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Old drive in different machine

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I have a hard drive configured just the way I want it (Windows XP Pro, service pack 2) and want to install it and make it the primary in another computer. Did it and moved the other puter’s drive to slave and then got a NTLDR missing error.
Help….either way….format to the existing drive and transfer to it or put my old faithful in there…. thanks in advance

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You have to make sure the new HD (XP Pro SP2) was set as Primary Master and the other HD as Slave. The jumper setting is different from one manufacturer to another.
Make sure the two HDs are recognized during POST or in BIOS.
Make sure the Boot sequence includes the new HD.

If this does not resolve the problem, the cause is most likely due to mismatched HAL. The remedy is to reinstall (this is also called in-place upgrade or repair installation) Windows over the current one. All your application and data should be intact. However, this reinstallation rolls back to the status of the windows in the CD. This means that you have to reinstall SP2 unless the CD includes it.

For information on how to reinstall Windows, please refer to MS KB Article 315341 ?How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP? or http://tinyurl.com/2zgk

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Reinstallation will install the correct HAL. For more information, refer to http://tinyurl.com/3qugp

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Because there may be significant HW changes, you may have to activate Windows XP.

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If you do not feel comfortable reinstalling Windows, there is a better way to move your new HD to the other computer. This requires moving the new HD back to the system from which the Windows XP and SP2 were installed. Boot the computer and replace the chipset controller with the standard IDE controller.
From Device Manager, right click on the chipset IDE controller and Update driver > Install from a list or specific location > Don?t search. I will choose the driver to install > Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller.
And remove all chipset devices from System Devices. Also remove all devices (Network Adaptors, audio, video, and so on).

Move the HD back to the other computer as the Primary Master. The Windows will find all the drivers it can. You need to install the MB drivers and others if necessary. All your programs and data should be intact. SP2 will be there too including all MS hotfixes and updates.

If this fails, then reinstall Windows.

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Slipstream means you incorporate Windows settings and software (Service Pack, MS hotfixes, critical updates, Applications, and others) into a Windows CD. Once Windows is installed, all settings and software were installed already.

I find the following website to be extremely helpful.
http://unattended.msfn.org.

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You can slipstream SP2 onto your XP CD. Instructions are at link below.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=49&threadID=163207&start0

To clarify the above response (which is correct): Major hardware changes require a reinstall of XP. XP won’t rescan for hardware and load appropriate drivers like Win 98 does.

The easiest approach is a repair installation which installs XP on top of itself keeping, programs, data, and settings intact.

Since you already have SP2 installed, it would be a good idea to slipstream SP2 onto your XP CD.

Dalton

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