Do I need to reinstall XP when changing the motherboard?

  • Thread starter Thread starter DD
  • Start date Start date
D

DD

I am swapping out the motherboard in my Dell 4100 with a new one from ASUS.
Will I need to re-install Windows XP after the upgrade, or will XP do a good
job of detecting the changed hardware? I would like to keep all of my
program and Windows settings exactly how they are now.

Thanks ~ DD
 
Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I am swapping out the motherboard in my Dell 4100 with a new one from ASUS.
| Will I need to re-install Windows XP after the upgrade, or will XP do a good
| job of detecting the changed hardware? I would like to keep all of my
| program and Windows settings exactly how they are now.
|
| Thanks ~ DD
 
No, You do not have to reinstall windows, wxp will detect new hardware and
will ask for disk that came with the motherboard so you can update drivers on
the new motherboard. I hope this helps.
 
I am swapping out the motherboard in my Dell 4100 with a new one from ASUS.
Will I need to re-install Windows XP after the upgrade, or will XP do a good
job of detecting the changed hardware? I would like to keep all of my
program and Windows settings exactly how they are now.

Thanks ~ DD
Click to expand...

You will need to do a repair install of XP in order for the new
hardware to be recognized and enumerated into the registry.

Go here for instructions on how to do a repair install:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html#4
 
"Will XP do a good job of detecting the changed hardware?" Probably not.

If you search Google Groups for "XP upgrade motherboard", you may get a few
hits. (A few tens of thousands, really.)

The common fix is to do a repair installation of XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

"How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP"

(In brief: don't let the new machine boot into Windows. Change the boot
order to start from the CD drive first. Boot from the XP CD. Choose to
install, rather than going to the Repair Console. Under install, choose to
repair the existing installation rather than making a new one.) This will
preserve most installed programs and settings, but it will eliminate
everything installed using Windows Update. Some applications may need to be
re-installed as well, but not most. Windows activation will also be
required.

The above assumes that you have a retail XP CD.

If you want to use an OEM CD that came with the Dell, you'll probably have
trouble. License issues aside, the XP version may be locked to install only
on a machine whose BIOS identifies it as a Dell.

Also, you may have some trouble swapping an industry-standard mainboard into
your 4100:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dzuul/techovu.htm

Take particular note of the "auxiliary power connector" and the "control
panel connector". These are Dell proprietary features that are incompatible
with standard motherboards. Modifying things to fit may be possible, but it
wouldn't be worth the effort for me. Your mileage may vary.

I'd suggest starting afresh with an Antec case (www.antec.com), although
there are serviceable generic Asian ones available at lower prices. (The
power supplies in the generics won't be as good as an Antec supply, though.)
I'm using a Super Lanboy, even though I didn't want the window, and I don't
go to LAN parties.

Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.
 
I don't think its going to work if its a Dell
computer ... I would check with dell as to whether you
can change their computer MB with an Asus motherboard ...
From i heard Dell computers only work with parts
 
What i meant to say is Dell computers only work with Dell
product parts .. And i need to slow down on the smokes
 
I would say it will not work. I tried a very similar situation with a Dell
(changing out the MoBo, they lock ther OEM XP Disk to the Service Tag on
your computer. Also in the Dell I had they did not use screws to hold the
MoBo iinside the computer, if I remebered correctly, it was soldered in
place. You are probably better of to purchase a Computer case as well.
 
DD said:
I am swapping out the motherboard in my Dell 4100 with a new one from ASUS.
Will I need to re-install Windows XP after the upgrade, or will XP do a good
job of detecting the changed hardware?
Click to expand...

With that you should make a repair reinstall the first step. so as to
get hardware matched to the system. You may run into trouble with
activation/licensing. The OEM version you got from Dell is licensed
solely to that machine. Just where it *ceases* to be the same machine
is left unclear, but could be argued that it is where the OEM (Dell)
says, which is unlikely to be through a motherboard change to one they
did not supply.

Repair install: Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard disk, then boot
the XP CD, start Setup (do not take 'Repair' at this stage), then after
the license agreement take 'Repair Installation'. This will retain
your existing software installations and most settings. But Updates
will have to be run again, especially at least SP1; I would have the SP2
CD to hand to be the first thing run

It is important to activate the basic XP Firewall before you ever
connect to the net to get the patches, so as to be protected against
things like the BLAST worm.

Always back up essential data before doing any major system operation
like this, if you are still in a position to do so

The original Dell installation will have been 'locked' to the BIOS, and
this lock will be lost, so you will have to go into ordinary
activation.. Get on the net and try at
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Activate Windows

I am not clear how far this recognises the installation as a 'formerly
BIOS locked' one and source of complaint; you may have to phone in and
argue your case
 
Thanks Alex. Actually I have Windows XP from my MSDN Universal subscription
for developers so the licensing should go smoothly.

With regard to the change in hardware, will XP typically "adjust" to the
change and automatically configure the correct hardware drivers for the new
motherboard?

Thanks ~ DD
 
DD said:
Thanks Alex. Actually I have Windows XP from my MSDN Universal subscription
for developers so the licensing should go smoothly.

With regard to the change in hardware, will XP typically "adjust" to the
change and automatically configure the correct hardware drivers for the new
motherboard?
Click to expand...

You need at least a repair reinstall to match things up. Then, when
you boot, the check on hardware at that time may well result in the
system deciding it is out of tolerance for the activation info on the
disk, and hence ask for immediate activation (which would have to be by
phone as until done it would only boot Safe Mode). A full clean
reinstall would be no problem, but then you would have to install all
software again, which would probably be the bigger hassle
 
Alex Nichol said:
You need at least a repair reinstall to match things up. Then, when
you boot, the check on hardware at that time may well result in the
system deciding it is out of tolerance for the activation info on the
disk, and hence ask for immediate activation (which would have to be
by
phone as until done it would only boot Safe Mode). A full clean
reinstall would be no problem, but then you would have to install all
software again, which would probably be the bigger hassle
Click to expand...

Not probably in my experience. It is defintely a bigger hassle. I've
put two new MB's in my XP box and each time the repair/install route
worked just fine. Only onde did I have to go through the 'immediate
activation' route. I called the number provided, explained what I had
done and they quicky gave me a string of numbers to activate. YMMV.
 
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