Calling computer gurus.

I am trying to replace my hard drive on a system running Windows 7 home premium.
After successfully cloning using multiple applications the system boots to the new drive but UAC is whacked and built in Win apps are unknown, I can access the internet but no downloading allowed, win update is hosed too.
I have already spent countless hours with tech support in which they told me my issue was going from sata 512/per sector to the new advanced format drives with 4k/sector, so I tracked down and ordered new 512/sector drives and still tango uniform.
Google " UAC not working after replacing a hard drive in windows 7 "and you get a veritable plethora of nonsense, none of which helps!!!!!!!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I am walking away from this system for a while before I destroy it so I'll check back later.
TIA

I don't know if you have your original disk still, but what *I* would do is this:

1. Make a full System Image backup on an external USB drive (suggest Western Digital MyBook) or another drive you have on hand if you have room.

2. Put the new disk in, boot up from the Windows disc, and do a Restore of the system image backup.

I'm pretty sure that'll get you exactly the system you had before, though you may have to call Microsoft to re-activate it (which they will do if you let them know you restored a backup to replace a disk drive).

-Noel

I can't completely tell you how to fix it, but it sounds like your partition is out of alignment after the clone. It happens after a clone from an older 512k/sector drive to the newer 4k, just like you said. Seems like it should have been ok though if you cloned the (new)512 sector drive from the old one. Not something re-taken from the new 4k one.

The Partition Starting Offset Sector on the drive needs to be divisible by 1024. You can find the starting sector on your drive in Win7 in System Information.
It's easier to just add a link how to get there ...here.

There are tools to correct the alinement, and/or cloning software that checks for proper alignment when cloning. I'll leave that to you.
I have used Macrium Reflect free version with success but can't guarantee it'll work in your situation. (Not sure if it will align properly, always.)

Improper alignment will zap Windows Update. Don't know why that is, but I've seen it.

So, I'd say, you need to Google partition alignment after cloning.. or something like that.

After a clone attempt, to maybe save time, all you'd have to do is re-check the alignment in Windows Info.

Take a deep breath... it'll be OK.

Lite me, Thank you for your response. After checking the drive I am attempting to clone that has worked for 3 years it is misaligned.
The starting partition offset is 32,256. 32,256/1024=31.5.
There are 3 partitions on this 1Tb drive recovery/system reserved/gateway c.
So I am cloning a misaligned yet functional drive? :candle:

The best thing to do, if you have access to the media, is to do a fresh install of Windows. Then you can back all of your stuff up and move it over. The only cloning software that I know of that works consistently is ghost.

When I bought this system I had just had a raid 10 volume on another system go bad.
After that fiasco I have been successfully rotating clones of the exact same model drives into the current system using True image 11, the problem only started when I attempted to use different drives from 2 different manufacturers. The original drives are no longer available.
Tech support from both is just as perplexed. I have tried the WD version of TI, Easeus Todo and my TI 11 to no avail.
I am looking into the alignment angle.

Just used Acronis Alignment tool and it shows all drives old and new aligned. WD support is telling me to format the drive with zeros and try again, I call bs.
Oh well.

Beamhead said:

Lite me, Thank you for your response. After checking the drive I am attempting to clone that has worked for 3 years it is misaligned.
The starting partition offset is 32,256. 32,256/1024=31.5.
There are 3 partitions on this 1Tb drive recovery/system reserved/gateway c.
So I am cloning a misaligned yet functional drive? :candle:

Click to expand...

First off, I have very little experience at this. I ran into this problem once when replacing (cloning) an older 512k sector laptop drive with an SSD. It was so long ago I don't exactly remember how I resolved it.

Is the starting offset that you refer to above the C: partition? I believe it's only the C: partition that matters as far as alignment is concerned for proper Windows operation. The other partitions, and any actually, will take a performance hit if misaligned. It is possible to have some aligned, some not.

I suppose, if Windows was installed somehow misaligned, it may function ok. Or somewhere along the line it got misaligned w/ your cloning. I don't see how diff manufacturers would matter. Just the sector size.

Beamhead said:

Just used Acronis Alignment tool and it shows all drives old and new aligned. WD support is telling me to format the drive with zeros and try again, I call bs.
Oh well.

Click to expand...

Are you saying after proper alignment Windows still has a problem? Running Win Update?

If so... you may have to end up reinstalling Win as suggested.

Lite_me said:

Are you saying after proper alignment Windows still has a problem? Running Win Update?

