Windows 7 Restore To Different Hardware or Move Hard Drive

Date February 19, 2011 Author By kadmin Category Windows 7

Scenario:

You want to move your hard drive from your old computer to your new computer without having to reinstall everything.  Windows 7 will not boot in your new computer.

You want to create a hard drive image for use in deploying workstations of different hardware types.  You don’t want to create a different image for every type of computer.

In Windows XP you could simply run a repair install but that option is not available for Windows 7.

Solution:

Acronis True Image with Universal Restore link

The home edition works for this task if you get the Plus Pack for it.  Simply image your hard drive and then restore it back to the same drive with the Univeral Restore option enabled.  Then install the drive in your new computer and boot it up and it will detect all the current hardware.

OR

Run Sysprep on your old computer.  Then move the drive to your new computer and boot it up.  It will redetect all the hardware for you.

OR

Go into device manager and change device Hard Drive Controller to the standard Windows driver.  This incorrect driver is what prevents Windows from booting when you move the hard drive to a new machine.  You will find the device under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers.

It likely had a name similar to Intel 6 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller

1. Right-click it
2. Update Driver Software
3. Browse My computer
4. Let Me Pick
5. Choose Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller from the list
6. reboot and move the drive to the new computer and it should boot

Tags: ahci, different hardware, move hard drive, sata, Windows 7