[FallFromINFINITY]

Here's the rundown:
Got a computer, better specs than what I previously had. Transferred all the drives and components. There's only a new motherboard, processor, RAM, BIOS, onboard video/audio cards. It no longer boots fully. Booting into safemode the list goes down, hits the one component that it allows you to skip, then after cancelling, or loading that, it blue screens.

I tried all of the available commands, Safe mode, VGA mode, debugging mode, service mode, normal, and last known config. All result in BSOD.


Okay, I think I know what's wrong, so first I'm going to ask a simple question.

If I install Windows XP on one computer, then later transfer the bootable harddrive to another computer, would it cause this problem?

If so, can it be repaired w/o reinstalling Windows?
This currently cannot be done, because the only drives I have on the computer is a floppy, a dvd drive that cannot boot(don't know why, but it works, with that one exception), and a Sysquest Ezflyer 230.

I can get at the drive's contents, I have an external mount and a computer I can work with it on.

[Elvandil]

Yes, you can't transfer the installation to a different machine. It has the drivers for the original and was activated on the original.

But many people have been able to recover using a "repair installation" from the XP CD. That's really your only option short of a new installation, unless you purchase "universal" migration programs, like those from ShadowProtect, Paragon, or Acronis.

If the original was an OEM installation, you can neither move it legally, nor will that version of XP even work on a different machine.

[Curly]

Windows licensing works such that when you first install windows, a hash is created with your product key and hardware, and that is sent to Microsoft. Windows will no longer work if you make significant changes to your hardware. If this wasn't done, people could share one product key or clone their drives and share them. Obviously, this is to fight off piracy.

I am pretty sure this is the cause of your problem. In fact, I believe that your intent is against Microsoft's Terms of Use, which they consider piracy.

One key, one machine. That's it.

[FallFromINFINITY]

but at one point, I swapped out motherboards before. It was to the same model of motherboard, but with a better BIOS.

Would Microsoft really make their anti-piracy feature cause the BSOD? That seems a bit like overdoing it.

The key I have is supposed to have multiple uses, not infinite, but multiple.

Would reinstallation be possible if the only available cd drive is not bootable?

[srhoades]

The reason why it worked before because it was the same motherboard and most likely the same chipset. Now you have completely new hardware and Windows is looking for the old hardware. The best thing to do is to hook the old system back up, boot into safe mode and uninstall all your hardware in device manager, specifically audio, video, IDE controller, USB controller and network controller.. Then put it back in the new system and do a repair install.

[Cookiegal]

It's one key per machine for personal computers. Otherwise, it would be a volume license which are for business or other organizations.

[FallFromINFINITY]

So my only choice would be a repair or a fresh install.

Could the problem causing my dvd drive to be unable to boot, be the fact that it's on a 40 connector IDE cable, instead of an 80 connector cable?