Ok...I'm pretty sure I'm screwed and have to reload all my system software. The last upgrade I did, I didn't have to re-install the OS. Everything came back up and I loaded all the new drivers. With the new q6600 and mother board, about 1 second after Vista trys to load, the system shutdown and restarts.
I've loaded the restore disk for my old system and it wants me to partition the drive. Since the system posts and I can actually load off of a DVD/CD rom, I don't think I screwed anything up when I was swapping parts. Please tell me there is away around this.

smoketest we know you have a Q6600 and a gigabyte ? but what esle is in the pc,ram video psu etc.

also did you partition drive when you loaded os or was it a upgrade from xp?

post specs and they will come !

I would install on a new partion or a new HDD.

Eitherway you can boot and transfer your important files over.

You've been a victim to all the noobs saying adding old HDD to new mobo works. Its so hit and mostly miss I dont ever even try. Even when it seems to go well your performance still suffers.

you will need to reinstall windows vista to make the motherboard work. i know on occaision you can get away with installing a new mb on an xp machine and launch the repair reinstall and load some new drivers but that doesnt seem to work for vista.

Actually, you can do a whole mobo replacement with Vista without reinstalling. I just did it a couple of weeks ago just to see if I could. Old mobo was an Asus A8R32-MVP Deluxe w 2GB DDR 400, and X2 4400+. New mobo GA-EP35-DS3R, Q6600, 8GB DDR2 800. Prior to doing the swap I did do a complete backup of all user files, just in case. It took 3 reboots after device detection and driver installs, and everything worked fine, including all software and hardware. Now, I don't guarantee you will get the same results, however, many people have done this successfully. I wouldn't count on success necessarily if you were booting from a raid setup, unless perhaps you were working with very similar chipsets, ie ICH8 to ICH9.

Boot from your vista cd, and try a repair install.

Well you can change your oil in your car without putting new oil in it, and it will work, but down the road you will have trouble. Same thing here.

Installing Windows and apps is a walk in the park compared to the trouble of problems down the road caused by lazy noobish activities. Data is simple to transfer.

smoketest I totally have to agree with the roadrunner197069 Installing Windows and apps is a walk in the park compared to the trouble of problems down the road caused by lazy noobish activities. Data is simple to transfer.

I told you they would come and help.


roadrunner197069 is 100% correct

I would reformat hd and load vista fresh.I know peolpe have done repairs,upgrades etc.but just ask yourself is it truely worth it.format it and vista fresh load.