Transfer of HDD with 7 installed

[mistercow]

My boss asked me to install Windows 7 for him. Without thinking about drivers at the time, I just said "just give me your HDD, and I'll do it." I put his drive in my computer, installed it and some programs, put back his data and gave him back is drive. Only now, a few hours later, did I think that he might have driver issues and Windows won't boot saying that the hardware has changed and it stupidly won't just install the drivers.

How would I go abouts fixing this? I'd really rather not have to reinstall W7 again and have to deal with tech support about activation. How would I be able to add the drivers in, without being able to actually boot into W7?

Also, will the activation stick? While talking with tech support the other day, they said something about the activation checking the exact hardware.

 

[badge]

A clean installation of Win 7 would be my preference, but a repair installation may work also.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[mistercow]

Repair probably won't work since it can't boot. Is it possible to boot a Linux distro from disk/usb and install drivers to 7 from there?

 

[badge]

Try booting in to Safe Mode. Then remove the system drivers from there best you can. If not, then I would reload the OS on the MB it is going to be used with.

 

[badge]

Repair probably won't work since it can't boot. Is it possible to boot a Linux distro from disk/usb and install drivers to 7 from there?

I would try this if you don't want to do a clean install.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/241383-44-vista

 

[mistercow]

I think i'm going to have to do the stuff in that link, but I have to put the hard drive into the computer I originally installed W7 from.

Windows should be smart enough to detect stuff like this and realize that it needs to install new drivers itself.

 

[mistercow]

Best answer selected by mistercow.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

My boss asked me to install Windows 7 for him. Without thinking about drivers at the time, I just said "just give me your HDD, and I'll do it." I put his drive in my computer, installed it and some programs, put back his data and gave him back is drive.

Sorry to have to say it but this should be included in "How Not To Install Windows" article. I know ya don't wanna do the work, but a fresh install is the way to go. Also, remember that you did activate it on your hardware so it's is your hardware not your boss's which will always be identified as belonging to that particular copy of windows. If it was a retail copy, no biggie....if it was an OEM copy ... at some point, soe one gonna have some explaining to do and I think that would be better sooner than later.