Installed Windows 7 on old HDD, put in new computer. Won't start

flomexico

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Oct 7, 2012
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So, I may have made a boo boo. I bought a used computer today without an HDD or an OS. I had an old XP computer that had two 1TB drives. I installed a legitimate upgrade of Windows 7 on the C: drive over XP and put it in the new computer. Now, it won't start, and startup repair does nothing. I don't have the XP disk since I bought the computer 7 years ago, and it disappeared since.

How do I get this thing working?
 

luciferano

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Sep 24, 2012
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You really can't take a drive with Windows and put it in a different computer and have it work. It simply doesn't happen unless the two machines are identical or at least using extremely similar platforms. You need to re-install Windows or get the old computer and try installing drivers for the new one through the old computer.
 

flomexico

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Oct 7, 2012
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So burning the ISO to a DVD and doing an install from the recovery menu would be my best option? I've got my girl's laptop that has a DVD burner. Will it still work even though I bought the upgrade and not the full?
 

luciferano

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IDK if you can do that with the upgrade disk and IDK if it'd work even if you had a full disk. The only suggestion that I can make since re-installing seems to not be an option is putting the drive back in the older computer and installing the drivers that the newer computer needs IE the graphics, motherboard/chipset, LAN/USB, and such.

If the new build doesn't use the same company CPU as the old one (IE one of them has AMD and the other has Intel), then you might be screwed. I don't have much experience with Windows upgrades. They're generally not worth the hassle IMO and it seems that you're getting that idea :(
 

luciferano

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wr6133

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It's a bad idea because it wouldn't work (or at least would cause more issues and take more time than simply reinstalling), that makes it a non-sensible suggestion. I wouldn't offer advice on brain surgery as I know anything I suggest would be silly if I was forced too I would at least research it first rather than pull random untested ideas from my head, you should apply this logic to Windows 7 if you dont fully understand it.
 

luciferano

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This is a very common procedure that usually works just fine (I've even done it myself a few times and it worked every time, although I usually don't and it's only a last resort for when I can't do a full install for whatever reason) and it was the only option that I had to offer because, again, I didn't know that the upgrade disks can do full, clean installs.

As you've shown, it is not the optimal solution to OP's issue and you have given the optimal solution to OP's problem. However, instead of accusing me pulling some random untested idea from my head, I suggest that you too do some research.
 

wr6133

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Feb 10, 2012
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The fact you didn't know a clean install can be done from an upgrade disk shows you likely actually have ZERO experience in Windows 7 installs.

Its a very basic piece of knowledge that has been commonly known since 2009 (win7 release)
 

luciferano

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I don't use Windows upgrades. The fact that you didn't know of the driver update procedure shows you likely actually have ZERO experience in Windows 7 system transfers. It works both ways.
 

wr6133

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Your clearly an idiot as thats not even the right way to do a proper transfer

Anyway I'm done arguing with you here is a useful link for you read it may help you out in life

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/DG_96
 

luciferano

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Oh no, someone on the internet called me an idiot just because I didn't know something about a product that I specifically stated I'd never used and specifically stated that I didn't know whether or not it can be used for a full install to OP. What will I ever do.