migrate XP pro from old chassis to new chassis

Hello:

I'm attempting to migrate Windows XP pro from a 20GB hard drive running on an older PII system, circa 1999 motherboard (32MB AGP graphics card). I've purchased a new 120GB hard drive along with a new mobo/AMD XP 3200+ processor/512MB PC3200 RAM/256MB AGP graphics card. I've followed the directions located at this link and read the additional links to Microsoft literature:

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/faq.html#17

Those instructions layout 5 basic steps. When I complete step 5, the new machine will run thru all of the steps of POST, and then I see the very familiar "progress bar" along the very bottom of the screen indicating that windows is starting up (I haven't gotten to the XP logo/animated green & black progress meter), but when the bar reaches the far right side of the screen, the machine reboots, and will run thru the steps of POST again, and then reboot, and so on and so forth, until I have to unplug the power supply. Essentially, it reboots at the same point each time, so my machine is "stuck" in a reboot loop.

At this point I figured I'd utilize the "clone disk" feature so as to migrate Windows XP pro from the 20GB disk to the 120GB disk. When I then put the 120GB disk into the new system, the same rebooting issue occurs. I tried migrating from the 20GB hard drive to a smaller drive (80GB) and the same rebooting issue occurs.

I like using the Acronis true image software, it appears to be working properly; I verified the image after creating it and it said it was successfully validated. I tried trashing the first full image I made & created a new full image and I still see the new machine get stuck in this reboot loop. Very frustrating.

Could anyone point out the error of my ways? It almost seems as if the boot sector is messed up once I migrate from the 20GB drive to any newer larger capacity drive. Maybe there is too much of a difference between the old chassis and the new chassis and so XP just pukes out?? I'm really at a loss here, and I'd really like to use my new machine after migrating from the old 20GB hard drive to a newer hard drive!! HELP! I've even gone so far as to put the old 20GB hard drive into the new chassis but I receive the dreaded "NTLDR is missing" message when I do that. Ugh.

 

Since you're moving to different hardware, you need to to a repair install of XP. That way it'll re-detect the new hardware.

 

wdormann: I thought that by running the sysprep.exe tool with the -mini parameter that winXP pro would re-detect the new hardware once I booted the new disk in the new chassis after migrating winXP pro from the old 20GB disk? If such is not the case, then Acronis needs to re-think the 5 steps they layout at the following link:

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/faq.html#17

Upon following the above link, there are more links to MS websites with a lot of really interesting & well laid out info about preparations to take prior to creating images for deployment upon multiple workstations. I've followed those preparations per the MS websites, and I've followed the steps as laid out by Acronis, yet I'm stuck in this reboot loop.

So you advise that I perform a repair install. Can you provide me with the general instructions on how to do that, or point me to a link that has adequate info? Do I need to utilize Acronis True Image 8.0 to clone my 20GB winXP pro install to the 120GB drive and then perform the repair? Any of your guidance would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

Sorry, I don't have any experience with sysprep, so I can't give any advice about the Acronis document you mentioned.

When you clone the disk, the data is all there. It's just that the Windows configuration is expecting your hardware configuration to be different. This document describes several methods to fix windows.

I think the easiest way to go is to boot with the Windows CD, and go through the installer. It should see that you've already got windows installed and prompt you to do a repair install.

 

Hello redlinge,

This <post by TheQuest> provides pretty clear instructions on how to carry out a repair install (substitute SP2 for SP1 if applicable).

Regards

 

I have had some success and some failures swaping installs from one MB combination to another. If the old system still boots try removing the IDE and AGP drivers - and all other MB drivers reboot and then try the swap.

You might be lucky I have sucess about 50% of the time Sysprep does not always work for me.

Otherwise the repiar install should fix everything