XP Pro Boot Fail

[Lord Quake]

Is it possible that a Windows XP Pro installation on a hard disk when moved into a new system can cause the new system to be unable to boot from that drive? By unable to boot i mean the system returns "Please insert a system disk" message.


To stop all the questions. The mainboard has been configured properly regarding all the boot options, the system has been stripped down to bare essentials and this is a SCSI drive via a Tekram 390-U3W controller and all hardware is setup apparently correctly and proven working.


I am left with 2 options, either this is a genuine compatabiltiy issue with the mainboard: Asustek A7V333 (non raid). In which case the Mfr's arent aware of it. Or this is a Windows XP issue.

I am aware that Windows XP will deactivate after H/W changes and that other H/W changes can lead to failed Boots, but this is halting upon completion of the system POSTing. I.E System files on the drive are not being processed, hence the System disk error message. Again the Drive has a full XP Pro install on there and it works ..... I can boot from floppy and access all the files on the drive just not boot from it.

Any help or ideas would be great. I really dont want to have to send this board back, and ive had it sitting here useless for over 3 weeks now. The reseller is no help and Asus will not return e-mails.

HELP!

[K A Hall]

Yes it is possible as well as likely:


You can not take a drive running WXP from one computer and just stick it in another and expect it to work. Win98 works fine because of the difference in the file system. The only way I have been able to have any luck doing it is to start a reinstall of WXP on the first machine before removing the drive. Then on the first reboot, shut off the system before it reboots and remove the drive, and then install it in the new one, and finish the install.

At this point I would just boot off the cd and try to repair the installation.