Possible to upgrade system without re-installing XP?

L

Larc

I'm changing motherboard and CPU on my second system. Going from an MSI 845GE
board to an ASUS 865PE and from a Pentium 4 (single core) to a Pentium D (dual
core) CPU. All other hardware will remain the same. I've heard of a few people
who had luck doing nothing except booting with a new board installed. Others
have claimed an XP repair install with the new board in place makes all the
necessary driver and setting changes. But I've never seemed to be able to get
by without wiping my system drive clean and installing everything from scratch.

Any secrets to making the switch without having to completely re-install every
bit of software?

Thanks for any help!

Larc



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J

JAD

repair install is nearly infallable...when it hasn't worked for me, its been
integrated sound or LAN that hangs XP.
I disable OB EVERYTHING, install XP, then enable when all is well.
 
K

Kent_Diego

Since they are both Intel chipsets it might work OK. I have done MB upgrades
where I was getting a newer version of a SiS chipset and it worked fine
without Repair Install.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
although a repair install useally always works but you have to add all the
service packs and updates. Try to find a WinXP CD image slipstreamed with
Service Pack 2 to save a lot of time.
 
R

Rod Speed

Larc said:
I'm changing motherboard and CPU on my second system. Going from an
MSI 845GE board to an ASUS 865PE and from a Pentium 4 (single core)
to a Pentium D (dual core) CPU. All other hardware will remain the
same. I've heard of a few people who had luck doing nothing except
booting with a new board installed. Others have claimed an XP repair
install with the new board in place makes all the necessary driver and
setting changes. But I've never seemed to be able to get by without
wiping my system drive clean and installing everything from scratch.

You sure you are actually doing a repair install ?

It isnt the repair option you first see when you boot the XP CD,
you have to tell it to install it where its currently installed, and
then the install will say that its found an existing install and
offer to repair that. You agree to let it repair the existing install.

That does a full hardware scan just like a clean install does.
Any secrets to making the switch without having
to completely re-install every bit of software?

Just do a repair install correctly.
 
L

Larc

| repair install is nearly infallable...when it hasn't worked for me, its been
| integrated sound or LAN that hangs XP.
| I disable OB EVERYTHING, install XP, then enable when all is well.

Thanks. That's probably the reason it's never worked for me before. Each
effort has resulted in the repair install freezing at some point.

Larc



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L

Larc

| Since they are both Intel chipsets it might work OK. I have done MB upgrades
| where I was getting a newer version of a SiS chipset and it worked fine
| without Repair Install.
| http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
| although a repair install useally always works but you have to add all the
| service packs and updates. Try to find a WinXP CD image slipstreamed with
| Service Pack 2 to save a lot of time.

I'd prefer to have the additional insurance offered by repair install. And I do
have an XP installation disc with SP2 slipstreamed in. It's already been used
once, so I know it works.

Thanks!

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§
 
L

Larc

| > I'm changing motherboard and CPU on my second system. Going from an
| > MSI 845GE board to an ASUS 865PE and from a Pentium 4 (single core)
| > to a Pentium D (dual core) CPU. All other hardware will remain the
| > same. I've heard of a few people who had luck doing nothing except
| > booting with a new board installed. Others have claimed an XP repair
| > install with the new board in place makes all the necessary driver and
| > setting changes. But I've never seemed to be able to get by without
| > wiping my system drive clean and installing everything from scratch.
|
| You sure you are actually doing a repair install ?
|
| It isnt the repair option you first see when you boot the XP CD,
| you have to tell it to install it where its currently installed, and
| then the install will say that its found an existing install and
| offer to repair that. You agree to let it repair the existing install.
|
| That does a full hardware scan just like a clean install does.
|
| > Any secrets to making the switch without having
| > to completely re-install every bit of software?
|
| Just do a repair install correctly.

Repair install choice comes immediately after EULA agreement. With the current
installation indicated, I press "R" on the keyboard.

