Upgrade to P4 without XP reload?

[Jeff Weinberg]

I am considering upgrading to a new P4 with appropriate motherboard. I want
to swap out the motherboard and processor, and leave the remaining
configuration pretty much alone. Some side notes: This is Windows XP Pro
loaded several months ago. I just upgraded my hard drive from a 40 Gb to a
120 Gb drive using Ghost. Because the system is stable, and I don't want to
reload everything from scratch, are there any potential problems I should
look out for? Will doing this trigger a call to Microsoft to reactivate the
OS?

I know, I should take the opportunity to do a fresh reload, and maybe I will
once I get the time. But for now, I really need to upgrade my system so
that I can get some new work done.

JWeinberg

Current config:

Windows XP Pro with all service pack and patches loaded
P3 1Ghz Intel processor
Intel motherboard 133 Mhz bus
512 Mb of 133 Mhz RAM (2 sticks)
2 hard drives (120 Gb and 160 Gb) (EIDE)
1 floppy drive (IDE)
1 DVD-RW/CDRW drive (EIDE)
1 CDRW drive (USB)
1 35mm Film Scanner (USB)
1 HP flatbed scanner (USB)
2 USB 1.1 ports (on motherboard)
4 USB 2.0 ports (add-on PCI card)
2 Firewire ports (add-on PCI card)
On-board video w/16Mb of memory with standard VGA plug connection
XVGA monitor
On-board Ethernet 10/100
1 Parallel port
1 Serial port
PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports
On-board audio
1 HP inkjet printer (USB 2.0)


Considered configuration:

Windows XP Pro with all service pack and patches loaded
P4 2.6Ghz Intel processor
Intel motherboard 800 Mhz front side bus
1 Gb of 800 Mhz RAM (2 sticks)
2 hard drives (120 Gb and 160 Gb) (EIDE)
1 floppy drive (IDE)
1 DVD-RW/CDRW drive (EIDE)
1 CDRW drive (USB)
1 35mm Film Scanner (USB)
1 HP flatbed scanner (USB)
4 USB 2.0 ports (on motherboard)
4 Firewire ports (add-on PCI card)
On-board video with standard VGA plug connection
XVGA monitor
On-board Ethernet 10/100
1 Parallel port
1 Serial port
PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports
On-board audio
1 HP inkjet printer (USB 2.0)

 

[Rich Barry]

Jeff, WinXP will be looking for all the old Motherboard Devices. Try
removing the Enum Key from the Registry before you
move it to the new Motherboard. Start>Run type: regedit Navigate to
Hkey_Local_Machine\System\Current Control Set
and all other Control Sets that show up. Export the entire Enum Keys from
each and save them as Reg.files.
Also, look in Hkey_Current_Config\System\Current Control Set. Do
the same there.

 

[Alex Marshall]

If XP does not detect your new hardware properly or gives you any trouble
just boot from your XP CD-ROM and choose to do a repair install. As for
having to reactive, you should be able to do it online. If not just call
them and tell them you've upgraded your motherboard.

 

[David Hollway [MVP]]

I am considering upgrading to a new P4 with appropriate motherboard. I want
to swap out the motherboard and processor, and leave the remaining
configuration pretty much alone. Some side notes: This is Windows XP Pro
loaded several months ago. I just upgraded my hard drive from a 40 Gb to a
120 Gb drive using Ghost. Because the system is stable, and I don't want to
reload everything from scratch, are there any potential problems I should
look out for? Will doing this trigger a call to Microsoft to reactivate the
OS?

I know, I should take the opportunity to do a fresh reload, and maybe I will
once I get the time. But for now, I really need to upgrade my system so
that I can get some new work done.

Hi Jeff,

I know exactly what you mean - when I've got my system set up just how I
like it I don't like to have to re-load everything just to change hardware.
The good news is that it's entirely possible.

Now, XP can cope with most changes of hardware, as long as it can boot to
the desktop (and from there run the "found new hardware" wizard). About the
only thing that will STOP it booting to the desktop is a change of IDE
controller. It has to "know about" the new IDE controller before it'll boot.
Otherwise it'll boot so far, and then give a Blue Screen Of Death (aka "STOP
Error").

So.. all you have to do is stick a small key into the registry whilst
running on the old board, i.e BEFORE you swap to the new board.
The details of the change are here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314082

Specifically, for an Intel chipset based system using the ICH5 IDE
controller in non-RAID mode, save the lines below (between but not including
the "===") to your desktop as "IDE.reg" and then double-click the file to
merge it into the registry. No harm will be done if your chosen chipset is
NOT Intel.

===
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\
pci#ven_8086&dev_24DB]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"
===

I have used this fix myself on several occasions and found it to be
invariably successful. As ever, though, results cannot be guaranteed, so I
recommend you back up your data before doing the swap. The good news is that
even if this fix DOESN'T work, you should still be able to boot Windows back
on the old motherboard, i.e "back to square one".

If you're changing your graphics card, NIC or soundcard, it might also be an
idea to remove the drivers for the old card(s) before swapping to the new
board - just in case they cause a conflict with the new items.
If you're moving to an Intel chipset, then after getting XP booting on your
new hardware, don't forget to install the Intel Chipset .INF update so that
all chipset devices are detected:
http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/inf/inf.htm

If you have any further questions, feel free to message me (I'm on MSN
messenger, remove the spam blocker from my e-mail address).

Hope this helps..

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Normally, assuming a retail license, unless the new motherboard is
virtually identical to the old one (same chipset, same IDE
controllers, same BIOS version, etc.), 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

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will probably also require re-activation. 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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[Yves Leclerc]

This no longer work! He will need to do a XP repair re-install. After, he
need to re-install SP1 and all additional updates.

Y