Solved Add new bootable HD

Cruzberg

New Member
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I removed the HD from my Dell, which has Windows 7 on it, and would like to install it into a new Windows 8 Gateway I picked up. I want this HD to be the main drive, and I want to save all the information on it. I plan to wipe the Gateway HD and have it as a storage disk. I installed the HD into the Gateway, and got an error upon reboot prompting me to insert proper boot media, and will not progress further.

I then connected both the Gateway's original HD and my HD, and saw that my HD is detected and online in Computer Management. I then restarted, and entered bios to change boot order. Although my HD is detected in the Advanced>Misc tab in the bios, it is not listed as an option to boot from in the Boot Options tab, nor from the F12 boot menu.

I suspect if I can just get the Gateway to boot from my HD, everything will be fine, but I can't seem to get it recognized as a 'bootable' device. Any help would be much appreciated.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
You cannot just move an OS that was installed on one system to another system. Besides a lot of driver problems you will get an activation problem.

For your Gateway, you have to make a new Windows 7 installation with a valid (unused) product key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
I removed the HD from my Dell, which has Windows 7 on it, and would like to install it into a new Windows 8 Gateway I picked up.

To downgrade your new Pre-installed Windows 8 Gateway, you need buy a Windows 7 licence, you can not use the Dell licence.

Welcome to EightForums

1) Downgrade to Windows 7.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13326-downgrade-windows-8-windows-7-a.html
Warning you must have the uEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.


2) If Using a USB Pendrive on a PC with a uEFI BIOS.
USB Pendrive need to be formated to FAT32 as in
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html
Take note of Step 11 for Windows 7.
Also you will need to use a USB 2.0 port, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers in Windows 7.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I was expecting driver issues, which I can fix, but I think it is possible to move the OS. But even if it weren't possible to move the OS, would this keep me from being able to boot from the Dell HD?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
Oh ok, so the issue is that I have a Windows 7 Dell license and I need a Windows 7 Gateway license?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
I was expecting driver issues, which I can fix, but I think it is possible to move the OS. But even if it weren't possible to move the OS, would this keep me from being able to boot from the Dell HD?

Oh ok, so the issue is that I have a Windows 7 Dell license and I need a Windows 7 Gateway license?

Also

To Downgrade to Windows 7.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13326-downgrade-windows-8-windows-7-a.html

Warning you must have the uEFI/BIOS firmware setting in Step Three set.


theog said:
3) Reset BIOS to default, and reboot to BIOS make sure Secure Boot is disabled.

NOTE: Check your manufacturer's uEFI/BIOS firmware manual for settings.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Ok, sorry if I'm being dense but let me try to make sure I'm clear on this. In order to be able to boot from my Dell HD, I need to downgrade the Gateway system from Win 8 to Win7, which will then allow me to boot from my Dell HD and move on to dealing with all the driver issues? I just want to make sure the solutions you guys are offering will allow me to work off of my original Dell HD, that's my main goal.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
Ok, sorry if I'm being dense but let me try to make sure I'm clear on this. In order to be able to boot from my Dell HD, I need to downgrade the Gateway system from Win 8 to Win7, which will then allow me to boot from my Dell HD and move on to dealing with all the driver issues? I just want to make sure the solutions you guys are offering will allow me to work off of my original Dell HD, that's my main goal.

Check here::ar: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13326-downgrade-windows-8-windows-7-a.html

theog said:
6)

A) Delete all partitions. (in Drive Options)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I would appreciate a yes or no answer on my question. I'm really not an expert on this stuff and I'm not sure that your link is confirming that I'll be able to boot from my Dell HD once I downgrade the Gateway to Win 7.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
Can you do Steps one to Five?

At Step Six, you can use any drive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
I seem to have fixed the problem. Apparently newer computers are replacing bios with something called UEFI, which won't boot from non-win 8 media unless an option called "legacy booting" is enabled. I enabled this option, and have successfully booted from the Dell HD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
But you are not yet out of the woodwork if your Dell system is an OEM installation because your system will be regarded as non-genuine and eventually shut down. If your Dell Windows 7 is a retail version, then the situation is different - that can be moved to another system.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
Right. I marked this thread as solved because the main issue was getting it to boot from the Dell HD. I made a new thread detailing the rest of this ordeal.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    i5
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