That's the only XP repair install I know of.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§
 
J

JAD

Larc said:
| > I'm changing motherboard and CPU on my second system. Going from an
| > MSI 845GE board to an ASUS 865PE and from a Pentium 4 (single core)
| > to a Pentium D (dual core) CPU. All other hardware will remain the
| > same. I've heard of a few people who had luck doing nothing except
| > booting with a new board installed. Others have claimed an XP repair
| > install with the new board in place makes all the necessary driver and
| > setting changes. But I've never seemed to be able to get by without
| > wiping my system drive clean and installing everything from scratch.
|
| You sure you are actually doing a repair install ?
|
| It isnt the repair option you first see when you boot the XP CD,
| you have to tell it to install it where its currently installed, and
| then the install will say that its found an existing install and
| offer to repair that. You agree to let it repair the existing install.
|
| That does a full hardware scan just like a clean install does.
|
| > Any secrets to making the switch without having
| > to completely re-install every bit of software?
|
| Just do a repair install correctly.

Repair install choice comes immediately after EULA agreement. With the current
installation indicated, I press "R" on the keyboard.

That's the only XP repair install I know of.

Larc
no goto the following screen where you install XP over itself (same
partition)
 
L

Larc

| > Repair install choice comes immediately after EULA agreement.
| > With the current installation indicated, I press "R" on the keyboard.
|
| Nope, that isnt the repair install. That is just the repair.
|
| > That's the only XP repair install I know of.
|
| See above. And
| http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
| if you want a more wordy version.

Here's part of what that link says:

4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows
installations.

5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to
start the repair.

If I am wrong, then this source is as well. We're both saying the same thing.
If there's another way to do a repair install, I'd really appreciate a detailed,
step-by-step explanation.

Thanks.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§
 
S

SteveH

Larc said:
| > Repair install choice comes immediately after EULA agreement.
| > With the current installation indicated, I press "R" on the keyboard.
|
| Nope, that isnt the repair install. That is just the repair.
|
| > That's the only XP repair install I know of.
|
| See above. And
| http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
| if you want a more wordy version.

Here's part of what that link says:

4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing
Windows
installations.

5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R
to
start the repair.

If I am wrong, then this source is as well. We're both saying the same
thing.
If there's another way to do a repair install, I'd really appreciate a
detailed,
step-by-step explanation.

Thanks.

Larc
Here you go then, from the horses mouth:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

SteveH
 
R

Rod Speed

Larc said:
Here's part of what that link says:

4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing
Windows installations.

5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and
press R to start the repair.

If I am wrong, then this source is as well. We're both saying the
same thing. If there's another way to do a repair install, I'd really
appreciate a detailed, step-by-step explanation.

Sorry, didnt notice that it was so ****ed.

Boot the slipsteamed XP CD.

Operate as if you are going to do a clean install, tell it
to install XP where its currently installed, same partition.

DO NOT FORMAT THAT PARTITION.

The install will say that there is an install of XP there
already and offer to repair it. Accept that offer.
 
L

Larc

| > Here's part of what that link says:
| >
| > 4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing
| > Windows installations.
| >
| > 5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and
| > press R to start the repair.
| >
| > If I am wrong, then this source is as well. We're both saying the
| > same thing. If there's another way to do a repair install, I'd really
| > appreciate a detailed, step-by-step explanation.
|
| Sorry, didnt notice that it was so ****ed.
|
| Boot the slipsteamed XP CD.
|
| Operate as if you are going to do a clean install, tell it
| to install XP where its currently installed, same partition.
|
| DO NOT FORMAT THAT PARTITION.
|
| The install will say that there is an install of XP there
| already and offer to repair it. Accept that offer.

Actually, I don't think the link is wrong, Rod, and I don't think you are
either. It seems the end result of both methods would be precisely the same.
Your way would do what I want, but the other way would as well.

Here's what the Microsoft link SteveH gave says about it under the title of
"Perform a Repair Installation" (courtesy of Doug Knox):

1. When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen,
press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

2. Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press
ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen.

3. Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.

4. In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license
agreement.

5. Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the
box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.

6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

Thanks for your help.

