HDD not booting

[louis76]

I'm trying to transfer my internal Maxator 200gb from my Dell Dimension 8100 running Windows XP Pro to a HP pavilion a000 running Windows XP Home desktop. When i connect the hard drive up i keep getting this error "We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows
Normally.

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked) Start Windows Normally

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice."

I've tried all the above options but it keeps rebooting and the same error comes up I've tried changing all the jumper settings at the back of the HD but still no luck. I saw on another page online that doing a repair install might solve the problem.  I already have two repair installs done over the past few months and don't fancy having to do another one. Is there any other solution to this problem?

[Raptor]

You're trying to move a hard drive from one system to another?

Reinstall Windows.

[Allan]

You cannot take a hd with Windows installed from one system, put it in another, and expect it to boot. Aside from violating the EULA, it simply won't work because Windows makes note of the hardware in the system in which it is installed during the installation process. If there are significant changes to that hardware, the system will not boot.

[louis76]

I wasn't aware of that at all. So the only way i can use my Maxator HD on the other PC is to back up everything onto an external HD, put in my Maxator HD into the HP pavilion and format and reinstall Windows?

[Allan]

If you want to use it as the PRIMARY HD, then you need to reinstall the OS. In some cases a Repair Install will work (but we are then in a grey area re the EULA). You can, however, use it as a secondary drive in the new computer by taking ownership of the files in the original XP install. If you need assistance with any of this just ask and we'll walk you through it.