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Author Topic: COMPUTER QUESTION I NEED SOME HELP  (Read 20082 times)
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KA2DZT
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« on: August 31, 2011, 09:04:31 PM »

I have two computers, a Gateway and a Dell.  The Dell doesn't have a hard drive, it was removed.  The Gateway has two hard drives.  Both machines ran on Windows XP.  I removed the two drives from the Gateway and put them in the Dell.  Of course it doesn't work.  The Dell turns on to a message screen that says Windows failed to start.  It says Windows will start in 30 sec.  It counts down to zero and goes to screen with the Dell logo.  The logo stays there for a second or two and then returns to the same message screen.  It goes through the countdown and repeats the same routine.

What am I doing wrong??  Maybe you just can't switch drives.  I don't know.

Fred
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W2PFY
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« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2011, 09:10:42 PM »

I'm in the same boat as you Fred. Several times I swapped hard drives without a problem and then it all stopped. There must be a difference in the chip sets that are not comparable. I'll be looking along with you for the answer.
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Ott
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« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2011, 09:54:50 PM »

Might have something to do with this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware_abstraction

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ssbothwell SWL
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« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2011, 10:00:32 PM »

perhaps i can finally be of service. Smiley

i think you will need to reinstall your operating system when you switch the hard drive. the dell can read the data fine but the operating system is probably expecting a totally different set of hardware and is freaking out when you load it on the dell computer.

if you have a windows xp install disc you should try hooking up the harddrive in the dell computer and then booting from the install disc and reinstall. dont reformat the drive or else you will lose all your data. choose the option to just reinstall the operating system.

i hope that helps.
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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2011, 08:34:08 AM »

perhaps i can finally be of service. Smiley

i think you will need to reinstall your operating system when you switch the hard drive. the dell can read the data fine but the operating system is probably expecting a totally different set of hardware and is freaking out when you load it on the dell computer.

if you have a windows xp install disc you should try hooking up the harddrive in the dell computer and then booting from the install disc and reinstall. dont reformat the drive or else you will lose all your data. choose the option to just reinstall the operating system.

i hope that helps.


I have had that exact same scenario. Twice it worked but the last few times I tried to do that, it wouldn't boot up! !  The only cure was to reinstall winders and all was fine afterwards.

You may also want to check ur bios / setup screens to make sure the motherboard found the hard drives, and sees them properly.
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WA1GFZ
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« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2011, 08:45:08 AM »

XP requires a register with big brother which locks the configuration of the computer with the register so you can't load hard drives and move them to other machines.
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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2011, 08:48:09 AM »

XP SUCKS! ! ! ! ! !  I liked 2000 better! ! ! ! !
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Mike/W8BAC
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« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2011, 09:08:04 AM »

You do need to tell the new computer which of the two drives to boot from. When you see the DELL screen hit F2, this will bring you to the systems settings. Follow instructions but usually you will look for the boot order page. You should see both HDD's. It might be as simple as choosing the right HDD to boot from.

Mike
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KA2DZT
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« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2011, 10:08:26 AM »

You do need to tell the new computer which of the two drives to boot from. When you see the DELL screen hit F2, this will bring you to the systems settings. Follow instructions but usually you will look for the boot order page. You should see both HDD's. It might be as simple as choosing the right HDD to boot from.

Mike

Mike,

Thanks, I just tried what you said, to hit F2 when the Dell logo appeared (it's only there for a few seconds).  It did bring me forward to another screen.  I will work forward from this screen and report back as I make progress.

This computer stuff is harder than building xmtrs.

Fred
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Mike/W8BAC
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« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2011, 10:17:56 AM »

Fred,

If you don't know which HDD has the operating system on it you might just try one, than the other as your primary drive. If the new computer is substantially different than the old, Windows configurations might need to be changed. When you get it to boot you might have to run a Windows install to cure the new configuration problems should they come up. Good Luck. If this problem gets more involved it might be best to take it off list and use PM or email.

Mike
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KA2DZT
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« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2011, 10:42:21 AM »

Mike,  I did try the hard drive with the OS on it.  I also tried another (3rd) HD with an OS.  Both HD's are disabled and don't seem to work.  But at least I was able to get past the first message page.  I don't have the reboot disc, but I,m going to try to get it from the original owner of the computer.  I may also be able to get the original HD, if my brother still has it.

Question,  If I use the original HD and do a reboot with the disc, will that remove all the previous owner's info and other personal info??  That's the reason the HD was removed in the first place.

Fred
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KM1H
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« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2011, 10:54:40 AM »

Start with the BIOS and be certain the HD is even recognized. There are steps to take before Windows is involved.

The HD could also be damaged by a virus or glitch so you need a diagnostic floppy or CD.

I build all my own PC's with a lot of used or tossed away parts; its amazing what people throw away for a simple problem; this is a 2400 dualcore with 4GB found at the dump for example.

