Swapping motherboard while keeping XP install?

[verviflox]

I would like to swap out the ancient 500Mhz Intel based motherboard, replace
it with an AMD Athlon 64 based motherboard, boot up Windows XP and allow it
to re-configure all of the motherboard plug-and-play devices during the
first boot.

Will this work, or is the motherboard change so different that XP will crash
and I have to re-install everything from scratch?

 

[philo]

I would like to swap out the ancient 500Mhz Intel based motherboard, replace
it with an AMD Athlon 64 based motherboard, boot up Windows XP and allow it
to re-configure all of the motherboard plug-and-play devices during the
first boot.

Will this work, or is the motherboard change so different that XP will crash
and I have to re-install everything from scratch?

XP almost never reconfigures but a repair install usually does the case...
*however* moving from a 32bit mobo to a 64bit mobo requires a fresh
install...
so be sure to backup all your data first!

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I would like to swap out the ancient 500Mhz Intel based motherboard, replace
it with an AMD Athlon 64 based motherboard, boot up Windows XP and allow it
to re-configure all of the motherboard plug-and-play devices during the
first boot.

Will this work, or is the motherboard change so different that XP will crash
and I have to re-install everything from scratch?

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore 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

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with WinXP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

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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[Loren Pechtel]

I would like to swap out the ancient 500Mhz Intel based motherboard, replace
it with an AMD Athlon 64 based motherboard, boot up Windows XP and allow it
to re-configure all of the motherboard plug-and-play devices during the
first boot.

Will this work, or is the motherboard change so different that XP will crash
and I have to re-install everything from scratch?

I've had 100% success (albeit with few trials) with booting to safe
mode.

 

[paulmd]

I would like to swap out the ancient 500Mhz Intel based motherboard, replace
it with an AMD Athlon 64 based motherboard, boot up Windows XP and allow it
to re-configure all of the motherboard plug-and-play devices during the
first boot.

Will this work, or is the motherboard change so different that XP will crash
and I have to re-install everything from scratch?

Xp will crash (probably INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE). But all will be well
if you do a repair install.

That said. It would be prudent to back up everthing first.

 

[Jonny]

Suggest you:
Incorporate SP2 into your XP installation CD if you haven't already.
Save every setting, export favorites folder in bookmark.htm format , email
contacts/old emails, all personal files to removable media. (not a floppy
drive)
Locate all 3rd party installation software on CD, save all downloaded
versions/updates to other media.
Wipe the hard drive with zero writing utility from the HD maker after the
new motherboard is installed. (replace the hard drive if appropriate)
(replace the ide cables if applicable with 80 wire versions)
Partition the hard drive with XP installation, install XP. Reboot often
during next part. Install driver package for the motherboard and any
applicable drivers from the motherboard driver CD. Install 3rd party
software, beginning with AV and firewall. Re-establish former settings,
favorites, personal files.
When happy with it, image (not clone) the entire partition to another,
preferrably not on same hard drive. Also consider imaging the bare XP
installation first, and save to DVD-R or RW.