Changing Hardware

[HK-viper1]

I am changing my MB & CPU. I think I can do this without having to lose all data and reloading OS. I know I have to revalidate windows, but, do I have to reformat? Someone told me all I have to do is make sure I have the drivers from the new MB installed so that windows will recognise them. I have built computers but never did this type of upgrade.

[Emerica]

I always reinstall Windows after a motherboard switch, especially if I am changing chipsets. But then again, I like fresh installs of Windows.

[Tonucci]

Its doable but kinda complicated... You would have to wipe the current install from all traces of your current mobo. I remember reading an guide about it somewhere, google it and you may find.

I dont know if there is another method.

[stangracin2]

i thought all you had to do was uninstall drivers and do a repair install

[HK-viper1]

Its doable but kinda complicated... You would have to wipe the current install from all traces of your current mobo. I remember reading an guide about it somewhere, google it and you may find.

I dont know if there is another method.

I could not find a guide by googling. If you come accross it again it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your resonse Tonucci...

[deees]

I could not find a guide by googling. If you come accross it again it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your resonse Tonucci...

Here are some rather wordy instructions on performing an "inplace upgrade" or "repair install" for WindowsXP. It actually works quite well. I use the same procedure to recover servers for DR testing when the new hardware is extremely different.

After you get the new image restored, you may want to do a clean install, (just enough programs and drivers to run 3dmark), to a different volume to benchmark against the "repaired" one. This will provide a sanity check to help you decide it there would be any benefit in doing a clean install. I typically don't see any significant difference.