Can't boot with my old hard drive, *need* it to boot again

[Navaros]

I removed my old hard from my old computer without doing any preparation on it first. I figured a repair installation of Windows XP Pro would let it boot with my new computer. I was totally wrong. I successfully did a repair installation on my old hard drive. Now my old hard drive will not boot at all in either my new computer, or my old computer. It gives a BSOD right after the Windows XP Pro loading screen comes up after the POST etc and says to "remove any recently installed hard disks or hard disks controllers". That doesn't solve my problem - I need the problem fixed, not removed.

Also when I tried to use the "Create Partition" option on my old hard drive in Windows setup and then in Windows Recovery Console, it wouldn't do anything when I pressed "C".
I think it was denying me access to alter the drive in any way.

I need my old hard drive to boot exactly as it used to, in my new computer. with all my settings and registry entries intact.

Forsaking my settings on the old drive is not an option.

I just went out and bought a new hard drive for the sake of being able to troubleshoot this problem. After I get my old drive to boot I will try to copy it byte for byte onto my new hard drive.

In the mean time please tell me how to make my old hard drive boot again with all my settings and registry intact.

 

[Nitestick]

not sure really. good old microsoft make things so simple that from memory there are three "repair" options on the install disk that all do different things. you could try the repair option that is last before it asks which drive you would like to install on. that i think will re-install windows but lose your settings. everything else on the drive will be retained.

 

[sPlAtOiD]

Also if you can get windows Xp on your new disk. You can then copy everything from your old drive.Have you tried starting from your old drive in safe mode.I know its a long shot but what the heck.