New Mobo

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Guest

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to to transfer my hard drive complete
with XP Pro and all my documents and games onto a new motherboard with new
memory and the existing graphics card ? I really dont want to have to
reformat and start again unless absolutely neccesary.
 
Hi,

Using a retail version of WinXP, all you need to do is a repair
installation:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Reactivation is part of the process, and you may need to phone it in if the
existing installation is not that old (less than 120 days since last
activated).

If you have an OEM (this includes most preinstalled systems) version, then
you likely will not be allowed to activate on the new hardware. This is a
limitation of the OEM license in that you are stuck with using the hardware
it was activated on. If this is the case, you will need a new copy of WinXP.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Steve said:
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to to transfer my hard drive
complete with XP Pro and all my documents and games onto a new
motherboard with new memory and the existing graphics card ? I
really
dont want to have to reformat and start again unless absolutely
neccesary.
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.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH
 
Hugh said:
Yes. I was successful in this, and you'll find some tips here:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html
Be very sure to follow the tips carefully. At some point you will
have to re-activate Windows (In my case this came up 2-3 weeks after
installing the new board).
Click to expand...

Thanks Hugh for the followup and the advice to follow the tips.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
 
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