Hello friends. Fewer and fewer users today remain on Windows XP. According to the statistical service Statcounter, this is only 1.4% of people on the entire planet. WinXP has not been supported by Microsoft for a long time; an increasing number of third-party software developers are bypassing it, which is to say that this version of the system is becoming obsolete. But what to do if you have a very old PC or a very weak laptop that can creakingly run Vista or Seven? If the issue of upgrading a device is not considered due to the unjustified investment, if some Linux distribution is not considered as an operating system, perhaps an industrial build of Windows 7 Embedded will help. In this article we will talk about it.

System Windows requirements Embedded 7:

Processor with a frequency of at least 1 GHz

RAM: 512 MB

Disk space: 8 GB

Windows Embedded Family

Windows Embedded is a family of operating systems for ATMs, terminals, other self-service systems, medical equipment, and various production equipment. This is a separate family of industrial operating systems from desktop NT. They are based on desktop Windows versions, but they have a redesigned system core and reduced functionality. First version of Windows Embedded family appeared in 1996 based on Win95. Later it became based on WinXP, Vista, 7, 8.1. There is even a server-based build Windows Server 2008. In the Win10 version, Embedded was replaced by the name IoT, and the operating system itself began to come with expanded device support.

What is Windows Embedded 7

Like the NT desktop family, each version of the Embedded family has its own editions for a specific consumer segment. For Windows Embedded 7 this is:

• POSReady is a system optimized for operation at terminals and self-service points of the population;
• Compact is a system that supports ARM, MIPS, SuperH processors, and 32-bit microprocessors. Intended for weak multimedia devices, industrial automation, and other low-power equipment. Its redesigned core requires less than 1 MB of RAM to function. It was this edition that at one time formed the basis Windows Phone;
• Standard – analogue of the NT edition “Professional”;
• Enterprise is an analogue of the NT “Corporate” edition.

The last two editions can be used on more or less productive devices such as: slot machines, powerful media equipment, commercial and medical equipment, video surveillance systems, etc. And, of course, the Standard and Enterprise editions are an option for secret installation on low-power user computers. Although the matter of secrecy is a controversial issue. Officially, Windows Embedded is a system for commercial structures, and it seems that it cannot be used on user devices. But in one Microsoft time official activation keys for Embedded 7 on preferential terms (as part of the DreamSpark program) were distributed to university students. Those. not to commercial structures, but to ordinary individuals. It turns out that the company itself circumvented its ban.

Windows Embedded 7 looks like a regular "Seven". This system has almost the same functionality as its desktop editions - control panel, explorer, Internet browser Explorer, Windows Media Player, command line, disk management, local group policy editor, registry editor and other system utilities. Even externally, it is the familiar “Seven” with the Aero Glass effect and pre-installed design themes. Well, except that Windows Embedded 7 has a different logo and picture on the welcome screen.

What are its differences from regular Win7?

Some system components and drivers have been removed from Embedded, and some services that are not needed when the operating system is running on the stated devices have been disabled. As a result, immediately after installation, a 64-bit system weighs a little more than 6 GB, and a 32-bit system weighs just 4.3 GB.

Will the lack of remote functionality somehow affect the performance of the system when used on home computers? If we select the optimal build of Embedded 7, we will get a fully functional operating system with support for the network, printers, faxes, and other peripheral devices, with support for the .NET Framework, DirectX and other software environments. And most importantly - with the ability to install third-party software. This means that if the system itself does not detect some computer hardware or some of the connected peripherals, we can fix everything by manual installation drivers. Or automatic using special programs.

In "Seven" Embedded there is no ability to add system components through the control panel (Programs - Turn Windows components on and off). But if necessary and zealously desired, they can still be added using Dism.

