Upgrading motherboard, memory (XP Home Dell oem)

[kingdaddy.]

I want to replace the motherboard with a can clone MB and memory.

I have a Drive Image backup, but that seems of little value in this case.

I understand the DELL XP home will not run on the new motherboard.

How should I proceed?

I really don't want to have to reinstall everything?

I do have XP Home retail/ boxed available if useful.

 

[Mike Hall, MS-MVP]

Do a clean install with your retail version.. a new drive would be good for
this.. then install the original drive as a slave, and copy your data (NOT
programs) over at your leisure.. you can then format the slave and use it
for storage..

 

[kingdaddy.]

Do a clean install with your retail version.. a new drive would be good
for this.. then install the original drive as a slave, and copy your
data (NOT programs) over at your leisure.. you can then format the slave
and use it for storage..

Thanks for that.
That is what I am trying to avoid.

I have SO MUCH on this 4 year old machine by now, including two CD/RW
drives, 2 hard drives, a removable IDE hard drive, and data is backed up
well.

One of the main issues is that I have Apache running and driving several
virtual web sites. I really need to upgrade the processor and memory
(requires a new MB). I need to keep the other hardware and not rebuild
the software part of the system.

I'm toying with the idea of going back to Windows 2000 if I have to
rebuild my software world. This XP thingy has been a real nuisance with
hard drive service/swap issues. I've had to re-activate twice.

 

[Guest]

If you change the IDE driver to "Standard PCI IDE controller" you should be
able to boot the OEM copy on the new mobo. Activation is another issue
though, you could probably do a repair install with the retail version, the
other alternative is to procure another unused OEM key.

 

[Mike Hall, MS-MVP]

The issue is not with peripheral devices.. your installation may well be
BIOS locked to the Dell..

Unless you plan on running a fairly basic (OEM OS and a few apps, maybe
Office and some games) setup, OEM BIOS locked versions of XP should be
avoided..

Now you have a chance to rectify that by using your full retail Home
edition..

 

[kingdaddy.]

The issue is not with peripheral devices.. your installation may well be
BIOS locked to the Dell..

Unless you plan on running a fairly basic (OEM OS and a few apps, maybe
Office and some games) setup, OEM BIOS locked versions of XP should be
avoided..

Now you have a chance to rectify that by using your full retail Home
edition..

Thanks.
I think my issue is about all the software I don't want to reinstall.
Will the retail XP Home upgrade my Dell XP home in a manner that will
keep all my installed software active.

Doing a repair with the Retail Xp Home makes some sense, but I am unsure
where I go from there so I can do the Microsoft Updates.

I also have an eBay purchased OEM XP Pro. Could use that? Somewhere I
got the idea that can't work on an already installed system. If I have
to reinstall all the software anyway, I would probably use the OEM XP
Pro with the new motherboard and processor.

 

[Mike Hall, MS-MVP]

Understandable..

OK.. what you need to do is clone your system to another drive, that is to
say all of your working programs etc, and then work with the clone..

http://www.acronis.com will get you a 30 day full working trial of TrueImage
9.. use this to clone your system drive..

Remove the original drive such that you lose nothing and can at least get
back to where you are today..

Run a repair install using the retail full Home edition, and see if it
takes.. if it does, you are winning, and will have a system which should
then be transferable to any motherboard regardless of BIOS type/version..