Windows 7: replacement of the motherboard without reinstalling the OS

The question of replacing the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7 is not easy. Pitfalls become in the way of ordinary users. So do not chop off the shoulder. It's unpleasant to download everything yourself, and then sit in front of the "death screen" and think about what to do next. It is better to study this question carefully. It is necessary to understand what steps need to be done, what problems can arise and what are the ways to solve them.

Prerequisites

Upgrading a computer is important and serious. Perhaps you are not satisfied with one of the components. The technology is moving forward, and your processor can not cope with the tasks. Naturally, you need to buy a new chip. But often it is incompatible with a particular model of the motherboard. Then, together with him will have to change the motherboard.

Or maybe you decide to buy new RAM modules. Your old ones, based on DDR2, have long ceased to cope and are outdated. Even if you only want to expand the amount of RAM, it will be extremely difficult and even inappropriate to find modules of this type. Therefore, it is better to look at DDR4. This is a newer and faster memory. But it requires special slots on the motherboard. What is not the reason to buy a new motherboard?

The same problems can arise with other components. For new video card models, advanced slots are needed - faster and better. Winchester is improving and has long switched to the third revision of Serial ATA. To upgrade the system, you need to carefully study the aspects, since replacing the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7 will be your main problem.

Demolish or keep?

And why is it necessary to save the OS? After all, at times easier to just demolish it and after assembling the PC to put another. Of course, for many users this will be the most profitable option. But there are also some users who customize the system for themselves to the smallest detail. All personal parameters and necessary applications are important to them.

When reinstalling the OS, everything will naturally be removed. And if for someone it will be the beginning of something new, then for others it can turn into a great tragedy. It is necessary to exclude all problems and save personal data.

Instruments

In order not to lose the OSes and information, it is better to use a pair of tools. To replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7, we will benefit from two utilities.

Sysprep is a built-in OS tool. It is used for cleaning hardware parts, resetting OS activation, etc. In general, the software will create an image of the operating system, which does not need hardware.

ERD Commander is a tool that you will have to download in advance. It helps to restore the system, even if it is damaged, and the download is impossible. This is his main task. There are also additional opportunities. In general, ERD Commander is a useful software for programmers. It helps to restore the system if it is blocked by viruses-extortionists, selectively resume the work of files from the registry, etc.

the main problem

Why is it desirable to have a copy? The fact is that replacing the motherboard usually leads to a huge amount of driver incompatibility. And if with some devices this problem is still correctable, the main errors come from the ATA / SATA interface - the ports for the hard drive. Therefore, so often there is a "death screen", which brings an endless reboot.

Preparation

Begin the whole process by working with Sysprep. To replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7, this tool is needed. It cleans all unique files and drivers. Therefore, you need to do this before the new component takes place on the motherboard.

To start working with the utility, you need to find it through the command line Win + R. A small window will open, in which we write the path to Sysprep: "C: \ windows \ system32 \ sysprep \ sysprep.exe". In a new window, you need to configure the software settings.

First, go to the "Actions to clean the system" section and then select the line with the transition to the welcome screen of the system. Here you also need to check the "Prepare for use" checkbox. Now we are looking for a section with "Shutdown Parameters" and click "Shutdown". Do not forget to finish everything with the OK button.

After a few seconds of work, when the tool does everything necessary, the system will shut down. Next, we turn to the collection of the motherboard, montage and other similar cases.

Alternative

When you replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7, the registry is also required. To install does not lead to compatibility errors, whether it's changing the motherboard or changing the controller mode, you need to dig into the system while it works correctly.

Call the Win + R command line and type regedit. So you run that registry and start working with it. Now you need to pass HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ services \ msahci. Open the last folder and look for the Start line on the right. In it, you need to change the value to zero. Go back to the left column and look for the same folder as the final pciide folder. Then again set the value to zero. For users who use RAID arrays (multiple disks), the whole process is repeated in iaStorV.

Now you can replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7 (64). Turn off the computer, install the updated motherboard in the case and turn on the computer. With the correct actions, the process will be correct. The operating system will download the drivers to the controller on its own, and all necessary settings will have to be done on their own.

Recovery

During all these operations, errors can occur. You can not exclude incorrect entry of values or erroneous actions. This all leads to the fact that you can not run the OS. We try to download and download to the flash drive ERD Commander. Replacing the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7 should pass easily. As we have already learned, this tool helps to restore the system in difficult situations.

To use this program, you need to download it from the Internet and throw it on a CD or flash drive, if there is no diskette. Now, when you turn on the PC, the boot drive will see this software and begin to download the necessary information from it. In the window, select ERD Commander 6.5 for the seventh OS, or for the version that you previously installed.

Now you will be notified of the "renaming" of disks. We agree with this process. Setting the network until you touch, do not forget about the layout of the keyboard. If more than one OS was installed on the disk, you must select the one previously used in the next window. If there is one, then only one line will appear in the table. Click "Next" and look at what is happening. It usually takes a few seconds for the system to cope with problems, etc.

Now a window with "System Restore Options" will open. Here you need to select the last item with MSDaRT recovery. Then click on the registry. Now we do not need teams. Replacement of the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7 takes place in the already familiar to us window of the registry.

On the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM the MountedDevises folder will be found - it needs to be deleted. Above is the folder CurrentControlSet, it needs to find the atapi folder, changing the value in the Start line to zero, and repeat this setting in the rest of the archives.

The last step is to work with the Msahci folder. Then again change the value to zero. The system should boot correctly. If it did not work out, it's likely that the problem is much more complicated. Here, among other software errors, we are talking about conflicts with the built-in video adapter.

Safe mode

Still can not replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7? You can go to the "Safe Mode". When you start the PC, hold down F8. When the OS is rebooted, go to the "Device Manager" and delete the device, which fails. If you can not determine it, then it's recommended to simply remove the PCI bus and load all the necessary drivers.

All these operations are designed for people who at least somehow understand the PC. An ordinary user will definitely get confused somewhere, something will choose something wrong. After that, the system will become a "brick" and will be rescued by programmers. If you are not sure what you are doing, or find someone who understands all this, or ask for help in the service center.