Total: thanks to the cuts, Windows Embedded 7 consumes less system resources, than the usual “Seven”, it works more quickly and, accordingly, can give a second chance at life to low-power computer devices. Of course, this is not a full-fledged Win7, and difficulties may arise when using some of its features. But this is a stable environment for office, media tasks, and web surfing. These are the main capabilities of the operating system, the use of which is rarely exceeded by owners of top-end PCs and laptops, using them for everyday or gaming purposes. In any case, Embedded is an official stripped-down build of Windows, the result of the work of Microsoft specialists, and not experimental builders, often supporters of crude “castration” of the system.

How to download Windows Embedded 7

Officially, Embedded, along with OEM activation keys, is sold through Microsoft-authorized distributors. And only commercial structures can purchase it. Where can ordinary people get Windows Embedded 7? You can download it in the same place as regular modified ones. Windows builds– on torrent trackers. In the case of Embedded, the risk of becoming a victim of immature experiments by would-be assemblers of the system distribution is much lower than in the case of regular desktop versions. Firstly, not many people build Embedded builds. Secondly, usually something is added to industrial assemblies, rather than cut out, since everything is already cut out.

But there is also an official way to obtain the Windows Embedded 7 distribution in the Standard edition. This pure distribution, without third-party interference. It can be downloaded from the Microsoft website using this link:

If you need a 32-bit edition of the operating system, check the box for all parts of the archive with the name “Standard 7 SP1 32bit IBW” and click “Next”.

If you need a 64-bit edition, check the files with the name “Standard 7 SP1 64bit IBW” and an additional note as part of the archive. Click “Next”.

After downloading, launch the first part of the archive and wait until the ISO image is extracted. From this image, in fact, Embedded 7 is installed. Its process differs from the installation process of regular Win7, let’s look at it.

How to install Windows Embedded 7

If you guys are using a modified build of Embedded 7, the installation process will naturally be great. The official distribution of this system allows us to select the optimal build configuration and add our own drivers.

"Seven" Embedded from the official distribution comes with a trial monthly license. It can be extended for another three months by resetting the activation at the end of each monthly period. And this way we will be able to use the system for free for 120 days. And then you can also change the activation key and use a special 180-day trial period for the system. A total of 300 calendar days. But we will examine these nuances in other articles on the site. Well, now let's proceed directly to the installation.

We boot the computer from the installation media. And in the first window, click “Build an Image”. Click “Next”.

We accept license agreement. Click “Next”.

Select the build configuration. For use on custom devices the best option is "Application Compatibility", i.e. assembly compatible with third-party software. Click “Next”.

Next, we choose a Russian location for time and money. The Russian-language keyboard layout will work itself out. It is impossible to select Russian as the system language without first integrating it into the distribution; it is not provided by default. But it can be easily installed in an already working environment. So we will solve this issue later. Click “Next”.

At this stage, friends, Windows Embedded 7 may be subject to modification. In the window we see which components are supplied in the distribution. Below, using the “Modify Drivers” mode, if necessary, we can add drivers for some devices. If they are not critical for Windows startup, there is absolutely no need for this, everything, again, can be done later, already inside installed system. The “Modify Features” mode is an opportunity to adjust Windows components, remove something, add something. But there is no particular need to adjust anything; the assembly is already configured for optimal use of components. Click “Next”.

After copying the files and rebooting, we will see the usual window for setting the username.

We are warned that after the 30-day trial period the operating system will behave shamelessly - it will reboot without permission every 20 minutes without saving our data. Click “Next”.

And then we will see the usual final installation steps - selecting the type of update delivery, regional settings, network type. We will be greeted with a standard desktop with branded Win7 wallpaper. But there are still some things that need to be configured.

Enabling the swap file

"Seven" Embedded in the official distribution comes with the swap file disabled. Before working with other system settings, friends, I suggest turning it on so that the system does not distract us with annoying notifications about shortages RAM. Press the Win+Pause keys. Click “Advanced system setting”. In the “Performance” column, click “Setting”.

Switch to the “Advanced” tab. We see that the paging file has a size of 0 MB. Let's change this. Click “Change”.

