Windows 7 doesn't boot after platform upgrade

danny78690 · August 22, 2013

I upgraded from a Core 2 Quad Q6600/Core 2 Duo E7500 to an i5 4670K (about time, I know) and I would like to use my same hard drive with all my files and settings. Is there any way that one can boot with an "old" (old meaning drive used in the build before the upgrade) without having to format the drive and install a new fresh copy of Windows 7? I tried using the drive after I built my new rig; it gets to the Windows 7 logo then it freezes and I get the BSOD of death then it restarts. The cycle never ends.

I understand that this is "normal" and it is supposed to happen because of drivers, chipset drivers, etc. But I don't need a new hard drive because I've only been using the drive for about 2 weeks and it has all my documents and settings on it. I also have a secondary Data Drive that I use for games, media, and back ups. Unfortunately, because of it's file system, I couldn't back up a Windows system image. I have to use the Seagate Diskwizard (which imo, is awesome) and I haven't run the Seagate image back up ever since I got my new drive. That image is a fresh copy of Windows 7, so that doesn't get me anywhere.

Currently, I'm using a failing hard drive as my boot drive and have installed Windows 7 on it with all the chipset drivers, but I have none of my documents that I need.

SkilledRebuilds · August 22, 2013

Rock and a hard place...

Just backup your shit, do the full treatment format and reinstall, you will learn to love it.

Regardless of the drives age...Using an old install isnt ideal at all....

colonel_mortis · August 22, 2013

Reinstalling Windows won't loose any of your data, just stick it in a folder titled Windows.old. You will have to reset all of your settings, but you'll probably find that's for the best because if you've had your computer for that long there will be a load of stuff on there which is completely unnecessary. If you're concerned about loosing data, you can get a Linux Live USB (like Ubuntu) and recover your files off there before reinstalling Windows. I would advise reinstalling Windows.

However, If you really want to avoid reinstalling Windows, boot into safe mode (F8 when the flashing _ appears during boot) and uninstall the old drivers and install the new drivers (You have to press F8 during the restarts as well to get back into safe mode). It may not work, and I would advise a complete reinstall.

Sors · August 23, 2013

I have done this a few times, and the way I made windows boot was.

press F8 at startup to get the windows menu, and choose to start in safe mode.

Let windows boot in this mode, it will start recognizing some of the software.

Once it finish booting, turn it off, then boot again in safe mode, it may recognize some more hardware.

Now try to boot normally, usually this works for many PCs. There was however 1 PC I could not make boot just by doing that, so I had follow this procedure:

http://www.dowdandassociates.com/content/howto-repair-windows-7-install-after-replacing-motherboard/

After doing that I started windows again, it took quite a while to boot, but it did.

(This is why you should not throw away the driver disc that comes with your motherboard, even if Linus say so :P )