installing new motherboard

robjo

I was using vista and had to change motherboard,
did all the changes but left the hard drive in and connected it to the new M/B but when the pc starts it has no O/S
went into the bios still cant get harddrive or vista back.
question when a new M/B goes in how do I get it to reconise the hard drive I left in, or can it reconise it.
do i have to install new O/S and if so will i loose all my programmes i had on the hard drive. I saved all files on external drive.
I bought W/7 to download if i need a new O/S but hav'nt downloaded yet as im using a ****ty laptop trying to sort my pc out.
can i download it to an external drive?
then how do i put it onto my pc? :mad:

Jerichoholic

Check the connections on the hard drive again. Does it recognise all the memory/processor etc?

robjo

I have taken the hard drive lead off put back on

started pc but on the screen it serches and repair but thats it.
after that i get box with cant repair
send or dont send,
so do i need a new os and install it be4 it works?
i bought w7 from micrasoft on download.
can i connect my laptop with usb to pc and download it to the pc? will the laptop recionise pc

Jerichoholic

You wouldn't be able to do anything with the laptop without the OS running. Have you got any OS on disk? Try putting that in the drive and see what it says. Is everything else apart from the HDD showing up on the BIOS screen?

robjo

yep its only the hdd thats the prob.
so i cant download W7 to ex drive then put it on pc?
i dont have any OS dics

Jerichoholic

Maybe someone else would know of a way around it. Ring MS and tell them you need a physical copy of Win7, I'm sure they'll sort you out with one. Or borrow one from someone and use your serial.

MunsterCycling

You have access to another PC, download it to that and providing it has a DVD burner (IIRC 7 comes only on DVD) then you burn the image file to a disk using the burning software, just be aware you have to burn it as an image not an ordinary file so that the computer can start and install from it.

Tech Guy Sligo

Hi OP.
THe operating system (vista/xp?) on your laptop has a oem licence key (on the bottom of your laptop) this is connected the motherboard.

You changed the motherboard so you will have to reinstall the old operating system.
The windows 7 your bought sounds like a upgrade if it is then you have to have your old operating system running to install it.

What I would do is:

Get your hands on a install disc for your version of windows which came with the laptop.
Do a clean install and use the licence key on the back of your laptop.
Once you have it install, activate it.
If it does not activate it over the internet , do a phone activation.

When the old operating system is installed , install windows 7 upgrade .

Unfortunately you will lose all your programs.

Incidently if you are upgrading your vista operating system from vista to windows 7 the product has to be the same if its not then you can only do a clean install.

example
vista home premium = windows 7 home premium
you can upgrade this.

if you are upgrading vista home premium = windows 7 professional
windows 7 instaltion will promt you to do clean install.

D

MunsterCycling

Always do a clean install if that is an option, it will turn out better.

Tech Guy Sligo

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Always do a clean install if that is an option, it will turn out better.

I would agree always made life easier

Skerries

if you want to keep the data you have on that drive then get an external enclosure and take it off and transfer to your laptop then reinstall windows
or buy a new hard drive and use your original as a second drive in the pc