XP repair required?

[Lee Coleman]

I appreciate that normally when changing motherboards, this involves a
reinstallation/repair of XP.
However, is this still true when the new motherboard uses the same chipset
as the original?

The reason I ask....

New self-built pc worked fine for a couple of days. XP (OEM version)
installed and activated.
I'm now aware that the motherboard (Gigabyte DS3) has a fault and I would
prefer to use a different brand (Asus P5B) for the replacement.

As the boards have the same chipset (and virtually identical specs) will my
current XP installation accept the change without issues - or does the fact
that they're made by different manufacturers affect things?

Also.....
Presumably, if a repair/install is required, I'll need to reactivate XP
again by phone. Does anybody have any experience of how likely I am to get
problems with that bearing in mind that it's the OEM version of XP (i.e. are
Microsoft's rules on OEM licenses absolute - regardless of why things have
changed)?

Thanks in advance.
Lee.

 

[Paul Smith]

I appreciate that normally when changing motherboards, this involves a
reinstallation/repair of XP.
However, is this still true when the new motherboard uses the same chipset
as the original?

Sometimes. If the IDE/SATA controllers are the same the chances are usually
a lot better.

Also.....
Presumably, if a repair/install is required, I'll need to reactivate XP
again by phone. Does anybody have any experience of how likely I am to get
problems with that bearing in mind that it's the OEM version of XP (i.e.
are Microsoft's rules on OEM licenses absolute - regardless of why things
have changed)?

Activation will probably be triggered, and as its only been a few days will
require you to phone to get an activation code.

I'm not a lawyer, but its the same machine so I wouldn't see any problems.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.windowsresource.net/
Get ready for Windows Vista: http://www.windowsvista.com/getready/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I appreciate that normally when changing motherboards, this involves a
reinstallation/repair of XP.
However, is this still true when the new motherboard uses the same
chipset as the original?

If you change motherboards, one of three things can happen:

1. Windows will continue to work with the new motherboard (very unlikely,
unless the new motherboard is identical to the old one.

2. You will have to do a repair installation to make Windows work with the
new motherboard.

3.Sometimes the repair installation isn't sufficient, and you have to do a
complete clean installation.

The reason I ask....

New self-built pc worked fine for a couple of days. XP (OEM version)
installed and activated.
I'm now aware that the motherboard (Gigabyte DS3) has a fault and I
would prefer to use a different brand (Asus P5B) for the replacement.

As the boards have the same chipset (and virtually identical specs)
will my current XP installation accept the change without issues - or
does the fact that they're made by different manufacturers affect
things?

I can't be sure, but you are most likely to fall under situation 2 above.

Also.....
Presumably, if a repair/install is required, I'll need to reactivate
XP again by phone. Does anybody have any experience of how likely I
am to get problems with that bearing in mind that it's the OEM
version of XP (i.e. are Microsoft's rules on OEM licenses absolute -
regardless of why things have changed)?

The OEM EULA prevents reinstallation on a different computer, but doesn't
define what constitutes a different computer. There are those here who will
point to you to a Microsoft web site for OEM system builders that defines a
new computer as a new motherboard, and others who point out that if it's not
part of the EULA, it's not what governs your use of the product.

I'll leave it at that and let you choose for yourself what to believe.

 

[NoStop]

If you change motherboards, one of three things can happen:

1. Windows will continue to work with the new motherboard (very unlikely,
unless the new motherboard is identical to the old one.

2. You will have to do a repair installation to make Windows work with the
new motherboard.

3.Sometimes the repair installation isn't sufficient, and you have to do a
complete clean installation.

Just another example of why using MickeyMouse's toy operating system is a
crap shoot. Throw the dice and hope the damn thing works.

Cheers.

I can't be sure, but you are most likely to fall under situation 2 above.




The OEM EULA prevents reinstallation on a different computer, but doesn't
define what constitutes a different computer. There are those here who
will point to you to a Microsoft web site for OEM system builders that
defines a new computer as a new motherboard, and others who point out that
if it's not part of the EULA, it's not what governs your use of the
product.

I'll leave it at that and let you choose for yourself what to believe.

--
Linux is ready for the desktop! More ready than Windoze XP.
http://tinyurl.com/ldm9d

"Computer users around the globe recognize that the most serious threats to
security exist because of inherent weaknesses in the Microsoft operating
system." McAfee

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

As the boards have the same chipset (and virtually identical specs) will my
current XP installation accept the change without issues - or does the fact
that they're made by different manufacturers affect things?

What good does it do to keep asking questions?

There's only one way to find out: go for it.