehand.

[kremer22]

Re: Blue Screens

Thanks for the response. In researching I came across the solution of using the repair feature on the XP install disk to reconfigure the install. Is this a bad solution? The problem is that I really don't have any way of backing his data up at the moment. If it comes down to it then I'll definitely be doing a fresh install but I was trying to avoid having to do that. Even if I could get enough stability to get it up and running I could back his stuff up and then do a fresh install.

The other big problem that I have is that he somehow managed to lose his XP install disk. Can I do a repair with mine or will the mismatched CD Key cause me another headache?

[Darthtanion]

Re: Blue Screens

When you try to use the repair features with this many hardware changes, you're trying to put a bandaid on an amputation. While you may be able to get it to boot, odds are good it will run like crap. As far as using your Windows CD, media is media and it doesn't matter what disk you use as long as it is the same version (XP home, Pro, Media Edition... whatever). The key that is input during the install and activation are what makes it a valid license with regards to Microsoft.

As for backing it up, you could just remove his hard drive and slave it to your system and back up any vital files (assuming you have room). This is a simple solution and isn't particularly difficult to do; just making sure the jumpers on all drives are set properly as a rule. When it comes time for reinstalling the OS, you can use your media to install and use your friend's activation key and all will be good in the eyes of Uncle Bill.

[kremer22]

Re: Blue Screens

Awesome. Thanks Darth. I'll let you know how it goes. I think I'll try to get his booted so I can back-up using his DVD RW. Then I'll reformat and install. If that won't work I'll just do a clean install. Thanks again!

[kremer22]

Re: Blue Screens

Wow, you were right on about Windows being sluggish after that repair. Many of the programs won't start and he must have gotten himself infected with the Aurora virus (the worst spyware program I've ever come across). Anywho, I've got him backing up the music and junk that he wants to keep and then I'll do a fresh install. I guess I'll have to hook him up with AVG, Ad-Aware, Spybot, and Zonealarm. Hopefully that will fool-proof the new one. He's got about 35 processes running right now!