Moving the Windows 7 install from one envy 17 laptop to another envy 17

For whatever reasons, Windows 7 from my existing disk does not want to boot on my replacement envy17. It reaches the splash and creates windows out of the round blobs, but then it reboots.

I would tend to think that the hardware being same, it would have just booted. Any ideas?

Things I have tried:

1. Windows Repair
2. Windows Restore using restore point
3. Windows installation DVD and Repair options.
4. Windows installation DVD and install options. This one allows me to install afresh moving the existing install into a folder called Windows.old or something. But I lose everything: the programs and settings.

Why did the boot fail in the first place? Is it the Windows genuine advantage detecting changed hardware and refusing to boot? Why does Microsoft keep screwing with its customers. This is very frustrating...

 

it may have a different SLIC table, a bad burn on your disks ( always make 2 sets ) or hardware/bios diferences, recovery disks are a pain. didnt your replacement already have 7 loaded?

go here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-digitalriver-windows-7-sp1-13-languages.html
download the ISO you need, burn to DVD and clean load that system, all your drivers will be at hp.com and will run faster without the bloatware

 

Clean load is what I am trying to avoid. I have the Windows 7 DVD.

Is there really no way? I have so much setup on that install...

Why can't Windows handle this? This is 2012. Its not like hardware changed under it.

 

if you dont have the origional system you may be out of luck, it really sounds like a bad burn if it just reboots in the middle.

its possible ... new motherboard revision, different bios... many possibilities

windows does it easily on its own,just not through recovery disks like that. the best way is create system image ( all programs > maintanance> backup and restore > create a ststem image ) and put it on dvd's, external hard drive or NAS. this has been around for years. manufacturers stupid tools are great on a single machine sometimes. but do remember disk images need to go on identical units.

another way is to go is install your main applications ( offiice creative suite etc )then go to: all programs>accessories>system tools> windows easy transfer. this method moves all customizations etc to a new system. downside is you need to create this file first and have it stored somewhere, it moves email settings, all your data and all and has been around since XP

 

One thing is very clear. Each machine has a part number and serial number. The recovery disc set is specifically for that machine only. The motherboard is tatooed as are the recovery discs. Perhaps the machine won't boot because the system is reading the wrong tatoo. You may have no recourse other than to install everything cleanly. Did the new machine come with it's own recovery partition? If so, I highly suggest that you run a system recovery and then create new discs. If you have overwritten your old recovery partition, you may not have a choice other than to send the machine back to HP and get it re-imaged...OR...order a set of recovery discs for $20 and install everything yourself. This is a Microsoft license issue and HP and most companies adhere to it.

 

So I gather this was your own Windows 7 you installed at some point, not HPs that came on the laptop? You said you have Windows 7 DVD.

Have you tried FixMBR?

 

Yes, this is my own disk and I installed the Windows 7 on my previous Envy 17.

It has nothing to do with MBR because it boots and shows the the splash. It even ran the disk check once.

I think I know what changed. It seems like HP shipped me an Envy 17 with a changed Video card. I got a non-XT card this time. And it seems like something is croaking in the driver that was installed previously.

Does anybody know how I can disable the discrete graphics card through the BIOS and boot the integrated graphics only?