Solved old HDD with valid WINDOWS-8.1 into NEW updated SYSTEM

[WiSeNhEiMeR]

Just prepared a WINDOWS-8.1 ISO and will install it on a SPARE HDD

BelArc Advisor regurgitated my WINDOWS-8.0 product KEY

If the ASUS H97M-E motherboard does not locate & install the USB Ports on "this" installation then I will return it for replacement to ASUS & demand some sort of satisfaction ... I have never had anything but good products from ASUS ... but ... this one appears to be the "bad" apple in the bunch ...

M$ is pretty Desperate to get people on Win 10, so maybe they're just ignoring the OS activation for Now ??

I'd suggest getting a second HDD and Cloning the OS to it. Put the Clone in and after putting the last Win 8.1 ISO on it, mount it and run setup as Admin. Do a reset install keeping Nothing and see if You still have the USB problems ? If that doesn't work then try a Fresh Install onto the spare HDD. *You could run something like Belarc Advisor to find and write down the Win 8 activation Key.*

 

[Bat 1]

While I'm not really a fan of driver finders, I used to carry a USB drive with all the drivers from Snappy Drivers Installer. Lots of people in My area are still on Dial-Up You might try downloading just the SDI-Lite and running it ? Download If You haven't already ?

 

[WiSeNhEiMeR]

Thanks - I'll give SNAPPY-DRIVERS a try --- Much Appreciated - Coop

 

[WiSeNhEiMeR]

Did a Work-Around ... installed a "small" 70 gb HDD - Formatted it with MY Windows-8.1

Made a "RECOVERY DISK" & installed a FRESH copy (of the same ) Windows-8.1 on the small HDD

Added the ASUS drivers from my Drivers disk

Checked & "all" (each & every) USB port on the MotherBoard = All working just fine

Installed the "original" 500 gb HDD as a secondary ("slave") DRIVE with the ORIGINAL copy of Windows-8.1 on it

Ran WINDOWS "Authentication" on the new INSTALL = A-O.K.

NOT the solution that I was L@@King for ... but USABLE

Thanks to each & every one of you for helping me "think" through this conundrum

I consider this Problem "SOLVED"