Directly in the window for setting paging file parameters, check the “Custom size” box, and in the “Initial size” and “Maximum size” lines, enter a value equal to the RAM on the device (but not less than 2048 MB). Click “Set” and click “OK”.

Reboot the computer.

Russification of Windows Embedded 7

To Russify the system, download its special language pack. For 32-bit systems it is downloaded from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26215

And for 64-bit from here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26216

Click “Download”.

Windows 7 today is actually the most popular and in-demand operating system, and even the vast majority of users of the legendary XP are seriously thinking about how to upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7. Unfortunately, you will immediately have to upset them, since the update and transition are direct from XP to “Seven” will not be possible. It is recommended to perform a clean installation of Windows 7, since this is the most expedient of all the few methods, since updating, for example, step by step Windows Vista is a long and labor-intensive process. You should also remember about the system architecture, since it is necessary to take into account that it is impossible to migrate from a 32 bit OS to a 64 bit one.

Step by step instructions

Stage 1: Find out the required bit depth of the operating system

The main advantage of a 32 bit OS is the ability to run on all computers. The main advantage of 64 bit is the ability to work with a significant amount of memory, but not all PCs can function in it.

In order to determine the bitness of the working version of Windows XP on your computer, you need to do the following simple steps:

Stage 2: Analysis of the compliance of all PC components with the “Seven”

The algorithm of actions to perform the required analysis is as follows:

Note: the saved report, if available, will indicate predicted difficulties in the computer’s hardware and installed applications that complicate the installation, update and subsequent operation of Windows 7. This report will also provide the user with specific suggestions for taking appropriate measures.

Stage 3: creating a backup copy of all data from the system disk with Windows XP

In order not to lose and fully ensure the preservation of all data stored in Windows XP on system disk you need to use a freely distributed program that will save all the parameters Windows data, transferring them, for example, to external media with the appropriate amount of memory, and after switching to Windows 7 will allow you to transfer them back to new system after the update.

To complete the task, you need to take several successive steps:

Stage 3: Installation of Windows 7

You need to do the following:

Ready! The update with the transition from XP to “Seven” has been completed.

Note: This guide allows you to migrate (update) to a new operating system without losing old settings and files, but everything previously installed applications will need to be installed again in Windows 7.

I repeated this experiment every few years just to make sure that better than Windows Nothing has been invented for desktop computers yet. I tried and Google Chrome OS on the Chromebook - I liked it, but not enough to seriously change the operating system. Good or bad, I still prefer Windows. Many of you, I think, too.

However, in the wake of the anguish over the official end of support, the question of whether Linux is not suitable as an alternative for those who do not want to switch from Windows XP to 8 has resurfaced. Personally, I perfectly understand the reluctance to upgrade to . Even Microsoft seems to have realized that the transition to the Metro interface was too unexpected (and they will try to solve this problem).

But there is no reason to abandon Windows 7. Apart from a minor redesign of the Start button, the differences in the interface are practically invisible, but there are a ton of useful security improvements, and further updates are guaranteed. Don't give up on Windows 7.

Nevertheless, I increasingly see calls to switch from Windows XP to Linux - Zorin, Ubuntu, Mint, etc. Forgive me, but I think users will not thank you if, after many years of working with Windows XP, they suddenly receive Linux . The fact that you (or your bosses) feel sorry for the money to upgrade to modern ones Windows versions, does not mean that your users have not bought new computers for themselves all these years. Many of them are already very familiar with Windows 7 (or even 8) and will not be happy about switching to Linux.

Yes, it is true that many modern Linux-based operating systems are nicer than XP, but you are deeply mistaken if you imagine that users have not seen modern Windows in the last ten years. As they have seen, they will compare not with XP, but with Windows 7, if not with Windows 8 or Mac OS X.

From a corporate point of view, the main argument against Linux is the lack of integration with Active Directory. There are tools that allow user authentication using Active Directory data, such as Samba (open source software for Windows/Linux integration) and Winbind (a daemon for Samba clients). But apply group policies to computers under Linux control you can't, but mail client compatible with Exchange Server 2007 or higher does not exist for Linux - you have to be content with MAPI connections. Windows is indispensable in an enterprise.

