Swapping MB

[Dewayne Thomas]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my MB and would like to do it with out
re-installing all the software. The couple of times I have tried this
hasn't turned out too steller, some of the programs were unstable and
the systems never seemed to operate real smooth untill I done a
complete format and reinatalled everything. I seen a couple of posts
some time ago that had some suggestions as to a procedure that might
help but I can't find it now.

I'm running WinXP and will be replacing my A7N8X-E Deluxe with a
A8N-VM, if that has any bearing on the switch. I might be just wishing
for something that will keep me from reinstalling/reconfiguring a
bucket load of programs. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

Dewayne

 

[PB]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my MB and would like to do it with out
re-installing all the software. The couple of times I have tried this
hasn't turned out too steller, some of the programs were unstable and
the systems never seemed to operate real smooth untill I done a
complete format and reinatalled everything. I seen a couple of posts
some time ago that had some suggestions as to a procedure that might
help but I can't find it now.

I'm running WinXP and will be replacing my A7N8X-E Deluxe with a
A8N-VM, if that has any bearing on the switch. I might be just wishing
for something that will keep me from reinstalling/reconfiguring a
bucket load of programs. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

Dewayne

Many folks suggest performing a so called "Repair Install". This is
[supposed] to freshen the install to accommodate the new mainboard.
Opinions and results are reported to vary. There is also the issue
regarding Micro$oft and OEM copies and reactivation.

However, if at all possible, many opine a fresh install of the OS and
programs is the preferred method. I tend to agree from the perspective
of just a fresh start. For $40.00, after rebates, you could buy a
second hard drive from your local CompUSA and leave the current disk
alone and just get your data and then reformat and re-task the old drive.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=314482&pfp=122505sale

And for the record, I did get my rebates promptly.

So try the Repair Install and see if you are satisfied with the results.

Do remove all drivers associated with the old/current mainboard to
reduce any issues at reboot after the Repair Install is complete.

Lastly, report your results either way.

Happy New Year,

p00lb0y

 

[Rob Stow]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my MB and would like to do it with out
re-installing all the software. The couple of times I have tried this
hasn't turned out too steller, some of the programs were unstable and
the systems never seemed to operate real smooth untill I done a
complete format and reinatalled everything. I seen a couple of posts
some time ago that had some suggestions as to a procedure that might
help but I can't find it now.

I'm running WinXP and will be replacing my A7N8X-E Deluxe with a
A8N-VM, if that has any bearing on the switch. I might be just wishing
for something that will keep me from reinstalling/reconfiguring a
bucket load of programs. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

I did exactly that upgrade a while ago and it was easy as pie.
I first made sure I had all of the drivers on-hand in advance. I
then swapped the boards, booted in VGA mode, installed the new
drivers, rebooted, then uninstalled the old video driver. Done.

It might have been tricky if there had been a RAID using the
motherboard's controllers, but in this case there were only
non-RAIDed PATA hard drives and a PATA DVD burner.

 

[DaveW]

If you wish to avoid ongoing nasty Registry errors and data corruption, do
yourself a favor. After you've installed the new motherboard REFORMAT the
harddrive and do a fresh install of the OS and software. You'll reap the
benefits over the upcoming months of not having headaches.

 

[KenV]

There is a long thread from a week ago (that I started) on the
"microsoft.public.windowsxp.general" newsgroup with the heading,
"Motherboard upgrade--is XP Repair permanent?" I describes all the various
methods of doing the repair, the pitfalls, risks, etc.

While I basically agree with what DaveW says, I was able to do an apparently
successful repair and three weeks after having done so my system is very
stable. Whether problems will crop up subsequently is anothe matter--we'll
see.

If you do attempt such a repair (through the install--repair, /not/ the
recovery module)--be prepared to be flexible and to skip many, many files
that the repair process "can't find" on your HD. And, of course, you should
try to unload old MB chipset drivers and will have to install the new ones.
I was able to boot into a working version of XP and clean things up after
that, and it was less timeconsuming than trying to reinstall all my Windows
programs and their updates. If you do the repair using an XP or XP SP1 disk,
you'll have to DL SP1 and/or SP2 and upgrade with these. There is an
"autostreamer" program available to make a Windows XP SP2 install CD, and
this could save you time, too.

You should, if possible, make a backup of all your data, and preferably make
a copy of the partition with Partition Magic or Ghost on another HD before
you do this.

Ken

 

[Visine]

I swapped everything apart from my hard disk. I did not fancy doing a
rebuild.

First off I took a disk image so i could get all my old data if things went
wrong.

Then I uninstalled all motherboard and graphics drivers. Rebooted so
windows could try and load its best guess ( I did not let it install
anything).

Then shut down swapped all components over rebooted stopped windows
installing anything. Then installed motherboard drivers and then graphics
drivers and then reactivated windows over the net.

That was 4 weeks ago everthing is stable.

