Modifying PC

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doug Jones
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Doug Jones

I am about to upgrade my motherboard and am running Win XP PRO. It seems I
read somewhere that there may be some issues because XP "fingerprints" the
machine it is first installed upon. Anyone have any input on this? I will be
using the same HD and possibly RAM.
 
A repair install is required and reactivation.


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The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



|I am about to upgrade my motherboard and am running Win XP
PRO. It seems I
| read somewhere that there may be some issues because XP
"fingerprints" the
| machine it is first installed upon. Anyone have any input
on this? I will be
| using the same HD and possibly RAM.
|
|
 
Doug Jones said:
I am about to upgrade my motherboard and am running Win XP PRO. It seems I
read somewhere that there may be some issues because XP "fingerprints" the
machine it is first installed upon. Anyone have any input on this? I will
be using the same HD and possibly RAM.
Click to expand...

If you are using an OEM version of Windows XP, you will not be able to
activate it on the new motherboard. Microsoft determines that a motherboard
*is* the computer for activation purposes.
You will have to buy a new version of WinXP, either OEM, but if you plan to
do future upgrading, a retail full version would make more sense.

Bobby
 
Recommend a clean install with any motherboard upgrade.

Retail version is no problem of course. Buy with hardware OEM XP install
CDs do work with new mobo, requires and accepts activation. These will only
do a clean install, not a overwrite install. Contrary to others opinion, it
will do a repair install which is something else.

Careful when reading some replies about "OEM", they may not specify what
exactly that is. Sometimes appears intentional to mislead.

If you have a recovery XP CD set, you may not be able to accomplish your
objective.
 
NoNoBadDog! said:
If you are using an OEM version of Windows XP, you will not be able to
activate it on the new motherboard. Microsoft determines that a motherboard
*is* the computer for activation purposes.
Click to expand...

Depends what kind of OEM version it is. A generic OEM will not have that
problem.
You will have to buy a new version of WinXP, either OEM, but if you plan to
do future upgrading, a retail full version would make more sense.

Bobby
Click to expand...

Horsepucky. A generic OEM version will allow upgrading. Do you, like
Carey, get a vicarious thrill out of fooling newbies into buying XP
again when they don't need to?

Alias
 
Doug said:
I am about to upgrade my motherboard and am running Win XP PRO. It seems I
read somewhere that there may be some issues because XP "fingerprints" the
machine it is first installed upon. Anyone have any input on this? I will be
using the same HD and possibly RAM.
Click to expand...

Yes. Later versions of Windows "mate" with your mother board. This
stated to be a big deal in windows 98. You will/may have to do a
"repair" install after replacing your mobo.
 
Doug said:
I am about to upgrade my motherboard and am running Win XP PRO. It seems I
read somewhere that there may be some issues because XP "fingerprints" the
machine it is first installed upon. Anyone have any input on this? I will be
using the same HD and possibly RAM.
Click to expand...


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



--

Bruce Chambers

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