Booting Vista on Different PC Computers

I install Vista Ultimate on one PC. It is an HP Pavilion a1700n.

I remove the 40 GB IDE HD from the HP PC and put it into a Compaq EVO
510 PC.

Result: Vista does not boot.

I have researched the subject but still have not found a solution.

The microsoft vista deployment step by step seems awfully complex.

Has anyone found a simple way to solve this problem?

I have also tried the reverse (from compaq to HP PC): Same result!

With XP I could boot into safe mode or just boot normally and XP would
detect and install the new hardware it finds.

Somtimes I would need to install XP from CD on the target PC to copy
the boot.ini and hall.dll files to a usb flash drive. Then I would
restore the image of XP on the target PC. I would boot into recovery
console and copy the files form the flash drive to the target PC
(boot.ini to C:\ and hal.dll to C:\windows\system32). Most times I
could then boot the target PC normally or in safe mode.

However, with Vista I am stymied!

Any practical solution?

Chris

Welcome to Windrivers cccharlee

You would have to do a repair install of Vista. The hardware is different between the two machines. Also you would probably have to reactivate each time. This is not a problem in itself, but if you kept doing this, the activation wizard will probably force you to call microsoft before reactivation.

If you are trying to build an image that will go on any machine, you will have to use the sysprerp route shown here

I believe it isn't exactly legal either. If its installed and activated to one pc.
Then even though you only take the harddrive to a new computer, it is classed as a new computer thereby requiring a new COA or license.

Ferrit, if it's a full retail version he can port it like that... it is only on one drive and one computer at a time.... If on the other hand it's an OEM, then yep, illegal.