Reconfiguring for new mainboard.

[Brian Noble]

My mainboard blew up and I couldn't replace it with the same model, so I
have installed a similar one, but it seems to be a bit too different for XP
to cope with.

The drive is recognised OK, and the system will start to boot, but in safe
mode (any) it shows a list of drivers being loaded then reboots, and in
normal mode it goes to the logo screen, flashes a blue screen far too
quickly to read anything, and reboots. I assume the problem is that the
mainboard hardware doesn't match the installed drivers. The hardware checks
out 100% in all tests. The other possibility is that the mainboard failure
damaged some files, but I can't see any evidence of this from a careful look
at the drive contents.

I have installed XP to a new drive and have the old drive as slave, so I
know it's not a drive access problem.

I could re-install everything using the new drive as boot drive, or I could
re-install over the top of the old system on the original drive (I assume)
but I was hoping someone knows of a way to get XP far enough into the repair
process to install new mainboard drivers while preserving the existing
system installation.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Brian

Might try the link posted below. You will most probably get your answer to
your issue there

news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Brian,

You need to do a repair installation with the new hardware in place. Follow
these steps to do a repair install which should preserve your data,
settings, and programs:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM
drive.
2. Restart your computer. If you have to, change the BIOS settings to start
from
the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer again.
3. At the "Welcome to Setup" page, press ENTER.
4. Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
5. Use the arrow keys to select the installation of Windows XP that you want
to
repair, and then press R to start the automatic repair process.
6. When Setup is completed, activate Windows XP.

Note that you will need your Product Key for this procedure, so have it
handy before you begin.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Bruce Chambers]

My mainboard blew up and I couldn't replace it with the same model, so I
have installed a similar one, but it seems to be a bit too different for XP
to cope with.

The drive is recognised OK, and the system will start to boot, but in safe
mode (any) it shows a list of drivers being loaded then reboots, and in
normal mode it goes to the logo screen, flashes a blue screen far too
quickly to read anything, and reboots. I assume the problem is that the
mainboard hardware doesn't match the installed drivers. The hardware checks
out 100% in all tests. The other possibility is that the mainboard failure
damaged some files, but I can't see any evidence of this from a careful look
at the drive contents.

I have installed XP to a new drive and have the old drive as slave, so I
know it's not a drive access problem.

I could re-install everything using the new drive as boot drive, or I could
re-install over the top of the old system on the original drive (I assume)
but I was hoping someone knows of a way to get XP far enough into the repair
process to install new mainboard drivers while preserving the existing
system installation.

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM installations 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

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