Changing Motherboard!

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OS = XP SP2 - I am considering upgrading my computer by installing a new
motherboard. Two questions: (1) Is it necessary to also install a new retail
copy of the OS? (2) If not, will the new motherboard BIOS recognize and boot
from the OS on the present HDD, or will it be necessary to reinstall the OS?
 
Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

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Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

Enjoy all the benefits of genuine Microsoft software:
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| OS = XP SP2 - I am considering upgrading my computer by installing a new
| motherboard. Two questions: (1) Is it necessary to also install a new retail
| copy of the OS? (2) If not, will the new motherboard BIOS recognize and boot
| from the OS on the present HDD, or will it be necessary to reinstall the OS?
 
Marty said:
OS = XP SP2 - I am considering upgrading my computer by installing a
new motherboard. Two questions: (1) Is it necessary to also install a
new retail copy of the OS?
Click to expand...


Probably not.

(2) If not, will the new motherboard BIOS
recognize and boot from the OS on the present HDD, or will it be
necessary to reinstall the OS?
Click to expand...


Probably neither. Unless the new motherboard is identical to the original
one, at the very least you need to do a repair installation--see "How to
Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

It's rare, but sometimes even that is not enough, and you will need to do a
clean reinstallation.
 
Marty, you must either be 1 - a computer geek who likes to tinker, or 2
- have a very expensive box with a lot of upgrades! I say this because
now-a-days its almost as cheap to just buy a new box. If you wish to
plod on, your best bet is to reinstall the OS after you install the
board, to ensure a clean recognition of all your hardware and related
drivers and busses. Good luck and don't forget to ground yourself when
you play in there!
 
Thanks, Carey! I'm somewhat overwhelmed by what I've read, so much so I think
I'll scrap the idea and stay with what I have until it dies.
 
Good luck and don't forget to ground
yourself when you play in there!
Click to expand...

This brings up a question........

How to ground yourself with a wriststrap.........

Where do you clip the other end to ? The case ? If the computer is un-
plugged from the wall (ergo, earth ground gone), is connecting the strap to
the case good enough ?
 
Thanks, Ken! AS I replied to Carey, I'm somewhat overwhelmed by what I've
read, so much so I think I'll scrap the idea and stay with what I have until
it dies.
 
Yes, I like to tinker. But what I've read on the pages suggested by Carey and
Ken, are, as I replied to them, somewhat overwhelming. Since I don't have a
very expensive box with a lot of upgrades, your advice is duly noted, and
I'll stick with what I have until it dies.
 
Marty said:
Thanks, Ken! AS I replied to Carey, I'm somewhat overwhelmed by what
I've read, so much so I think I'll scrap the idea and stay with what
I have until it dies.
Click to expand...


You're welcome. Glad to help.
 
if you do decide to replace the mother board, make a diagram and notes
and/or tag your power cables to make it easier to connect the new board
up. its really not very difficult once you have the new board in, as
long as you compare the new one to the old one before you detach the
old one and see where are the related cables will match and attach.
that's the most important part of it.
 
RI_Geek said:
Marty, you must either be 1 - a computer geek who likes to tinker, or 2
- have a very expensive box with a lot of upgrades! I say this because
now-a-days its almost as cheap to just buy a new box.
Click to expand...

Motherboards are no where near the cost of a new box. Where in the world
did you get that idea?

Alias
 
-Alias- said:
Motherboards are no where near the cost of a new box. Where in the world
did you get that idea?

Alias
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was going to say something. That idea most likely comes from the
$299 Dell specials.

If you look at pricewatch.com, you can get an AMD Sempron CPU/MB combo
starting around $100. For starting around $130 you can get a 3'ish Ghz
P4/MB or an AMD64/MB combo.
 
Yes, I like to tinker. But what I've read on the pages suggested by
Carey and Ken, are, as I replied to them, somewhat overwhelming. Since
I don't have a very expensive box with a lot of upgrades, your advice
is duly noted, and I'll stick with what I have until it dies.
Click to expand...

You never did say what kind of machine you have now, version of XP, etc.

If you were thinking about an upgrade to get better performance, one of the
thing that can be upgraded that will make a fairly noticable improvement is
to replace a 5400 RPM HD with a 7200 RPM one. That and bumping up the RAM.
 
DanS said:
Yeah, I was going to say something. That idea most likely comes from the
$299 Dell specials.
Click to expand...

Wow, just what I want, a Dell special with XP on a hidden partition.
If you look at pricewatch.com, you can get an AMD Sempron CPU/MB combo
starting around $100. For starting around $130 you can get a 3'ish Ghz
P4/MB or an AMD64/MB combo.
Click to expand...

Not a "new box", just a new MB and CPU.

Alias
 
Marty said:
OS = XP SP2 - I am considering upgrading my computer by installing a new
motherboard. Two questions: (1) Is it necessary to also install a new retail
copy of the OS? (2) If not, will the new motherboard BIOS recognize and boot
from the OS on the present HDD, or will it be necessary to reinstall the OS?
Click to expand...


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/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this
point. You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the
OS. (If you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as
picking up a Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch
style foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K
before it, is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to
accepting any old hardware configuration you throw at it. On
installation it "tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This
is one of the reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much
more stable than the Win9x group.

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

This will also probably 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.



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Bruce Chambers

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They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrum Russell
 
None of the above.

Find a metal part directly attached to the grounding (not ground or neutral)
wire of the power supply. Attach the wrist strap there. The grounding wire
does not require power applied or off to have a grounding condition. The PC
should be off nonetheless.

There is no earth ground if the AC cable plug is removed from the AC outlet.
All power can be removed if you have an UPS with on/off power switch or
under monitor power switching station or over/under voltage suppression
outlet, the grounding condition will remain in place.

Do not confuse "floating ground" with "earth ground".
 
Candidly, most likely, a number of things will outmode the PC's motherboard
before it dies. Suitability for an OS and 3rd party apps for instance.
Basically all support from MS and 3rd party hardware and software mfrs is
gone for 98/98SE/ME for instance. Which follows support for updates for
such OSes that may be susceptible to subsequent internet intrusions and so
forth. AV capability may be limited on an outmoded OS. The PC will at that
point be good for standalone operation not connected to any internet
connection. Or die a death on the internet connection due to lack of
support in this arena of things.

PCs last a tremendously long time if not exposed to external intrusions.
Which is the crux of the matter I've already stated.
 
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