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Swapping a hard drive into a new computer.... RRS feed

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    I'm helping an old friend of mine with his computer. It turns out his mobo is fried, so i'm just putting his HDD into another PC I had laying around. Unfortunately windows won't let me log in at all to get the wireless drivers up and running so I can do online activation. I've tried using the phone activation with no luck at all. Am i screwed? Or is there some method i'm missing?
    Saturday, October 30, 2010 8:09 PM

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    Hello arthorn,

    If the computer can be started to a safe mode command prompt, run this to re-arm XP activation:

    rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk

    Note:  this command must be typed exacly as above with space, caps, and comma.

    Let us know if it worked for you. :-)

    If we can get activation rearmed, then we can get you to do this next:

    In order to receive the best support, we request all users initially download and run the Genuine Diagnostics tool at this link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012. Click "Run" several times to download and start the Utility.  When asked, click the "Continue" button.  When the utility completes its run, click the "Copy" button, then come back here and paste the report into your post.

    Also, please look on the computer for a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA).  If there is a CoA, please tell us what version and edition of Windows is listed on the CoA, and if there is a manufacturer's name or "OEM Software" or "OEM Product" printed on the CoA.  Do not post the product key printed on the CoA.

    Don't let the clock run out....to take advantage of the Office 2010 Tech Guarantee, you must download Office 2010 by 10/31/10. See http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/tech-guarantee/
    • Marked as answer by Darin Smith MS Thursday, November 4, 2010 6:25 PM
    Sunday, October 31, 2010 3:36 AM

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    Hello arthorn,

    Often when moving an installation of XP from one computer to another you run into issues with hardware drivers (particularly mass storage controllers) than can only be cured by a repair reinstallation.

    From what you posted I am unsure of you can log onto an interactive user account, and if so, are you able to run the Activation Wizard, or can you not even log on?

    The other issue when moving an installation to another computer is licensing---if this is an OEM installation, moving it to another computer is not permitted by the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA), and if this is an upgrade installation, the destination computer needs to have had a qualifying installation of Windows on it previously.

    Don't let the clock run out....to take advantage of the Office 2010 Tech Guarantee, you must download Office 2010 by 10/31/10. See http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/tech-guarantee/
    Saturday, October 30, 2010 8:27 PM
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    Hello arthorn,

    Often when moving an installation of XP from one computer to another you run into issues with hardware drivers (particularly mass storage controllers) than can only be cured by a repair reinstallation.

    From what you posted I am unsure of you can log onto an interactive user account, and if so, are you able to run the Activation Wizard, or can you not even log on?

    The other issue when moving an installation to another computer is licensing---if this is an OEM installation, moving it to another computer is not permitted by the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA), and if this is an upgrade installation, the destination computer needs to have had a qualifying installation of Windows on it previously.

    Don't let the clock run out....to take advantage of the Office 2010 Tech Guarantee, you must download Office 2010 by 10/31/10. See http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/tech-guarantee/


    Thanks a bunch for the reply. I am unable to log onto the user account at all, so I cannot run any sort of Wizard or anything. I'm wondering if the EULA is gonna prevent this from happening at all. They "representative" that I speak to on the phone tells me that it is unable to locate the number I input as a valid #. I've tried both punching it in and verbally saying it to my her.

     

    Thanks again for your reply.

    Sunday, October 31, 2010 12:55 AM
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    Hello arthorn,

    Presumably the spare computer you are now trying to use already had a hard disk with an operating system installed?  If so, you can sidestep issues with logon and licensing if you add the hard disk drive from friend's computer to this spare computer as a secondary hard disk, not as the primary boot disk.

    If the spare cannot be booted to its own disk and OS as I suggested, then please let us know how far along the spare gets in the startup process with the moved hard disk drive as the primary boot drive.  Does it POST?  Does it partially boot and then loop?  Does it boot to a logon prompt in normal mode, or safe mode, or both, or neither?

    Don't let the clock run out....to take advantage of the Office 2010 Tech Guarantee, you must download Office 2010 by 10/31/10. See http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/tech-guarantee/
    Sunday, October 31, 2010 2:40 AM
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    The PC I'm trying to put the drive into only has room for one drive unfortunately. When I boot to the drive out of the broken PC it gets to the windows log on screen (Shows the one username and such). A window pops up and tells me that it can't log on until windows has been activated. At that point it gives me an acitvation number to call the Microsoft 1888 number, and the number rejects the number I give it.

     

    Again, I appreciate the reply!

    Sunday, October 31, 2010 2:57 AM
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    Hello arthorn,

    If the computer can be started to a safe mode command prompt, run this to re-arm XP activation:

    rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk

    Note:  this command must be typed exacly as above with space, caps, and comma.

    Let us know if it worked for you. :-)

    If we can get activation rearmed, then we can get you to do this next:

    In order to receive the best support, we request all users initially download and run the Genuine Diagnostics tool at this link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012. Click "Run" several times to download and start the Utility.  When asked, click the "Continue" button.  When the utility completes its run, click the "Copy" button, then come back here and paste the report into your post.

    Also, please look on the computer for a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA).  If there is a CoA, please tell us what version and edition of Windows is listed on the CoA, and if there is a manufacturer's name or "OEM Software" or "OEM Product" printed on the CoA.  Do not post the product key printed on the CoA.

    Don't let the clock run out....to take advantage of the Office 2010 Tech Guarantee, you must download Office 2010 by 10/31/10. See http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/tech-guarantee/
    • Marked as answer by Darin Smith MS Thursday, November 4, 2010 6:25 PM
    Sunday, October 31, 2010 3:36 AM
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    No further replys from the Original Poster.

    Issue is assumed to be resolved.

    Darin MS
    Thursday, November 4, 2010 6:25 PM