In addition, with the transition to Linux, you will have to give up most of your usual programs. Mac users have faced this dilemma for years, but even they have a much wider choice of business apps than Linux users. If you can't get a suitable one software for Mac, imagine what it will be like when Linux comes into play.

You may be thinking that a good option for users who don't want to upgrade from XP to Windows 7 or 8 would be the new laptop from Android. Maybe so - Android has Exchange support, good third-party solutions for working with Active Directory and quite decent office applications, but otherwise the choice of software is extremely poor.

In addition, you will have to forget about the usual multi-window operating mode. If Google is going to port Android to desktop computers, Android developers and Chromebook creators can join forces to generate a single multi-window solution ( see article:?). However, the "one operating system for all devices" strategy did not work for Microsoft, and I doubt Google will do better. Apple is doing very wisely by simultaneously developing Mac OS X and iOS. I like Windows 8 on a tablet, but I prefer Windows 7 on a computer. Different devices– different operating systems.

When users accustomed to XP one day find their work Windows computers 7 (or 8) with Office 2013, this will no doubt disrupt their work routine for some time. They may even need additional training to catch up on the ten years of Windows development they missed. But they won’t have to start all over again, as would be the case when moving to any other operating system – OS X, Linux, Chrome OS, Android OS and who knows what else.

And the effort it takes to integrate these operating systems into a corporate environment will make you bitterly regret the day you decided to abandon Microsoft's flagship. Face it: It’s not a matter of “just fitting in.” The point is that you have already adapted. Humble yourself and update to the next version.

The official date of death of Windows XP, the most popular OS on older computers and the second most popular in the world, is April 8, 2014. How to replace a dead "OS"?

The catastrophe will not happen on April 8; computers with Windows XP on board will not turn off by themselves. But the end of support is called "death" for good reason: Microsoft leaves its venerable brainchild without regular updates and patches, which makes XP a tasty morsel for hackers and scammers.

Some users who have not updated Windows for several years and their antivirus signatures and those containing a zoo of viruses will not notice the “death of XP.” Others are forced to change the OS so as not to turn into those with a zoo.

The first thing that comes to the mind of a user who is faced with the problem of “dead XP” is to upgrade to “seven” or “eight”. But not all the hardware will support the new Microsoft operating systems (which, of course, also need to be purchased for money).

Linux has quite a few differences from Windows, its own logic and its own set of programs. However, most programs familiar Windows user, there is also for Linux: browser, Skype, players, office suite, solitaire and solitaire...

Unlike Windows, where a ready-made turnkey build is released every couple of years (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8...), Linux is the basis for the operating system on which various builds (distributions) are built. Out of the box, they may have a different set of software, a different interface, different requirements for hardware - on Linux based you can assemble a “black screen with a command line”, and a “stuffed with beauty” system, and a flexible mobile OS, and a universal desktop “replacement for Windows”.

IN Linux installation and software updates do not follow the same logic as in Windows. You don’t need to search for programs on the Internet—to manage software, there is a package manager like the one found in Android and iOS (and originating in Windows 8). On different distributions, it can look like a bare set of commands in the command line or a beautiful application store window. But the essence is the same: do not search for software on sites of varying degrees of security, but get it from a reliable source.

Timofey Titovets, a self-confessed “failed system administrator” and a fan of Linux systems who has tried a dozen different Linux distributions, told IT.TUT.BY about which distribution to choose to replace the “dead Windows”.

Debian

Debian is one of the first and most widespread Linux-based distributions. This fundamental distribution was created as a universal, yet simple and stable “option for everyone.” Today, a lot of distribution kits have been created on its basis, including Linux Mint, Ubuntu and SteamOS. Adapted for Debian greatest number applications, broad hardware support is provided.