If so... you may have to end up reinstalling Win as suggested.

Click to expand...

All were aligned, no aligning needed or even allowed. The old/original was aligned, the new malfunctioning was aligned.
Unfortunately this is a Gateway gaming system so all I have is the Gateway restore.
I for now have relegated the new drive as my secondary and will just purchase a new system when Windows 10 hits this summer, then I will put the other new in the box drive in this system and do a full restore to factory default.

I have read about using the Win 7 DVD to do a system repair, I have a Win 7 pro DVD from my other system but it won't give me the option to repair on this system, can't find any Win 7 repair utilities on line.
I ran a System file check and some failed without repair, the log file is too long to try and trace this down.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...rd-drive/1cf25308-5068-4662-bc97-bd9b7f5f3ebe

Beamhead said:

All were aligned, no aligning needed or even allowed. The old/original was aligned, the new malfunctioning was aligned.
Unfortunately this is a Gateway gaming system so all I have is the Gateway restore.
I for now have relegated the new drive as my secondary and will just purchase a new system when Windows 10 hits this summer, then I will put the other new in the box drive in this system and do a full restore to factory default.

I have read about using the Win 7 DVD to do a system repair, I have a Win 7 pro DVD from my other system but it won't give me the option to repair on this system, can't find any Win 7 repair utilities on line.
I ran a System file check and some failed without repair, the log file is too long to try and trace this down.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...rd-drive/1cf25308-5068-4662-bc97-bd9b7f5f3ebe

Click to expand...

I see your link includes direction to a Win 7 repair utility. Skimming over it, it looks messy.

Problems like these is why some 'techies' say.. "Get a Mac"

But then again, you can't really do this kind of stuff on them. :shrug:

I'm waiting for Win 10 myself. I have two Win 7 laptops, but my main desktop is Vista.
It works fine, just a bit slow.

Lite_me said:

I see your link includes direction to a Win 7 repair utility. Skimming over it, it looks messy.

Problems like these is why some 'techies' say.. "Get a Mac"

But then again, you can't really do this kind of stuff on them. :shrug:

I'm waiting for Win 10 myself. I have two Win 7 laptops, but my main desktop is Vista.
It works fine, just a bit slow.

Click to expand...

Not being one to give up easily I opened the other new drive, cloned it and followed the instructions the MVP moderator of the Microsoft Community in my link stated to a tee.

Created a repair disc
booted to said disc
repair tool found problems and rebooted
at the Command prompt ran
bootrec.exe /fixmbr..........................successful
bootrec.exe /fixboot.........................successful
bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd....................successful


rebooted and still tango uniform!
LMAO this is beyond comical now. :****oo:

Beamhead said:

Not being one to give up easily I opened the other new drive, cloned it and followed the instructions the MVP moderator of the Microsoft Community in my link stated to a tee.

Created a repair disc
booted to said disc
repair tool found problems and rebooted
at the Command prompt ran
bootrec.exe /fixmbr..........................successful
bootrec.exe /fixboot.........................successful
bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd....................successful


rebooted and still tango uniform!
LMAO this is beyond comical now. :****oo:

Click to expand...

Wow! The problems it found must not have been related to the issue.

What else could it be?

I have been hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would chime in with other suggestions.

Maybe something basic like x86 vs. 64?

These are just my thoughts, one of the first things I came across when researching this issue was people claiming updating the Intel RST driver worked for some, well Intel has no new driver for my 64 bit OS.
When I purchased my system it was rated at SATA 2 or 3Gbps, the newer drives support up to SATA 3 or 6Gbps, I have these WD's jumper-ed to limit them to 3Gbps the one running as secondary (non OS) seems fine for now.
I think there is a conflict between the Intel SATA 2 chipset/driver the OS/driver and the Chipset on the drives.
To prove this I am going to re-clone one of the Hitachi Deskstars that were in my clone rotation, put it in and see if the conflict corrects.
BBIAB to report.

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hung on to this computer for as long as possible, I finally broke down and setup a new rig running my dreaded nemesis Winders 10.
That system is up and running fine giving me time to DRILL DOWN on the issue with the old one..........well after hours of research/tech support I stumbled upon this gem.........

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...chnology/e3c4b6d6-56ba-4ac5-be50-89843c9d9b22


and it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I read over and over how UPGRADING Intel Rapid Storage Drivers worked but not for me, who would have thought uninstalling them all together and using an older basic MS driver would solve the issue.................

Now my old system is sporting a new WD Black drive and running sweet.