Carl
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Mike/W8BAC
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« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2011, 11:02:45 AM »

If you use the original hard drive from this computer (which is a great idea) and do a complete, new installation of Windows on that drive, all previous data will be overwritten or lost. Nothing can be recovered from the previous Windows installation unless your an NSA geek. I would do a complete reformat of that drive and than a new Windows installation.

You will need a complete set of Windows installation media. Windows recovery disc's may not contain everything necessary for a fresh installation. Make sure you have what you need before you start. I think the Service packs can still be downloaded after you make the initial installation.

Mike

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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2011, 02:00:50 PM »

I will work forward from this screen and report back as I make progress.
This computer stuff is harder than building xmtrs.
Fred

Phred,
If this goes the way you build transmitters we'll hear back from you in about 3 years  Grin

After all we waited what, 10 years to hear the "Imaginary 813 Rig"  Grin  Grin
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flintstone mop
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« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2011, 08:23:03 PM »

CALMLY figure which HDD you want in the ONE computer........THEN start the computer with a bootable disk for a fresh install of Windoze. The boot and the CD will ask if you want to fix (repair) or format the drive and install XP.
You can buy WIN XP SP 3 all day long on eBay and they seem to be old systems discs from DELLS and will boot and install on any computer. I know the Anti-M$ folks don't like doing this the right way, but that's the name of the game. And while your searching for a Windoze disk get the make and model of the computer you decide to fix and get a Driver disk for that machine. It will re-install the drivers for the sound card, and the video and most important......the Ethernet card........without that you cannot connect to the internet. A fresh install does not guarantee the drivers will be installed for that particular computer.
Just throwing an HDD into a computer don't work. There is hard ware management on the mootherboard/BIOS and each HDD has a 'home'. No problem installing an EXTRA drive for your files, but the drive with the OS cannot move around , computer to computer.
Fred...............I have many happy stories for the many $150.00 Dual and quad core processors that I bought (3GB RAM) and all they needed was a new hard drive.......Can't beat that!!
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Fred KC4MOP
kb3ouk
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« Reply #15 on: September 01, 2011, 08:57:07 PM »

fred, thats the reason i like the linux distro i use, i can move the storage device that the OS is on from computer to computer, because the OS comes with a bunch of different drivers for all kinds of different video cards, harddrives, wifi cards, ethernet cards, etc. and it doesn't necessarily have to be installed on a harddrive either, on this netbook, i have the OS installed on an SD card. if i want to, i could put it on a USB flash drive and put the drive in any computer, boot it up from the USB drive, use it, then when i'm done take it out then can go and use another computer using the same flash drive.
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KD6VXI
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« Reply #16 on: September 01, 2011, 10:38:11 PM »

What a bunch of bullshit in this thread.

You DO realize what you are doing is ILLEGAL, right?





That being said (I don't agree with the illegallity of it), you need to get the CORRECT drive as your boot drive.  Once that's done, Windows XP will either repair itself, or puke, depending on the service pack.

BUT, buying anything "off ebay" or anything else, from someone selling "XP CDs" IS ILLEGAL.

YOU bought a Dell.  THAT copy of Windows is ONLY licensed to work on THAT Dell computer.  NOTHING else.

Welcome to the world of OEM licensing.

No, I won't turn you in.  YES, I've been trained in MS licensing (having an MS Site License for over 2500 computers at ONE time).

LINUX is no better than anything else.  Microsoft releases of operating systems typically contain WAY more and better drivers than ANYTHING linux (I go back to 1.x revisions of the Kernel, have installed SCO XENIX on POS systems, etc).

Bashing ANY operating system is endemic of those that are not educated in the ways of another.  PERIOD.  It's like bashing one R390 over another.  EACH has it's plusses and minuses.  If someone tells you different, they are UNEDUCATED about the question at hand.

Sorry to be brutally honest, but that's the problem your running up against.  What you're attempting to do is ILLEGAL, and the OS more than likely realizes it (since it's getting DIFFERENT POST codes passed to it via BIOS), and it is puking.

That being said, what you are trying IS doable,  but you may need a boot CD to do it.  As well as the fact that your "new" operating system probably WON'T pass muster at Windows Genuine Advantage validation, meaning you WON'T get service pack updates, meaning you'll pretty much instantly beome a bot in someone elses botnet.

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kb3ouk
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« Reply #17 on: September 01, 2011, 10:47:41 PM »

as far as stability is concerned i will take linux over any version of windows anyday. this distro i run is a very barebones OS, but it does everything i want, and it runs good. this netbook had windows xp on it, and was always running slow and having all kinds of problems then one day quit completely. replaced xp with windows, haven't had any major problems, about the only problems i've had come from trying to do more than one or two things at a time, can do more with it now than i could when it ran xp, which could barely do one thing at a time.
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KD6VXI
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« Reply #18 on: September 01, 2011, 11:13:39 PM »

as far as stability is concerned i will take linux over any version of windows anyday. this distro i run is a very barebones OS, but it does everything i want, and it runs good. this netbook had windows xp on it, and was always running slow and having all kinds of problems then one day quit completely. replaced xp with windows, haven't had any major problems, about the only problems i've had come from trying to do more than one or two things at a time, can do more with it now than i could when it ran xp, which could barely do one thing at a time.

