Motherboard replacement XP Headache

[Daniel Ganek]

My new DVD burner would not read or recognize CDs so I removed it from
my system for replacement. My system would not boot or even recognize
my hard drives. I removed one of my hard drives and put it into an
external USB case and was able to read it on my laptop. My conclusion
was that I had a motherboard failure. I replaced my Asrock K7S8X with
the Asrock K7VT6 (closest shipping model) and still had the boot
problem. Turned out that my drive was jumpered for Master w/ Slave
present and since I removed the DVD system would not recognize HD so I
jumpered HD to Master w/ no slave present. Now since I has the newer
motherboard installed I figured I would use it.

I ran Ghost to restore my last backup and system would not come up but
continue to reboot. After checking on Google I found out one cannot
expect XP to run after a major hardware change so I did a XP repair
from the XP CDs. The result - BSOD (Blue screen) on boot.

I went back to my old motherboard, ran Ghost and all is well. My
question is. If I want to, in the future, upgrade my system, what steps
should I do? What backup program would allow a restore to another
install of windows XP without me having to reinstall all my programs? I
was so content with Ghost until I had to use it (granted it worked in
the long run with the reinstallation of my motherboard).

I always use major HW updates as a good reason to reinstall windows.
It's unbelievable how much swill one accumulates over just one year.

I keep all my data (even MyDocuments) on another partition. Before I
reinstall I make an empty space on my disk big enough for XP (10-20GB)
using Partition Magic. I install XP and SP2 AND then connect to the internet.
Then I install and update just the apps I really need. Since my data
is in another partition I ready to go as soon as I reboot.

/dan

 

[Anna]

Daniel:
If I understand your query correctly, you changed your motherboard thinking
it was defective (it turns out it wasn't as you later discovered) and after
the original change you performed a Repair install that didn't work in that
the system wouldn't boot. From the information you provided it's practically
impossible to determine why the Repair install failed. There are so many
reasons why it *could* fail, that it's just about impossible to tell at this
distance without knowing a great deal more about your system (including user
input) than we have now.

Anyway, you installed your old motherboard and the system boots. Now you're
asking how to backup your system so that if it ever goes down in the future
you can restore it. Obviously that means having a "cloned" copy of your
system at your disposal. The most practical approach in my view is to use a
disk imaging program such as Ghost to clone the contents of your working HD
to another HD. In your case you have two internal HDs so it's practical to
use the second HD as your backup. I know you say you used Ghost at one point
and for one reason or another the "system would not come up but continue to
reboot". Who can tell what happened? All I can tell you is that I've used
Ghost to clone HDs countless times and it's been virtually flawless in its
operation. Whenever I've come upon a user's problem with the Ghost program
it's been invariably due to either a corrupt source disk (cloning
"garbage"), a defective disk, or user error. In my experience it's been a
rare occurrence that the Ghost program failed. I assume you're using the
Ghost 2003 (or Ghost 9) version.

If you're still unhappy with the Ghost program, try another disk imaging
program such as Acronis True Image. I've had no meaningful experience with
that program but I have noticed that it gets very favorable reviews in the
PC magazines and from posters to the XP newsgroups.
Anna

 

[xfile]

Hi,

Not familiar with Ghost but thinking about to purchase one and using for a
new installation of XP. Appreciate if you can advises.

Is it possible for Ghost to clone not the entire HD but certain applications
and then put it back into the newly installed Windows?

Also, is it possible just to clone some parts of Windows but not all?

The reason for my question is that I wish to have a clean installation of
Windows since the current one is quite mixed up with all the service packs,
patches, program installations and removal. Although it still works fine
but there are minor problems here and there once a while.

But on the other hand, I do not wish to reinstall "all" applications and go
through all of the program configurations and set up again because I do have
many applications installed.

If I clone the entire CD, it will be the same as the existing one which
makes no sense for the clean installation again. So I just wish to clone
some applications and settings and wondering if that's possible.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Marty]

I am very happy with Ghost. It does exactly what it was intended to do.
My problem was Windows XP inability to handle the motherboard change -
a change from the SIS chipset to the VIA chipset. All the other
hardware was identical. The repair install process went through and the
system "blue screened" upon reboot. Since my problem turned out not to
be motherboard related my reinstallation of my old motherboard and the
restoration of my system via Ghost saved the day.

My current solution was to go on ebay (since the manufacture
discontinued production of my motherboard) and purchase another
motherboard. For $14 I now have a backup motherboard in case I do
indeed have a motherboard failure!

 

[Leythos]

My problem was Windows XP inability to handle the motherboard change - a
change from the SIS chipset to the VIA chipset. All the other hardware
was identical.

You've obviously never designed a motherboard. When you state that you've
changed the motherboard from SIS to VIA and you expect it to just up and
run smoothly, well, you just changed the most significant part of the
computer, the part that determines how all other parts work with the
system....

Changing chipsets is a lot like changing from Intel to AMD, it's a
crap-shoot and works sometimes, others it doesn't. The motherboard is not
just a socket for holding the cards you install.

 

[Thomas Wendell]

Ghost can copy disks or partitions just well.
It can NOT (neither can any other program) copy ("clone") only an installed
program (with registry settings etc) or only parts of Windows.


--
Tumppi
Reply to group
=================================================
Most learned on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
Helsinki, Finland (remove _NOSPAM)
(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
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[xfile]

Hi,

Thanks and I guess it's an "either or" situation - either I clone the entire
disk or install one by one. That solves my puzzle

 

[xfile]

It is said that the reason for Windows to require repair installation and
sometime re-activation for major hardware changes is because it holds the
original hardware configurations information during installation and by
doing so, its performance and reliability are better. Other people say, it
does this just part of preventing pirated installation.

