Running XP on a different PC?

[SharpeN]

I recently found an old HDD with XP on it. The files are visible on Linux, so the drive isn't dead, however XP does not want to boot.
In my opinion the problem is incompatible drivers, since it's attempting to boot on completely different hardware from the system it got installed on. Booting into safe mode led to the same result, however.
Yes, I am running it on period correct hardware, other XP installs work fine. Is there any way I can boot into the install?

After the inital beep on POST, the system BSODs with the following STOP code:

Code: Select all

0x0000007B (0xBACC3528, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

The XP logo never shows up. It hangs up afterwards, without restarting.
Thanks in advance.

[Fanta Shokata]

Boot your PC from XP install disc, go to the Recovery Console, and type chkdsk c: /r.

[Stannieman]

Two things come immediately to mind:

IDE vs AHCI
Assuming you have a SATA drive: The SATA controller can operate in AHCI mode or legacy IDE mode.
AHCI is more modern and has some fancy features but up to XP you had to load an additional driver during setup because XP doesn't come with one out of the box. IDE is the old mode for backwards compatibility (you know those old wide 40? wire cables?). If there is no AHCI driver for your OS then IDE is what you need. There is a BIOS setting to configure in what mode your SATA controller runs. If your current system has this set differently than the original one then it will BSOD during boot because it will try to use your controller with a driver that doesn't match it's operating mode.

ACPI vs... "OLD STUFF"
Modern hardware runs in ACPI mode. It exposes APIs to the OS that allow the OS to control power states and stuff. For example it allows Windows to completely turn off the hardware when shutting down or going into hibernate or to put it to sleep when going to sleep. Older hardware doesn't have ACPI. Remember the "It's now safe to turn off your computer" screen? That was there because Windows could not use the ACPI API to turn it off automatically. Depending on what kind of system you installed Windows on it will have installed using either the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) for ACPI or the legacy one. If your original system had ACPI enabled and your new one doesn't then it will also BSOD because the HAL is used that expects there hardware capabilities to be there but they aren't.
If your system does support ACPI (it probably does if it's not from the nineties) then there is a BIOS setting to turn it on. If your system doesn't support it then you can still switch HALs with a registry setting, but that of course involves hooking up the drive to a different PC with working Windows and loading the old drive's registry in regedit.

So try changing both BIOS settings. Also change all 3 remaining combo's because of course it is possible both of them are wrong.

[marv]

here is KB article, but process requires updating registry, which will be little more complicated when you cant boot it. https://www.betaarchive.com/wiki/index. ... ive/314082

other option is to boot from install disc and it will detect that windows is already installed and ask you if you want to repair it. It will then "reinstall" it with keeping programs and data intact.

[DonaltDuck]

in case you know the exact XP Version off the old HDD (Pro ore Home and channel FPP, VOL or OEM)
you only need the ISO of this version wich include SP3 !!
then boot this XP Version from CD (or USB in case your PC support boot from USB lagacy)
and run the setup (as a update); see last posting from marv
xp SP3 will be overrite and update all Files (your apps and their data are retained)
make shure that you BIOS use AHCI mode for the HDD (XPSP3 support AHCI mode and have all files)

i have done this many times on old HDD's without problems
you only loose your activation (because hardware Change)

in case you dont know The User Passwords after the update setup
let me know, there exist a small iso wich can reset the paswords (owerride with new passwords)
2dfa9bbd0fff44d7f3bc774d66e63ba8bbafd980 *xp_PCLoginNow_Full.iso

[stashakk]

Stannieman's suggestion could work if it's SATA. But if it's an "old HDD" as OP mentioned then it's most likely already IDE or EIDE. Also, there is likely more than just hard drive drivers that you'll have problems with. For example new graphics cards aren't compatible with old drivers. Are you trying to boot in legacy BIOS mode? Is secure boot disabled? How recent is your UEFI because I heard newer UEFI's dropped legacy support. Decision made by Intel in effect in 2020. You may want to hop on ebay and get you an old desktop.. could be cheap

[Stannieman]

OP says the new PC is "period correct" so I assume it's still BIOS. Still strange that it's not even reaching the boot logo though, doesn't that usually appear before loading drivers?

Anyway, can you reach safe mode? Hold F8 while booting to do that.