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[Resolved] BSOD after restoring Windows XP backup to VMWare virtual machine

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I have backed up a Windows XP installation with ATIH Home 2012 and have restored it to a VMWare virtual machine. When I try to boot the restored installation I momentarily get a BSOD then the system goes into an endless cycle of reboots. This also happens when I boot the system in safe mode.

I used to be able to restore our system using this method but some time ago we migrated the system (using clone disk) to a Levono system and this no longer works. Presumably there's a problem with hardware drivers.

Thanks in advance.

Issue resolved here.

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If the Windows XP installation was created on another computer with different hardware, you are on the right track. I have had this problem before also. The solution I used was to use Universal Restore to add the correct HAL and disk drivers to the restored installation. Did the old computer have the same type of CPU (Intel / AMD )?

I am restoring with a bootable CD. I am recovering onto a virtual PC from an Intel to an Intel machine.

I have just purchased the Plus Pack and will try Universal Restore tonight.

I have just purchased the Plus Pack. When I try to restore my system I get the following:

"Device driver 'PCI ... " etc (see Capture1.jpg and Capture2.jpg). If I click "Retry" I keep getting the messages. If I do "Ignore" then I get the BSOD on startup again (see Capture.jpg).

I assume that I'm missing some device drivers. Where can I find those - do they come from the parent (physical) system (Levono) or on the virtual machine that I'm trying to clone the system onto?

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The drivers you need would be the hard disk controller driver for the system you are running on. They will need to be download from the Lenovo website. If they are in a zip file, you would need to extract them to a folder. Since I'm not sure what version of Windows the host machine or the version of Windows the XP VM are running, you might need a 32 or 64 bit driver for the Windows XP VM. You do not need drivers for the installed operating system, only the drivers for Windows XP that match your current computer's hardware.

Sorry I sent you in the wrong direction. Glad you found the solution, and thanks for sharing the solution with us.