Resolving BSOD (STOP: 0x0000007B) after a motherboard swap #

or hard drive migration:

Download cdob's fix_7hdc.vbs (local cache) and save to removable media
Boot to the Recovery Console (F8 > Repair Your Computer) or from a system repair/Windows 7 disc
Insert media containing fix_7hdc.vbs
Run cscript fix_7hdc.vbs /enable /search from the Command Prompt
Reboot

Notes:

The above method was discovered only after:
- checking SATA mode (ATA, AHCI, etc) in BIOS
- mucking about with bootrec, bcdboot, bcdedit, Startup Repair, Easy Recovery Essentials, and much more
- considering a repair install of Windows 7 before realizing that since Vista, the process can only be launched from within a working install of the OS you wish to repair.
- attempting to use sysprep (\Windows\System32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /shutdown), which did not readily run in a PE environment
Other possible (but untried) fixes:
- UBCD4Win's Fix HDC ("Fix the Hard Drive Controller when replacing your motherboard on an XP system") & Fix IDE ("Fix the IDE Controller when replacing your motherboard on an XP system"). Despite the XP references, Fix HDC reportedly works for Windows 7 as well.
- FixIDE, "a utility to force-install standard IDE controller drivers on a foreign Windows XP installation. Purpose: To save you from a repair-install of Windows after a motherboard swap!"
More:
- Jonathan Gallant kindly wrote in to suggest using Acronis True Image with Universal Restore along with the appropriate mass storage driver from DrivePacks.net
- Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer
- Windows 7 BSOD: Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers
- Can I use sysprep to fix a booting BSOD when migrating a Windows 7 VHD to another computer?
- OfflineSysPrep for offline sysprepping of Windows XP/2003
- Using imagex.exe, Sysprep and WinPE to clone a Windows 7 PC

/windows | Feb 17, 2014

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