Can't load XP

Ok so i start something before realising that i just shouldn't.

I purchased a new computer and an original copy of XP pro O/S and Office. That all runs fine. So i thought i'd load it onto my other PC slower at 900mhz but should run ok. However i can't get it to load onto the hard drive at all. I put the hard drive in t
he new pc and load XP to it, works fine.

I now transport the hard drive (either) into the old pc and i get the windows failed to load, possibly due to hardware changes, chose 1 from five options, safe, safe with network, last good load etc.

What i want to know is obviously whats wrong but does anyone know how to get passed this hurdle??

Any help with the problem would be gratefully received.

Thanks
Alex

"Newbie who is old enough to know bettter"
wrote in message
...
Ok so i start something before realising that i just shouldn't.

I purchased a new computer and an original copy of XP pro

Are you sure it's not an OEM copy that is tied to the BIOS of the original
machine?

Did you purchase the copy of XP separate from the new PC or did it come with
the new PC? If it came with the new PC and it is an OEM version then you
cannot legally install it on another system anyway so your problem is not
really an issue at all.

If you purchased the copy of XP separate from the new computer and it is not
an OEM version but rather a Retail version then legally you are not allowed
to have it installed on more than one computer at a time. So if you have XP
on the new system already then there is no reason to try and install on the
old computer. Once again there is no problem.

If you installed XP to the new system and it is not an OEM version you are
entitled to transfer it to another system. But you must completely uninstall
it from the first system before you can install it to the second. If you are
doing this by transferring the drive from the new computer to the old system
then you will likely need to rebuild the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer)
before XP will run on the old system due to the changes in hardware being
seen, as you are being advised. You can try running a Repair Install to see
if that will fix the HAL " How to Run Repair Installation
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm but that still doesn't
guarantee that it will run on the old system. A clean install is likely a
better option. when you say it won't load onto the old system at all what's
happening? One of the most common problems for XP's failure to install is
flaky RAM



--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Newbie who is old enough to know bettter"
wrote in message
...
Ok so i start something before realising that i just shouldn't.

I purchased a new computer and an original copy of XP pro O/S and Office.
That all runs fine. So i thought i'd load it onto my other PC slower at
900mhz but should run ok. However i can't get it to load onto the hard drive
at all. I put the hard drive in the new pc and load XP to it, works fine.

I now transport the hard drive (either) into the old pc and i get the
windows failed to load, possibly due to hardware changes, chose 1 from five
options, safe, safe with network, last good load etc.

What i want to know is obviously whats wrong but does anyone know how to
get passed this hurdle??

Any help with the problem would be gratefully received.

Thanks
Alex

Newbie...
one XP per machine.....



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