Repair Windows after MB / CPU replace

[windyweather]

My friend's computer died and we have purchased a new MB / CPU.
Long story, but there was no way to obtain a reasonable MB for a 4 year OLD machine.
Old Machine: Core 2 Quad / 6GB DDR2 / Zotac MB / Nvidia onboard Graphics
New Machine: Core i5 / 8GB DDR3 / ASUS MB / Haswell Onboard Graphics

So. The system now boots into BIOS, so I know the machine is working.
But, Windows 7 will not boot.
Apparently, unlike other systems, Windows does not fall back to BIOS or other built in drivers when the MB has changed.

How do I recover this system in the easiest way possible to preserve as much as possible.
Yes, he has carbonite and other backups, but I'd like to fix windows rather than ReInstall it.

Windows is now chugging away on it's Startup Repair process, but I have no idea whether this is likely to work or not. It is taking freaking forever and I have no idea whether it's working on anything remotely likely to fix the problem of a change in MB / CPU.

So questions:
(1) Is Startup Repair likely to work, or am I wasting my time.
(2) Is there a simpler way to fix Windows than Reinstall - onto a new hard drive - and then move his files over and reinstall all the programs?

Thanks much,
ww

 

[windyweather]

Apparently no shortcut. But in spite of the FUD around Activating Windows after a replacement of a MB, that part worked. The complete reinstall to a new HD is in progress.
- ww

 

[madman7]

Did the repair work or did you have to do a fresh install? I might have to replace my board due to the fact I can't get a good working repaired board from Asus. I talked to a tech from Asus that said he has put in the Win 7 cd and booted and did a repair. He said windows would load and then try to find the new drivers. The drivers would most likely need installed from the MB driver disc. I'm not sure what he said will work. He did say if I go from an AMD to an AMD system it should work. IDK

 

[S_I_N]

well its always best to re-install specially when the kits are from such a large generation gap. But you dont have to use a new hdd it can be done to the old one. You'll have the option to format the old drive once windows loads it stuff. But cd has to be in drive when booted up and bios needs to be set to boot from cd/dvd 1st

 

[madman7]

I don't want to do a reinstall. I have too many things that I might not be able to get again. I have some games downloaded from steam and other places. Also too many saved games.

 

[S_I_N]

then you might be able to install to the new drive then copy over what ya want. as far as games go its not that hard to re download or install those again. I feel ur pain on that. We have all been there done that as well but sometimes its just better to start fresh. After all your jumping 5-6 generations of Intel. Alot has evolved since then.

another option is if you can get into windows on the drive you have then you might be able to just install the new drivers and pray. Either way ur in for a long process imho.

 

[windyweather]

Like I said. I reinstalled windows. But I was able to Activate Windows using the same OEM code, so despite the fud around OEM licenses that part worked. But I had the old HDs in the system at the time, so maybe that's the key, since there was something of the old system left behind after the rebuild. I'd be careful to keep the old hd in the system until you re-activate just in case.
-ww

 

[S_I_N]

actually its pretty easy to re-activate windows. Alot of times if its been a while since it was installed it just activates itself. The other method is to use the toll free cal to M$ and follow the prompts and they'll activate it. I've installed my copy on several builds but only one active. Thats their requirements it can only be on one at a time.

 

[madman7]

windyweather, did the repair work or did you give up and did a reinstall? I'll be staying with AMD so it may work. I did a little research and found most people that stayed with the same CPU and chipset maker had very little issues. Most said that they didn't even do a repair. Windows came up and they installed the new drivers. I'd venture to say that your experience may not have worked well because the change was to drastic. Totally different chipset maker.
I may just change MB and keep the CPU. Maybe this way it may work. I'm looking at an Asus M5A99FX Pro R 2.0 or an Asrock 990FX Extreme3.

 

[Robert17]

These instances are some of the better arguments for making an OS partition on the HDD of choice, other partitions for games, data, etc.

 

[JLK03F150]

Madman, in post 7 he reinstalled windows on a new HDD.
IMO you have a good chance just going from a 970 to a 990 chipset. They are both the same generation chipset.

Robert, even with games on a seperate partion, the new windows install sometime can't find the game, games save location, etc. At that point the game needs to be reinstalled too.

 

[Robert17]

Robert, even with games on a seperate partion, the new windows install sometime can't find the game, games save location, etc. At that point the game needs to be reinstalled too.

Much easier to recreate a DLL than losing everything and starting over from scratch.