You can get Debian legally and for free via the Internet - from here (all the necessary instructions are there), from several installation options we advise a beginner to choose LiveCD. For owners of old hardware, the i386 option is most likely suitable.

Those who are sure that their processor is designed to support 64-bit architecture should choose the amd64 option. “amd” and “I” here do not mean the manufacturer of the processor (AMD or Intel) - for 64-bit Intel processor you still need to install amd64, on 32-bit AMD - i386.

In the list of files that opens, select one of the disk images in *.iso format - there are “heavy” assemblies with the KDE and Gnome shells, a “naked” rescue image for system recovery, and “lightweight” assemblies with the LXDE and Xfce shells. The latter are just right for owners of old hardware.

The creators of LXDE focus primarily on being lightweight for machines with low RAM. Of all the distributions, LXDE will be the most similar to Windows XP by default. However, the functionality of the assembly is deliberately “cut down”, fine tuning may require additional googling using Debian and LXDE keywords.

In Xfce, with all its minimalism, the user will find many settings (such as animation settings or creating toolbars in the MacOS style) and more “sophisticated” software. But on very weak hardware, Xfce can slow down where LXDE flies.

Ubuntu

The Ubuntu builds being developed by Canonical are aimed at ousting MacOS and Windows from the market, providing a convenient and functional OS on powerful hardware. Ubuntu has a graphical package manager, the user certainly will not resort to (so frightening to many) interaction with the console. There is also its own “humane” (“ubuntu” means “humanity” in the Zulu language) Unity shell. But on old hardware, Ubuntu, like the "seven", can cause a nervous breakdown.

While final Debian builds focus on stability, Ubuntu builds include latest versions packages, which means more unpredictable behavior on some hardware. There are alternative builds of Ubuntu with Xfce and LXDE shells (Xubuntu and Lubuntu, respectively) instead of native Unity.

Xubuntu builds can be downloaded directly from the byfly server (even for subscribers of other operators). Lubuntu can be found (with Russian-language instructions). Externally, graphical shells on different distributions (whether Debian or Ubuntu) will look the same. But with the same appearance, Lubuntu, in comparison with Debian/LXDE, will have a more modern set of software (that is latest versions browser, office suite etc.) and the application store. "Old bugs removed, new ones added", Timofey jokes.

Linux Mint

Debian and Ubuntu host communities that care about free and open software. As a consequence, when basic installation the system will not have codecs for MPEG audio and video formats, proprietary drivers for ATI and NVidia video cards and other software whose authors do not disclose source code. The user receives a free and open analogue or installs software of the “opposite ideology” with his own hands.

The creators of Linux Mint are not so convinced of the need to use only free software; “religion does not prevent them” from including proprietary elements in their builds. The motto of the distribution is “from freedom came elegance”. This means that the user will not have to install the same drivers and codecs.

Linux Mint provides self-supported Cinnamon and MATE shells. They are similar to Xfce and LXDE (which are also installed on Linux Mint) in appearance and in the target audience, but they have gone their own way in choosing software. You can download Linux Mint builds with different shells from here, there is a Russian-speaking community.

P.S.

Enlightenment, KDE and many other shells have their fans, although a novice user may find them more difficult to learn.

Are there any experienced Linux users among the readers who think differently? What would you recommend to replace the "dead XP" on older computers?

Practical steps for launching an already installed Windows XP SP3 on new hardware. This often needs to be done in connection with an upgrade for various reasons (the old system is not fast enough, or it has stopped working). The links helped me a lot in my work; the information from there can also be used in various cases. All software mentioned in the article can be downloaded from the links.

When I started moving to new hardware without reinstalling, I wasn’t particularly confident of success. Judge for yourself - the new hardware is completely different from the old one (only the SSD hard disk on which Windows XP SP3 was installed). The table lists the main components that affect system performance.

The old hardware was bought about 7 years ago (except for the video card, it was replaced later) and by those standards it was “wow”. It was worth much more then than it is now. The move was surprisingly successful and not very difficult. So, the process is step by step.

