Changing Processors?

[supersoundguy]

Hi,
I was wondering if there is a way to simply upgrade from an AMD
processor to an Intel processor (by way of changing my motherboard)
without having to reinstall Windows XP. e.g. I'd like to be able to use
a hard drive with a full (not O.E.M.) version of Windows, and just
replace the mobo and processor. Is this possible?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[no_one]

Yes, but you will need to perform a "Repair" install to have Windows
recognise the new motherboard. It does not lose what is on the original
drive, but you want to back up critical data just to be careful.

 

[Alias~-]

Hi,
I was wondering if there is a way to simply upgrade from an AMD
processor to an Intel processor (by way of changing my motherboard)
without having to reinstall Windows XP. e.g. I'd like to be able to use
a hard drive with a full (not O.E.M.) version of Windows, and just
replace the mobo and processor. Is this possible?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

At best, a repair install will work. At worst, you will have to clean
install. Whether it's a generic OEM or retail makes no difference. If
it's a branded OEM, it probably wouldn't work.

Whatever you choose to try, repair or clean install, back up what's
important to you first. A repair doesn't usually involve losing data or
programs but it could happen if, say, you have a power failure while in
the middle of the install.

Alias

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I was wondering if there is a way to simply upgrade from an AMD
processor to an Intel processor (by way of changing my motherboard)

I would call that a "change," rather than an "upgrade." I don't think either
brand is better than the other.

without having to reinstall Windows XP. e.g. I'd like to be able to
use a hard drive with a full (not O.E.M.) version of Windows, and just
replace the mobo and processor. Is this possible?

You will have to do at least a repair installation after changing the
motherboard. See "How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

That usually works, but in some situations it isn't enough, and you may find
that you have to do a clean installation. So be sure that before changing
the motherboard, you've backed up everything you can't afford to lose and be
prepared to do that clean installation if necessary.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi,
I was wondering if there is a way to simply upgrade from an AMD
processor to an Intel processor (by way of changing my motherboard)
without having to reinstall Windows XP. e.g. I'd like to be able to use
a hard drive with a full (not O.E.M.) version of Windows, and just
replace the mobo and processor. Is this possible?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore 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

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with WinXP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

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.


--

Bruce Chambers

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Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[supersoundguy]

At best, a repair install will work. At worst, you will have to clean
install. Whether it's a generic OEM or retail makes no difference. If
it's a branded OEM, it probably wouldn't work.

Whatever you choose to try, repair or clean install, back up what's
important to you first. A repair doesn't usually involve losing data or
programs but it could happen if, say, you have a power failure while in
the middle of the install.

Alias

Thank you both for replying so quickly! You have been a huge help.

 

[Jonny]

Hi,
I was wondering if there is a way to simply upgrade from an AMD
processor to an Intel processor (by way of changing my motherboard)
without having to reinstall Windows XP. e.g. I'd like to be able to use
a hard drive with a full (not O.E.M.) version of Windows, and just
replace the mobo and processor. Is this possible?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Backup all personal data and settings you want to keep prior to doing this
to removable media that will work with either motherboard.

Motherboard swaps can be painless, or can be booger-bears, there appears to
be no anticipating. Just be prepared to clean install/new install on a
newly made partition on the former hard drive.