Motherboard Replacement

[Kaieteur]

I need to replace my motherboard. But, I have heard that
XP hard-codes information about your motherboard to the
harddrive. Therefore, if you replace the motherboard you
need to format your harddrive and reinstall XP. Does
anyone know if this is true, or is there a way around
this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Jim Macklin]

It is only partially true. If the mobo is very much the
same or identical, Windows XP should boot normally. A mobo
with built-in video and NIC will look like three items
changed, if you upgrade the CPU too, it is 4 items. That
might require a reinstall and new activation.

If the new mobo is different, like going from an Intel 815
chipset to an 875 chipset, you will need to do the
reinstall.

Reinstalling does not require formatting.
see
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q315341&ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341
also http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


message | I need to replace my motherboard. But, I have heard that
| XP hard-codes information about your motherboard to the
| harddrive. Therefore, if you replace the motherboard you
| need to format your harddrive and reinstall XP. Does
| anyone know if this is true, or is there a way around
| this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Bob Day]

I need to replace my motherboard. But, I have heard that
XP hard-codes information about your motherboard to the
harddrive. Therefore, if you replace the motherboard you
need to format your harddrive and reinstall XP. Does
anyone know if this is true, or is there a way around
this? Any help would be appreciated.

All you'd have to do is a "repair install". See
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Just be sure to do the repair install *before* you try to
boot your new system.

-- Bob Day

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM licenses are not
transferable to a new motherboard), 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/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;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. You
shouldn't have to buy a new license.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



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

 

[Art]

All you'd have to do is a "repair install". See
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Just be sure to do the repair install *before* you try to
boot your new system.

-- Bob Day

Bob:
Re your comment about performing the repair install before booting to a new
system
involving a motherboard change. I've noticed a number of posters stating the
same thing
as well as coming across similar comments I've found on the net. I'm curious
to know why
you find this necessary (or preferable). What is the downside of booting to
the new system before
performing a repair install? Thanks.

Art

 

[Papa]

If it was my computer, I would do a clean install after backing up anything
important and also after all motherboard jumpers have been set correctly.
That way there is no possibility of carrying flawed settings and/or a flawed
registry from your old setup to your new setup.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

It just may not boot at all! XP checks the product activation against the
motherbaord. If it changed, it may complain about the activation.

Also, during boot up, XP loads the drivers needed to access the motherboard.
If you change the motherboard, it may not load the correctly one and can
"screw-up" Windows.

 

[Art]

ORIGINAL QUERY:
RESPONSE BY BOB DAY:
RESPONSE BY YVES:
It just may not boot at all! XP checks the product activation against the
motherbaord. If it changed, it may complain about the activation.

Also, during boot up, XP loads the drivers needed to access the motherboard.
If you change the motherboard, it may not load the correctly one and can
"screw-up" Windows.

Yves:
I'm still not really clear on this. So what if the system fails to boot
following a motherboard change? Will this have any effect on a subsequent
Repair install? What is there to lose by first attempting a boot prior to a
Repair install? I fully understand a new activation will most likely be
needed in the event of a motherboard change but that's not relevant to this
issue, is it?

I understand that in many, if not most, cases XP will not be able to load
various drivers, e.g., sound and video, upon the initial bootup of the drive
following a motherboard change. But how will this "screw-up Windows" (XP) in
such a way as to cause problems should a Repair install then be necessary?

I raise this question because in a number of cases I've been able to bootup
XP following a motherboard change without any problem. To be sure, another
Activation was necessary and new sound, video, etc. drivers had to be
subsequently loaded, but I did not have to undertake a Repair installation
in some (not every) of these cases. And in those cases where a Repair
installation did become necessary because of an initial failure to boot, I
haven't noticed any problem(s) affecting the OS.

Art

Art

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

This isn't the case, at all. Activation cannot enter the picture
until after the OS has loaded.

Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



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