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Warhaven · Jun 10, 2011, 02:11 PM

After an hour and a half, I'm no closer to a solution. So I figured I'd seek help here as well. Here's the issue:

1. Old P4 computer with WinXP died (CPU and PSU died). It is completely non-functional.
2. Made a new PC with all new components and new HDD with fresh Win 7 installation.
3. Plugged in old PC HDD into new PC as a secondary drive.

How on earth do you transfer the account and applications from the old PC's HDD to the new one at this stage? I'm at a complete loss. The migration assistant for Windows requires the old PC to be functional and concurrently running in one way or the other. It's not and it doesn't. All I have is the old HDD it self and the new computer.

Waragainstsleep · Jun 10, 2011, 04:22 PM

Seems like a Windows forum might be a better place to ask that kind of question.

Warhaven · Jun 10, 2011, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep

Seems like a Windows forum might be a better place to ask that kind of question.

One would think, yeah. And I did. Just no answers there either. Figured there were some knowledgeable peeps on here as well. In any event, I think I found a way. A very indirect way, but a way nonetheless.

olePigeon · Jun 10, 2011, 05:45 PM

The funny part is that Apple will be updating Migration Assistant in 10.7 to include transferring stuff from Windows. Microsoft can't even do it with their own OS.

Cold Warrior · Jun 10, 2011, 06:00 PM

What's the indirect way?

Warhaven · 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

What's the indirect way?

I had a crazy idea.

1. Download/install VirtualBox.
2. Download/install WinImage (30-day fully featured trial)
3. Download/install PickMeApp Beta (currently free) onto orphaned HDD.
4. Install Windows Easy Transfer onto orphaned HDD.
5. Use WinImage to create a .vhd of the orphaned HDD.
6. Load said .vhd into VirtualBox.
7. Run Windows Easy Transfer as normal to transfer User Accounts and settings.
8. Run PickMeApp Beta to transfer applications from orphaned HDD onto host machine.

None of this is tested, yet. I'm still converting the HDD to virtual disk.

[update]

Finished creating .vhd. Virtual disk loaded just fine, but the computer stalls at mup.sys during safe boot. Not unexpected, as the hardware on the VM and the original machine are completely different. Booting off of XP disc now and doing a WIndows Repair on the virtual disk.

Cold Warrior · Jun 11, 2011, 01:23 PM

You could try Microsoft's disk2vhd tool. It should run in Windows 7 but let you select the second HDD where XP sits.

Disk2vhd

seanc · Jun 11, 2011, 03:49 PM

Apps? Don't bother. They all rely on registry entries to function correctly. Re-install them.

Data?
You old data will be

Code:
<driveletter>:\Documents and Settings\<User>\

Your new data willl need to go to

Code:
<driveletter:\Users\<user>

I can write you a guide to getting the old HDD booting on new hardware if you tell me the make and model of the old and new motherboard and how they were connected (IDE/SATA).

Warhaven · Jun 11, 2011, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

You could try Microsoft's disk2vhd tool. It should run in Windows 7 but let you select the second HDD where XP sits.

Disk2vhd

That's work just as well in place of WinImage, thanks. So far, it's worked well except for the WGA. As soon as I loaded it into the VM, XP immediately de-authenticated the serial number and won't let me log in. Been on the phone with Microsoft for the last several hours getting transferred among three different departments. Just finished getting transferred back to technical support and they tell me I need to call Sony.

Aaaaaanyway. Microsoft sucks balls when it comes to moving to a new computer. Apple still reigns supreme in this department.

Cold Warrior · Jun 11, 2011, 05:45 PM

You could try safe mode and the last step in the page here. It may be enough to get you back in.

Locked out of a genuine copy of Windows XP | Technology | guardian.co.uk

seanc · Jun 11, 2011, 05:56 PM

Call Sony?
What are Sony going to do about licensing?

What is the problem you're having?

anthology123 · Jun 13, 2011, 07:38 PM

If you are trying to move an account from an old disk to a new disk, have you tried to see if Windows Easy Transfer would work under your circumstances? It will transfer most things in your home directory, just not in the Application Data or Local Settings folders, but it will transfer documents, and apps.

seanc · Jun 13, 2011, 07:41 PM

As far as I know, Easy Transfer requires you to have access to both working installations.
It creates its own special file and you can't do anything without that.

olePigeon · Jun 13, 2011, 08:01 PM

Just when you think Microsoft might have done something right for change, they turn around and do something monumentally stupid. Did it not occur to anyone at Microsoft that a PC might die, and that someone would need to transfer docs and applications from a dead PC to a new one?

Big Mac · 11:14 PM

A major part of the problem is that the Windows architecture is just so poor and fragile below the surface that it's not well suited to this type of thing. It's also a bear to properly clone a boot disk and set up multi-boot options on Windows. Windows people don't migrate installations. In fact, they commonly reformat their drives at a drop of a hat.

The big thing Windows really has going for it is its software base, and it's that base that keeps Microsoft locked into the legacy Windows architecture.