[1. Backup]

First do backup copy all important files that are on your system disk where Windows XP is installed (on another disk). This is necessary to avoid any accidents, so that mistakes that you accidentally made when manipulating the disk and system do not affect the safety of your data. All your data is most likely located in the Documents and Settings folder, installed programs in Program Files, WINDOWS, at a minimum you need to make a copy of these folders. The ideal option is to make a disk image special programs. For example, on Windows there is for this Norton Ghost, Acronis True Image, a Linux utility dd. If the amount of data on the disk is too large to make an image, you can clean it by deleting what is unnecessary, or rewrite only what is necessary.

The copying process can be done on old hardware if it still works. If the old system is inoperative, then you can remove the disk from the computer, transfer it to a work computer and make a copy. You can do this on new hardware without starting Windows if you use Hiren’s BootCD (its iso image can be downloaded from the link). This disk has a lot of useful things - utilities for cleaning the registry, repairing the disk, restoring files, resetting passwords, deleting data, see for more details.

[2. Required programs]

Download the necessary software from the links. Hiren's Boot CD burn it to CD-ROM (this will become a boot disk), and TerraByte OSD Tool Script 3.85(tbosdts_pro) unpack from the archive and write to a flash drive. The tbosdts_pro program must be launched using Hiren’s BootCD, written to a flash drive or CD (Hiren’s BootCD itself does not have this program).

[3. Preparing Windows to transfer to new hardware]

This step removes all old Windows drivers(entries in the register). Boot from Hiren's BootCD, select Mini Windows XP from the disk menu. Insert the flash drive on which the tbosdts_pro program is recorded, and launch it using the tbosdtw shortcut - Shortcut.lnk (link to the command line tbosdtw.exe startup.tbs), or enter tbosdtw.exe startup.tbs in the command line. cmd will appear in a black window text menu of 9 points.

Select item 3 (OSDTOOL.TBS). In the next menu, select Physical Drive.

Remove all drivers on Windows XP; to do this, select Remove Installed Drivers -> Remove all installed drivers in the main menu.

[4. Install the standard IDE driver]

From the main menu, select Install Drivers, and then select to install the standard IDE driver.

[5. Changing the kernel HAL (processor type, CPU type)]

From the main menu, select Change HAL(Hardware Application Layer, which determines the type of CPU). In the next menu, select halaacpi.dll (ACPI Uniprocessor PC), the first line in the list.

This completes the basic steps for transferring Windows XP. You can reboot the system from your system hard drive.

[6. Windows activation XP]

After the system starts on the new hardware, it will notice this and ask new activation. Complete it using the Windows Activation Wizard.

To activate use free phone(working hours from 8.00 to 22.00, Moscow time) Microsoft Product Activation Center, 8-800-200-80-02 .

[Troubleshooting Possible Problems]

1 . The system does not boot, or there are a lot of errors when loading. Try reinstalling the system “on top”, while old installation is preserved, but many errors in the configuration and files will be corrected (to do this, upon request, click the ‘ R‘, which specifies Windows system recovery). For such a reinstallation, you will need the Windows XP boot disk from which you installed the system the first time. After such a recovery, you may need to install service pack 3, since the Windows boot disk may contain old versions of system files. After reinstalling the service pack, you will need to reactivate Windows. In addition, after installing the service pack, System Restore (monitoring the contents of disks) is re-enabled. To speed things up, I advise you to leave disk tracking enabled only on the system drive (which is pointed to by environment variable%SystemDrive%).

2 . If for some reason system files have been deleted or corrupted, then running from command line SFC /SCANNOW, you will need to install in CD-ROM drive Windows XP installation disk.

The system file check will take about 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the speed of the disk. If you previously installed the WPA_kill patch, then after completing SFC /SCANNOW you will need to run it again.

3 . Chipset drivers are not installed motherboard with the error “insufficient rights”. Make sure that you are installing drivers under the control of a user with administrator rights. Try allowing Windows to find the driver on the Internet (this is the first thing the Driver Installation Wizard asks).