If I remember correctly (from reading some articles previously), Windows
will attempt to read some unique MB information to determine if it's the
"original one" and I forgot how many or what exact types of information it
will read. I do know that it will read BIOS information, and sometime,
change BIOS itself will require a repair installation - it happened to me
and others.

So you may wish to update your backup MB BIOS before you put it to rescue
your system in the future.

 

[Trent©]

You've obviously never designed a motherboard. When you state that you've
changed the motherboard from SIS to VIA and you expect it to just up and
run smoothly, well, you just changed the most significant part of the
computer, the part that determines how all other parts work with the
system....

Changing chipsets is a lot like changing from Intel to AMD, it's a
crap-shoot and works sometimes, others it doesn't. The motherboard is not
just a socket for holding the cards you install.

Bull!

MSFT is just plain stupid.

Many OS's...including earlier version of Windows...work just fine
without stop errors.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[Leythos]

Bull!

Bull back at-you, since you're wrong.

MSFT is just plain stupid.

Nope, it works fine based on the drivers it's installed with at the time
of hardware detection. Even Linux won't moved across chipset/platforms
without changing drivers. Same for HPUX, AIX, SCO, etc...

Many OS's...including earlier version of Windows...work just fine
without stop errors.

So does XP, never had a STOP/BSOD on these stations since installation.

Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

I use to work for them, now I drink Corona.

 

[xfile]

Ha ha ha, can't help to notice:

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

It's a good thing, isn't it? Or where can ugly people like myself find sex?

Just a lousy cold joke, nothing else.

 

[Trent©]

Nope, it works fine based on the drivers it's installed with at the time
of hardware detection. Even Linux won't moved across chipset/platforms
without changing drivers. Same for HPUX, AIX, SCO, etc...

I can regularly produce STOP errors in 2k and xp simply by changing
the buss speed. Its simply a stupid idea.

So does XP, never had a STOP/BSOD on these stations since installation.

Try going to a different mainboard...with a machine that has a phantom
hard drive installed!! lol

There's many other examples of this stupid concept.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[Leythos]

I can regularly produce STOP errors in 2k and xp simply by changing
the buss speed. Its simply a stupid idea.

If the bus speed is within spec of the parts, then it will have no impact
on the system. If the bus speed change causes parts to operate outside of
the spec, then it really has little to do with the OS. The OS will not
make improperly configured hardware work by some form of magic.

Try going to a different mainboard...with a machine that has a phantom
hard drive installed!! lol

As I already said, moving from one chipset to another or one motherboard
to another with a different platform, will cause problems. I'm not sure
what you're trying to say here.

There's many other examples of this stupid concept.

The concept is not new and is not limited to Windows, what's your point?

 

[Tim]

If you change motherboard then you will invariably need to do a Repair
install.
BSOD's are not normal at all thats why there is a SOD in the name.

As Leythos says, changing FSB within specs should not cause BSOD's so long
as the hardware is within spec. IE read the manual. There are many
motherboards that have only 3 ram slots (for example) . Why is there not a
4th? The designers could not get it to go reliably. What happens as more ram
is added (IE going from 1 slot to 2 slots)? The memory bus gets loaded more,
signals degrade, timings become more critical and often - if you read the
manual you will find it says to reduce the FSB to keep the system within
spec. Again, this is nothing to to with the OS - it is electronics &
physics. Check the manual for your motherboard - if you do not have it look
for it on the web.

A "ghost" drive? Sounds like you have installed some dodgy software. I have
had this happen with some CD software. This warrants investigation and
remedy. Don't forget if you are running Exchange Server you will have drive
M: Don't forget that if you map a network drive to one of your own drives it
will effectively create an Alias for you - try right click and Disconnect if
this is the case.

While you are at it, if questionalbe software is installed, I always
desintall the software and run a full AV scan, and at least 2 Anti Spyware
scans using 2 different products EG spybot search and destroy and the new MS
antispyware program from Giant. I don't trust any software that does nasty
things.

XP is solid and robust. If you have issues with it, then detail each issue
and see if you can get help in fixing them. A fresh install may be the
fastest and most effective option for you, but before you contemplate this,
I would find out why the system is unstable if the FSB is changed along with
why you are changing it. There is only 1 correct FSB setting for a given
configuration - others may work but will be either sub optimal or
overclocking. Setting an incorrect FSB can crash ALL OPERATING SYSTEMS.

If the reason for changing FSB is overclocking then your system just can't
handle the FSB you are setting, if you are endeavouring to get say FSB200
for DDR400 memory 'cos you feel your system should (IE the box the mobo came
in says so), then post back with mobo details (make, model, and revision
along with BIOS version), memory details (number, type, and the slot it is
plugged into) and someone may help. There are manufacturer specific news
groups in news.alt.comp.periphs.mainboard for motherboards. Again - for
reasons given before about memory slots - adding more ram, or using low spec
ram, or ram within incorrect SPD data, or an old bios can mean that the FSB
you want is not achievable.

- Tim

 

[Trent©]

If the bus speed is within spec of the parts, then it will have no impact
on the system. If the bus speed change causes parts to operate outside of
the spec, then it really has little to do with the OS. The OS will not
make improperly configured hardware work by some form of magic.

DOS and Win9x work fine. XP & w2k give STOP errors.

As I already said, moving from one chipset to another or one motherboard
to another with a different platform, will cause problems. I'm not sure
what you're trying to say here.

I'm saying that, after putting in the new board and running a repair
install, the computer will give stop errors...if there's a phantom
drive installed. Its necessary to uninstall the phantom drive before
making the change...or do a COMPLETE reinstall.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!