Windows7 & Motherboard Swap

[Griffin]

Hi.

I tested some motherboards and used W7 (64bit version) as a test platform OS.

I know that it is wrong way just change HD from a computer to another without windows reinstall or atleast windows shold be prepared for it (those IDE drivers problem).

W7 coped with three first motherboards, but change from X58 (drivers installed, hd in external PATA chip connector) to 957X chipset (HD in Internal PATA connector) killed windows.

After that swap I only got blue screen (dont remember numbers, but it was that well known cannot connect HD or something that occurs because of IDE drivers).

So I tried first W7 boot & fix automatically system. It tried couple of times I suppose, but then it said that it cannot be fixed.

Next I tried systemrestore to earliest possible RP. It restored it, but didn´t fix it.

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Next I tried "transfer" current controlset/IDE from that running "PE windows" to installed windows registry with regedit, but I probably did it wrong way and it didn´t fix it.

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So question:

Because sometime motherboard may just suddenly die and windows cannot be "prepared" for MB swap beforehand, Is there tool to fix (that) driver problem in W7 OR can it be done manually with regedit? Let´s just suppose that new motherboard works ok with ms "common IDE driver"

For example:

Intall W7 (Same version) to another HD, with MS orginal IDE driver.

Export some registry entries from it´s current controlset, modify them and import to unworkking windows registry with regedit (Load Hive, edit, save Hive).

IF this can be done, then:

1. Which registry keys must be copied (for IDE driver swap)

2. And is filecopy also needed? Shouldn´t windows have installed MS common IDE driver files automatically?

Edited June 2, 2009 by Griffin

[Tripredacus]

I've always sysprepped Vista before doing a massive hardware change like that. Especially if you set up your XML to include other mass storage drivers.

[Griffin]

I've always sysprepped Vista before doing a massive hardware change like that. Especially if you set up your XML to include other mass storage drivers.

Yes I know sysprep. But what if old MB just fails suddenly so that computer just wont reboot? Can win vista or 7 sysprep fix that?

BTW is sysprep available for W7?

What is needed is tool that "installs" / swaps drivers to unactive windows installation (for example from Win PE).

[Tripredacus]

I haven't gotten to test a W7 deployment yet. However there are some things missing in the RC that will be there in the RTM, such as the ability to install a license.