OS in XP home
machine was abit NF7S athlon XP 2400 1gb ram and ATI X800 pro

machine now is Asus A8N sli premium Athlon 64 3800+ 2gb ram GF 7800gt

Remarkably easy.

I did use the ATI driver removal tool from ATI as I have had problems with
ATI and NVIDIA drivers conflicting.

Vis

 

[ref21421]

I did exactly that upgrade a while ago and it was easy as pie.
I first made sure I had all of the drivers on-hand in advance. I then
swapped the boards, booted in VGA mode, installed the new drivers,
rebooted, then uninstalled the old video driver. Done.

It might have been tricky if there had been a RAID using the
motherboard's controllers, but in this case there were only non-RAIDed
PATA hard drives and a PATA DVD burner.

Just finished installing an ASUS P5P800 motherboard in place of a
defunct ECS MB. Started Windows XP in Safe mode, went into the Device
Manager and deleted entries for device drivers that would change as a
result of the MB change (CDrom drivers, network driver, PCI Bus
Controller), then booted XP in normal mode. XP loaded in Normal mode
with the default drivers. Then installed the ASUS drivers from the ASUS
utilities disk.

Bear in mind that a Repair install with an XPSP1 CD of an XP system
upgraded to SP2 before the MB switch will try to re-install SP1, which
may conflict with other programs you have loaded into SP2. Also, a Clean
Install of SP1 on an SP2 system will not work (incompatible operating
system) unless you delete SP2 first (reformat partition or ??). I
learned this the hard way earlier in the year, and slipstreamed an XPSP2
CD JUST IN CASE I NEEDED IT AGAIN...

 

[geoff]

I replaced my p2b with an asus a8v, plugged in my drives, etc. and turned on
the machine, setup the bios. To my surprise, win 2k started booting all the
way up to when the logo shows but then I got a blue screen, lol. I did not
really expect it to boot up but wanted to see what would happen.

-g

 

[A.Stolwijk]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my MB and would like to do it with out
re-installing all the software. The couple of times I have tried this
hasn't turned out too steller, some of the programs were unstable and
the systems never seemed to operate real smooth untill I done a
complete format and reinatalled everything. I seen a couple of posts
some time ago that had some suggestions as to a procedure that might
help but I can't find it now.

I'm running WinXP and will be replacing my A7N8X-E Deluxe with a
A8N-VM, if that has any bearing on the switch. I might be just wishing
for something that will keep me from reinstalling/reconfiguring a
bucket load of programs. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

Dewayne

How to replace the motherboard on a computer that is running Windows Server
2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000
see here!
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;824125

I changed from Asus P4PE2-x to a Asus P4P800S SE
and it works with me.
good luck,

Albert

 

[marslee]

There is a long thread from a week ago (that I started) on the
"microsoft.public.windowsxp.general" newsgroup with the heading,
"Motherboard upgrade--is XP Repair permanent?" I describes all the various
methods of doing the repair, the pitfalls, risks, etc.

While I basically agree with what DaveW says, I was able to do an apparently
successful repair and three weeks after having done so my system is very
stable. Whether problems will crop up subsequently is anothe matter--we'll
see.

If you do attempt such a repair (through the install--repair, /not/ the
recovery module)--be prepared to be flexible and to skip many, many files
that the repair process "can't find" on your HD. And, of course, you should
try to unload old MB chipset drivers and will have to install the new ones.
I was able to boot into a working version of XP and clean things up after
that, and it was less timeconsuming than trying to reinstall all my Windows
programs and their updates. If you do the repair using an XP or XP SP1 disk,
you'll have to DL SP1 and/or SP2 and upgrade with these. There is an
"autostreamer" program available to make a Windows XP SP2 install CD, and
this could save you time, too.

You should, if possible, make a backup of all your data, and preferably make
a copy of the partition with Partition Magic or Ghost on another HD before
you do this.

Ken

Why no one mention the mergeide.reg, the fix in registry?
I think it is the easiest way for swapping the board. No windwos CD, no
reinstall.
You just have to downlaod the file and extract couples of files and
you're done.
It works 99% of the time except
1) you force the XP (F5 when install) as ACPI.
2) You disable the ACPI in BIOS, but once you enable it , it works
again
3) the IDE chip is not made by intel, but you can modify the mergeide
easily.

this method also work if the board is broken.

 

[marslee]

I replaced my p2b with an asus a8v, plugged in my drives, etc. and turned on
the machine, setup the bios. To my surprise, win 2k started booting all the
way up to when the logo shows but then I got a blue screen, lol. I did not
really expect it to boot up but wanted to see what would happen.

-g

You have a blue screen because of either case
1) ACPI problem
2) IDE problem
I think IDE is more likely, since A8v is not using intel ide chip.
when window starts, it look for the correct ide driver, if no correct
ide driver is found, it show blue creen.
What you have to do is to download the mergide.reg and extract couple
of files. Also, add a new entrie for your IDEchip in the mergeide.reg.