Computer will not boot up

[rsteve]

Computer will not boot. I got a message saying CMOS settings wrong, Press F1 to run setup, etc., but the machine is locked and I could do nothing but shut it off. Now it says CMOS/GPNV Checksum bad.

I have upgraded to a new computer and intend to upgrade a couple of things and give the old one to a nephew. I had lots of problems with both machines, but mine is now working fine. Not sure, but think much of the problems were caused by trying to move old HDs from another machine to each of the upgrades.

I formatted his HD, installed WinXP and it was working fine. Shut it down and had not touched it for a week. Realized I had not installed his modem and decided to do so. Also, had been using my mouse and keyboard. Before starting the modem installation, I attached his mouse and keyboard just to be certain everything was ok. To my astonishment it would not boot. Hooked up my mouse and keyboard and still no go. I have not installed the modem.

At this point, I have done so many things that I really don't know all the messages/errors that have occurred. However, those mentioned in the first paragraph is where I am now.

Computer specs: AMD2000 processor, MSI KT3 Ultra2 MB, 768 MB PC2700 memory from Crucial, 80 Gb 7200 Western Digital HD, Abit Siluro GF4 Ti4200 64MB graphics card, Liteon 52 X 24 X 52 CDRW, WinXP OEM.

Other possibly pertinent facts: My keyboard is a very cheap Logitech; his is a Microsoft with the divided kb. My mouse is a very old Microsoft (9 pin?) and his is one with a USB connection that has an adapter that will let it plug into the regular round mouse connection. The case, mb, memory, cpu and fd are from my old computer. The HD is from his old (400 Mhz Celeron) computer. The graphics card, CDRW and WinXP are new.

At some point I clicked on Load BIOS Setup Defaults and have cleared CMOS with the jumper, which was then put back in the proper position.

Sorry for the length of this, but have tried to give all pertinent info I could think of.

Thanks

[DoctorReno]

You are using XP. By any chance did you install XP on the HD on one machine and then move the HD to another machine?

[rsteve]

I had a 60 GB with WinXP on the old machine, which I moved to the new machine. I tried to move the 80 Gb with Win98 to his machine. Couldn't get it to work, so formatted the 80 Gb HD, installed and activated WinXp. Also, reactivated the old WinXp I moved to my new machine.

[rsteve]

Don't exactly know what fixed it, but it is now working. Formatted hd, reloaded Windows and couple of drivers and numerous other things. Something did it. Thanks.

[DoctorReno]

The answer to your problem is that WinXP has something called WPA. It is an anti-copy protection feature built into XP.
Unlike older OS's you cannot install the OS on a HD in one machine and move it to a new machine and have it run.
Essentially what it does is detect every component and serial number in the system it is being installed in. It then has an algorithm that it uses to award points for new components added over a time period to that system. When enough points are accumulated WPA shuts down the OS. You have to contact MS and go thru the requstration process to reactivate the system

This mean you cannot install XP on one system and move the HD to a new computer. Even if you have 2 absolutely identical machines you cannot move the HD with XP installed because the serial numbers of the components differ and XP will shut down.

By reinstalling XP in the system it detected and set everything up for the machine it is now in, that is why it now works.

[DoctorReno]

Additionally, the best way to move a HD with 98 installed to a new system is to enter Safe Mode B4 you move the drive. From Safe Mode Device Manager uninstall ALL the components and shut down. Then move the HD. When you start up the system with the new drive the first time it will take awhile but 98 will detect all the new components and correctly (hopefully) configure everything.

Glad you got it running.