That's a computer problem, not an operating system problem.

I have XP running, and currently have 8 different 'windows' open.  Opera, Internet exploder,  Yahoo (2 windows), a couple proprietary programs, etc.  This, on a Centrino single core with a gig of shared RAM between video and CPU.

The fact you said you have a "netbook" says it all.  You have a "computer" designed to browse the web.  ANYTHING else is, superfluous.

Theres a reason the 'original' netbooks where designed to go to Nigeria.....  And it's NOT because they where great computers.

Hate to be the ass here, but.......  You get what you pay for.
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KA2DZT
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« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2011, 12:23:11 AM »

What a bunch of bullshit in this thread.

You DO realize what you are doing is ILLEGAL, right?

No, but thanks for letting me know.  Oh, thanks for not turning me in.  I guess I must have broken fifty laws here today moving a few hard drives around in MY computers.  Hopefully the police won't take away my screwdriver.

Anyway,  someone gave me the Dell but removed the HD. Not being a computer expert, I thought I could replace it with a hard drive from another computer.  But as I have learned here today that can't be done for all the reasons posted.

I would like to thank everyone who posted for helping me out.  I am trying to get the original HD to put back in the Dell.  If I can, that will solve the problem.  If I can't, the Dell can always be reduced to parts and pieces.

Fred
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ssbothwell SWL
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« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2011, 01:17:17 AM »

What a bunch of bullshit in this thread.

You DO realize what you are doing is ILLEGAL, right?


what are you talking about? transferring a hard drive from one computer to another is definitely not illegal. neither is reinstalling a windows xp (either on the original computer or moving it to a different computer). when you buy a copy of windows xp you are buying a license to use it on a computer. the license does not specify which computer you use it on. as long as you are only using cd-key on one computer at a time you are not violating the license.

here is an explanation of retail licensing for windows xp: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/WindowsXP#Retail

from that page:
"FPP licenses are transferable from one computer to another, provided the previous installation is removed from the old computer. Although upgrade licenses are also transferable, a user must have a previous version of Windows even on the new computer to which they are moving the installation."
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The Slab Bacon
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« Reply #21 on: September 02, 2011, 08:17:34 AM »

Just my $.02 worth..................

With the lisencing issue, what happens if you bought that copy of, say XP and your compuker has a big time crash? (Something literally burns up or fails mechanically)

Does that mean you cant reinstall it in a replacement box? ?  If so, there may be some form of extorsion or other laws that should protect the end user from having to be taken advantage of my the OS provider. I guess that is why everyone hates Microslop so much.....................
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KA3EKH
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« Reply #22 on: September 02, 2011, 08:44:39 AM »

Wow, this is worse than the SSB thread! I never tried to transplant system drive to different system because of the driver issues but have built many systems and always do fresh XP install, hard to believe anyone likes 2000 over XP; next you may be saying you like Vista too! Have found Windows 7 works better and faster with less crashes just need god awful amounts of memory. Looks like one way to get people sutured up is the subject of OS and virtues of each, at least none of those strange Mac people have jumped in with how wonderful the Apple garbage is with the Jaguar, Leopard, Polecat or whatever OS they are pushing this month.
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W1ATR
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« Reply #23 on: September 02, 2011, 10:58:47 AM »

Guys, chill, seriously haha.  Grin  I think some of us are experiencing radio 'off season' cabin fever and getting at each others throats rather easily.  Tongue

The original compuker came with an OEM version (also called a builders version) of Winblows XP. The Certificate Of Authenticity (COA) is tied to the original computers motherboard and is not transferable to another machine. On the original computer every part can be changed or upgraded with the exception of the mobo. If you do get the OEM version cleared up so the new computer loads, (Not easy to do), as soon as it looks for an update, you get a reoccurring balloon pop-up that busts your chops about this windows version not being legit.

A 'RETAIL' version is different as it CAN be transferred to a new machine. You would call Microshaft and tell them what you did, and they would release the COA to be applied to the new machine. This can be done over and over if you don't mind sitting on the phone for 2 hours each time and have the software on ONLY one computer at a time.

DOn't buy a copy of XP on ePay from a private seller. It's such an old operating system, that the chances of finding a new unopened package with a fresh KEY are almost impossible. If you buy it from a retailer as new software, then there's no problem there.

If the computer is reasonably fit, then don't bother with xp anyway. For a couple bucks more, you can run Windows 7 home edition and enjoy 21st century technology.

J

    
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KA2DZT
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« Reply #24 on: September 02, 2011, 11:34:22 AM »

I'm not buying anything off ebay.

This computer is not my main machine so it's not that important to begin with.  I trying to get back the original HD that came with the machine.  I have other computers.  I'm using a Mac now.  I think it's only a few years old.

I just connected to the cable hi speed service, works fast with the Mac.  I had been on dial-up with an old computer that still works.

Thanks to everyone who posted some help.  I learned some good stuff.

Fred
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