New build with old HDD can't start Windows 7 64 bit.

[zack_of_steel]

First, let me say sorry if this should be in the Windows 7 section instead of here.

I am building a new computer, but using my same CPU (waiting for the Bulldozers to come out) and my old HDD. For now, my GPU is also the same until my new GPU gets here from Newegg tomorrow or Friday. I have everything together and the computer will post and go to the motherboard's BIOS screen, but when I boot Windows, the computer resets after the "Starting Windows" screen comes up. A blue screen flashes for a second and then the computer returns to the BIOS screen. When I try again it suggests that I try startup repair, which gets me nowhere.

I have tried:
1. Startup repair
2. Restoring to a point from when the HDD was in the original computer
3. Disconnected and reconnected the HDD from the motherboard

I can't re-install Windows as the HDD had Windows 7 pre-installed on it when I got the HP computer as a gift last May. I have a product key and thought that maybe I could download a torrent of Windows and put it on a flash drive and then install it and use my product key, but I am not sure if that will work.

Here are my system specs:

OS: Windows 7 64 bit
Case: Antec Twelve Hundred V3 Black Steel ATI Full Tower
Motherboard: ASUS M4A89TD PRO/USB3
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
GPU: XFX Raedon HD5750
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB 1600
PSU: Rosewill BRONZE Series RBR1000-M 1000W
HDD: 500 GB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec) 7200 rpm


Thanks in advance for the help, everyone.

 

[crewton]

i'm assuming you got a new motherboard? If you use a different motherboard than the one that you installed windows on you can't use your old windows for it. Unless you purchased the retail copy of window 7 which again sounds like you didn't since you don't have the disk.

Windows decided that the motherboard would be the basis by which it tells whether or not it is the same computer. You can change the ram, gpu, cpu, hdd, cd rom, and anything else except for the motherboard. If you change the motherboard then you have to get another copy of windows.

 

[zack_of_steel]

i'm assuming you got a new motherboard? If you use a different motherboard than the one that you installed windows on you can't use your old windows for it. Unless you purchased the retail copy of window 7 which again sounds like you didn't since you don't have the disk.

Windows decided that the motherboard would be the basis by which it tells whether or not it is the same computer. You can change the ram, gpu, cpu, hdd, cd rom, and anything else except for the motherboard. If you change the motherboard then you have to get another copy of windows.

Yeah, that's exactly what happened and wow, that's kinda' ridiculous. =/ Thanks for the information, I had no idea. I do have a new HDD and a copy of Windows 7 that I was going to put in the old computer and give to my father. Is it feasible that I copy all of my data, installed programs, et cetera onto the new HDD with the new copy of Windows and then put the old HDD into the old computer with the original motherboard? I have seen a few things about copying the image of a drive and such, but haven't ever done it.

 

[crewton]

That would work. Lucky you have another hd and windows 7!

 

[zack_of_steel]

Best answer selected by Zack_of_Steel.

 

[jitpublisher]

Yeah, that's exactly what happened and wow, that's kinda' ridiculous. =/ Thanks for the information, I had no idea. I do have a new HDD and a copy of Windows 7 that I was going to put in the old computer and give to my father. Is it feasible that I copy all of my data, installed programs, et cetera onto the new HDD with the new copy of Windows and then put the old HDD into the old computer with the original motherboard? I have seen a few things about copying the image of a drive and such, but haven't ever done it.

That is the disadvantage of having an OEM version of Windows. You can only use on 1 computer, based on, as explained, by the motherboard the installation was done on.
If you had a retail version of Windows, you could call Microsoft and get a new activation code.