4 . Windows XP has blocked login and requires activation. This can happen even with your licensed system if, during recovery, the clock on the motherboard was set incorrectly, but was then switched to a new time (this happens automatically when connected to the Internet). If you cannot get qualified help from technical support, then the easiest way to fix the problem is to boot into safe mode and run the WPA_kill utility.

5 . After running WPA_kill, automatic update does not work (“The specified match key was not found in any active activation contexts.”).

Set up to receive the update local server provider, the setup procedure is described in.

6 . BSOD Stop 0x0000007B may occur during the boot phase if Windows XP cannot find suitable driver for hard drive. The reason may be that you did not complete steps 3 and/or 4. Follow steps 3 and 4 of this article.

UPD140520: Sergey advised to switch to BIOS installation With AHCI on IDE.

7 . Problems with WMI(Windows Management Instrumentation service) are expressed in the fact that some system management functions are not available. For example, some drivers do not install (they give an error “You do not have enough rights”), some programs do not install or start (with the error “The WMI service cannot be started”), firewall management in properties is not available network connection, services are not shown in the “Advanced” tab of the service management console, etc.

The procedure for re-registering and restoring WMI is well described in (in English).

8 . To clean and fix the registry, you can use free program Registry Life.

9 . A general method to eliminate all Windows problems saving all existing settings and installed programs is to reinstall Windows XP in update mode.

1 . Preparing the operating system for transfer to another hardware site:forum.ru-board.com.
2 . Transferring the system to another motherboard or cloning Windows XP (Make universal image Windows XP) site:gromr1.blogspot.ru
3 . Hiren's BootCD boot disk image (HBCD15.1_Russian_by_lexapass.iso).
4 . 151029!CloneXP.zip - tbosdts_pro, grub4dos, usb_format, documentation.
5 . Review boot disk Hiren's BootCD (Windows recovery disk).
6 . Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Russian version (WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-RUS.exe).
7 . Configuring an update server for the Automatic Updates service.
8 . Repairing and re-registering WMI site:windowsxp.mvps.org.
9 . How to update (reinstall) Microsoft Windows XP site:support.microsoft.com.
10 . Transferring Windows 7 to a new HDD using built-in utilities.

Replacing the motherboard without Windows reinstallation

In most cases after replacing the motherboard Windows stops loading. When loading windows appears blue screen(BSOD) with error STOP 0x0000007B. This is due to changing the ATA/SATA bus controller.

The fact is that Windows cannot independently change the controller driver when loading. As a result, when loading, the operating system simply loses hard drive and cannot continue downloading.

The question arises: how to produce replacing the motherboard without reinstalling Windows? After all, reinstalling Windows is not difficult, but all programs and settings will be lost. And this is often unacceptable!

Method replace motherboard without reinstallation OS three. If you have Windows 7, go straight to option 3

Option 1 - the old motherboard is working (Windows XP)

If with the old one motherboard It is possible to boot into Windows XP, then you need to replace the drivers IDE controllers and SATA to standard.

For this purpose in device manager open the properties of the controller (the name depends on the motherboard model). On the tab Driver press the button Update.

We answer the question about connecting to the Internet to search for a driver No, not this time and press Next. In the next window select Installation from a specified location and click Next. In the driver search options window that appears, select Don't search. I'll choose myself required driver and press Next.

In the window that appears, select from the list Standard two channel PCI controller IDE and press Next.

After driver installation is complete, click Ready and restart the computer.

After loading, check in Device Manager what is installed standard IDE controller driver and turn off the computer.

If there is no driver in the selection list Standard IDE Controller Driver(for example in the case of a SATA controller), you can simply remove installed driver controller of an old motherboard. To do this, in Device Manager, click right click mouse on your device and select context menu Delete. After uninstalling, turn off your computer.

