Greetings --

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM installations
and licenses are not transferable to a new motherboard - check yours
_before_ starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical
(same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the
one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll
need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at
the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also require re-activation, unless you have a Volume
Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than 120
days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.



Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH


"Gator_1941" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:21e401c46fff$62524940$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I want to change my motherboard - will I have to re-
> install my operating system, since I am only changing the
> motherboard? I am running XP professional.

Hi, Bruce.

Thanks for the reminder...

Yes, reactivation was required after my mobo upgrade, even though
reinstallation was not needed (see my other post in this thread). But
reactivation happened so smoothly - just answer yes to "do you want to
reactivate via the Internet" - that I almost forgot that it had occurred.
;^}

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(E-Mail Removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

"Bruce Chambers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Greetings --
>
> Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM installations
> and licenses are not transferable to a new motherboard - check yours
> _before_ starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical
> (same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the
> one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll
> need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at
> the very least:
>
> How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341
>
> As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
> important data before starting.
>
> This will also require re-activation, unless you have a Volume
> Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than 120
> days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
> likely be able to activate via the internet without problem. If it's
> been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.
>
>
>
> Bruce Chambers
> --
> Help us help you:
> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
> You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
> having both at once. - RAH
>
>
> "Gator_1941" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:21e401c46fff$62524940$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I want to change my motherboard - will I have to re-
>> install my operating system, since I am only changing the
>> motherboard? I am running XP professional.