[ununpentium]

Hello, how are you?

I use a P4 3.2 GHz, with the AsRock P4i65G motherboard (both PATA and SATA-1 1.5 Gbit/s ports).
This is the link of the motherboard:
ASRock > Products > P4i65G

I installed Windows XP Professional 32 bit, original, with original CD and OEM license and Product Key.
Since Hard disks are the most fragile and crabby item in the universe, I had to replace the hard disk lots of times.
So, after some Windows re-installations, I installed Windows (with SP3), activated it and made a backup (drive image) to a DVD in order to restore it anytime, and avoid the re-installations.
It always worked, lots of times:
Hard disk broken ---> hard disk replaced ---> windows xp backup restored:

System started and worked, every time.


This time happened the same problem: the hard disk got broken, so I had to replace it. But I installed a SATA Samsung Spinpoint 160 GB as new hard disk.
I restored the backup, rebooted the PC, and Windows started the boot: the first screen of Windows XP started, but while booting it suddenly reboot the PC: every time.

I think that the problem could be that while in past I always used PATA hard disks, and the Windows XP Backup has been installed to a PATA hard disk too, this time I migrated to a SATA hard disk!
So the different controller (or something like that, drivers,....) is unable to work, and the system restart.

And what is more is that I tried to re-install Windows XP from original CD (slipstreamed to SP3), but it cannot be activated anymore!
Unfortunately the OEM Windows XP cannot be activated more of 3-4 times, so I have a PAID original Windows XP and I can't use it anymore: I should BUY ANOTHER Windows (it costs lots of money!) and the actual Windows XP is trash!!!


So, please, help me to change the Windows (restored backup) configuration without booting windows (for example from the Windows CD using the recovery console, or using the DriveImage XML boot CD, or any other BOOT CD utility....), for example how to modify the Registry from prompt, etc....

Thanks!!!

[Joshuashawharvey]

Hi ununpentium.

You appear to be correct that your backup will not work due to the migration to a SATA hard disk. Windows backups will only work with identical or very similar hardware configurations, unless you use backup software designed specifically to work with dissimilar hardware, such as Symantec Backup Exec System Restore or EASEUS ToDo Backup.

You can try to enter the BIOS and under IDE or Hard Disk Configuration, change the SATA mode to IDE or Compatible, as opposed to RAID or AHCI, restart your computer and see what happens. The menus are different for each manufacturer so I apologise for how generic my response is.

If you already have already done this and it still doesn't work, I would recommend getting in touch with Microsoft directly and explain to them your situation. They may extend your license to another activation, or provide you with a new license key entirely.

[Albert Lionheart]

I have come across this issue before and it appears that some restore processes fail to return various critical boot files to their unique positions on the hard drive. If the files are not in exactly the right place on the hard drive then the boot process cannot find them. This is why simply copying files from one drive to another will not produce a second bootable drive. whereas software like Norton Ghost will work as it replicates not only the files but the file structure and locations as well.

[Joshuashawharvey]

Absolutely right, Albert. I work a lot with imaging software and have come across a plethora of problems with them. The boot sector of the hard drive is not visible, thus you cannot simply copy it. This also applies to other aspects such as hidden recovery partitions and disk signatures.

However, I presume that the issue in question is related to the drive being SATA, since firstly, the OP has had successful recoveries in the past on other hard drives, and also the Windows XP startup screen shows, indicating that the boot sector has copied over (although may not have been successful).

[ununpentium]

Thanks a lot friends!

Joshuashawharvey you're right: the boot sector is ok, the Windows XP startup screen shows...

Since the motherboard is old, it hasn't neither the AHCI mode, nor SATA-II.
So, the BIOS haven't any compatibility mode.

I was thinking about this:
I re-installed Windows (fresh install), and it must be activated. But the hard disk works, of course.

I could copy ALL the files (drivers,....) of the SATA controller and Hard Disk to a floppy (or somewhere else).
Then copy the Registry keys of the hard disk and controllers... And other settings....

Then restore the old Windows XP installation (PATA).

Then use the recovery console (or a boot-cd utility) like BartPE or similar, in order to manually copy the files and "configure" the Registry, etc....
I think it should work, but I have no idea of which files copy, which Registry keys save;
Furthermore, where is the registry? Since I have not "regedit" from recovery console prompt, or from boot-cd utilities, how can I modify it?

Any idea?