Now produce motherboard replacement to a new one. Windows XP should boot without any problems. After that, all that remains is to install all the drivers on the new motherboard from the disk and that’s it!

Second option replacing the motherboard without reinstalling Windows XP longer than the first and should be used if a computer with an old motherboard does not turn on or booting is impossible. We will need a Windows XP installation disk. If there is no disk, you can download a disk image (WinXP Professional SP3 with an integrated package of hard disk controller drivers) and burn it to a CD-R, for example, using the DeepBurner 1.9 program (the distribution kit can be downloaded for free).

For Windows recovery XP after replacing motherboard you need to do the following:

Install the new motherboard and connect all devices.

Start downloading from installation Windows disk XP. On the first installation screen (image below), press ENTER to begin installing Windows XP.

On the next screen, press F8 to accept the license agreement.

The installer will then search for installed operating systems and display a list of them.

Select the operating system to restore and click the button R. The further process is not much different from a normal Windows XP installation. The differences are that the installer will not ask which partition of the hard drive to install the OS on and will not prompt you to enter your computer name and username. Be ready to enter license code Windows XP and activate it after installation via the Internet.

After the installation is complete, you need to install all the drivers on the new motherboard. All programs, user files and operating system settings will remain the same.

Option 3 - Fix the IDE Controller Driver in the Registry (Windows 7)

If you replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows 7, things are a little more complicated. The previous 2 options do not work. Restore Windows 7 by updating it from installation disk It won’t work either, since this function can only be launched from an already loaded OS.

But don't be upset! ERD Commander will help us (download a CD image, or make a bootable USB flash drive ERD Commander). With its help we will make adjustments to Windows registry 7 required to boot on the new controller.

Let's get started! We boot from a burned disk or flash drive. In the download menu, select the version of ERD Commander 6.5 for Windows 7.

Selecting the ERD Commander version to download

To the question “Initialize a network connection in background? we answer No.

To the question “Reassign drive letters...” we answer Yes.

Select the keyboard layout and press the button Next. Then select our operating system from the list and click Next.

Selecting the operating system to which ERD Commander will be connected

Finding problems booting Windows 7

Click Cancel, so as not to waste time, since this startup recovery tool will not help if the motherboard is changed. To the question “Stop troubleshooting?” we answer Yes. The next message that the problem could not be resolved, do not be alarmed and press the button Ready.

In the window that appears, select the item Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset.

Now we launch the registry editor.

First of all, you need to delete the registry branch HKLM\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

Now you need to enable the launch of services that load standard drivers for IDE and SATA controllers.

Opening a thread HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services on the left side of the Registry Editor. Now check the following sections in this thread: amdide, amdsata, amdxata, atapi, intelide, msahci, pciide. Parameter Start everyone should have equal 0x00000000 (0). ValueStart=0—start the service when Windows boots. If it is equal to 0x00000003 (3), double-click on the parameter name (Start) and change the value to 0 (picture below) and click OK.

After start will be set to 0 for all of the above registry keys, close the registry editor and restart the computer in normal mode. In most cases this is enough for successful Windows boot 7. Now you need to install drivers on the new motherboard.

If it doesn't help

If the steps taken did not help and Windows 7 still does not boot and displays the error STOP 0x0000007b, then required driver controller does not load. Let's try to enable downloading of all known operating system drivers.

To do this, set the parameter value Start equal to 0 in the following services: adp94xx, adpahci, adpu320, aic78xx, amdsbs, arc, arcsas, elxstor, HpSAMD, iaStorV, iirsp, LSI_FC, LSI_SAS, LSI_SAS2, LSI_SCSI, megasas, MegaSR, nfrd960, nvraid, nvstor, ql2300, ql40xx, SiSRaid2, SiSRaid4, vhdmp, vsmraid, alide, cmdide, nvraid, viaide .

Reboot the computer in normal mode. The OS should boot.

Booting Windows XP can also be restored in a similar way, but everything is more complicated there and I will not describe it in this article. Those who are interested can read it.