Larc



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R

Rod Speed

Larc said:
Actually, I don't think the link is wrong, Rod, and I don't think you
are either. It seems the end result of both methods would be
precisely the same. Your way would do what I want, but the other way
would as well.

You dont know that till you try it.
Here's what the Microsoft link SteveH gave says about it under the
title of "Perform a Repair Installation" (courtesy of Doug Knox):

No news.
 
J

Jure Sah

Larc pravi:
| repair install is nearly infallable...when it hasn't worked for me, its been
| integrated sound or LAN that hangs XP.
| I disable OB EVERYTHING, install XP, then enable when all is well.

Thanks. That's probably the reason it's never worked for me before. Each
effort has resulted in the repair install freezing at some point.

Generally unwise strategy unless your BIOS setup program is built to
survive Americans.

DO NOT turn off any of the basic system capabilities (this would be
pretty much everything short of integrated Audio and Modem) during
install or when installing new hardware! Windows needs some of the
system facilities to derive information it needs to set up devices
correctly (PnP, ACPI and APIC are the most basic ones, tho you are also
looking at options to provide an IRQ to your USB / graphic card, etc).
Windows XP also detects and installs support for some of these
facilities only during it's own install process.

If the basic of these facilities are turned off during the initial
installation of the system, your computer will be improperly configured
and you are facing serious instability, which may however only surface
after you install certain hardware / use certain software, etc.

A repair installation (that is the "Repair Installation" not the repair
system rescue with a floppy disk thingie) will perform the detection
Windows XP only does during it's own install. Do not try to install
Windows XP over the current installation directly, as you will end up
with a second, independent Windows XP installation and a boot loader to
choose between the two (it will work, but it's not what you want).

If you are still facing trouble at this point, go into the BIOS and make
sure the aforementioned PnP is set to Yes, and the APIC and ACPI are
both enabled, then do a repair installation.

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J

JAD

disable OB peripherials that better? I forgot that there are some who
would take OB EVERYTHING 'literally'......jeesh
 
L

Larc

| disable OB peripherials that better? I forgot that there are some who
| would take OB EVERYTHING 'literally'......jeesh

I got what you meant since it seemed crystal clear to me.

Do you ever delete drivers for those features that are specific to the old
board? For instance, if I delete MSI LAN drivers before I switch boards, XP
wouldn't be wondering what to do with those when it's being set up with the ASUS
board in place. Plus the old drivers won't still be hanging around after I
install new drivers from ASUS.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§
 
J

JAD

Larc said:
| disable OB peripherials that better? I forgot that there are some who
| would take OB EVERYTHING 'literally'......jeesh

I got what you meant since it seemed crystal clear to me.

Do you ever delete drivers for those features that are specific to the old
board? For instance, if I delete MSI LAN drivers before I switch boards, XP
wouldn't be wondering what to do with those when it's being set up with the ASUS
board in place. Plus the old drivers won't still be hanging around after I
install new drivers from ASUS.

Larc



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when you do the repair install and you can get to the device manager and
add/ remove...yes get rid of any drivers and software of said hardware.
Anything that will no longer needed. Although XP is pretty good about
getting the new hardware running, it does not rid the system of dll's and
such from the oldware.
 
G

Garrot

Larc said:
I'm changing motherboard and CPU on my second system. Going from an MSI 845GE
board to an ASUS 865PE and from a Pentium 4 (single core) to a Pentium D (dual
core) CPU. All other hardware will remain the same. I've heard of a few people
who had luck doing nothing except booting with a new board installed. Others
have claimed an XP repair install with the new board in place makes all the
necessary driver and setting changes. But I've never seemed to be able to get
by without wiping my system drive clean and installing everything from scratch.

Any secrets to making the switch without having to completely re-install every
bit of software?

Thanks for any help!

Larc

Look up Sysrep on google.

Sysprep is a Microsoft utility that prepares a computer for cloning
(imaging) and customization. When you restart a computer after using
Sysprep, Windows 2000/XP detects the attached devices such as the hard
drive, CD/DVD ROM, and other Plug-and-Play devices and rebuilds the
driver database the next time Windows is started.
 

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