How to switch MB without reinstall OS?

[howardthehobo]

I remember I read a thread about it here in Anandtech Forum. Can someone link the thread for me please? I am getting an Aopen nForce2 MB and I am running WinXP Por SP1.

Thanks.

 

[Buz2b]

Go to the AT FAQ's. You'll find it there.

 

[will889]

If you have a board with a different chipset, it's always best to re-install the OS. Otherwise you are asking for lot's of troubles.

 

[Johnbear007]

Your in for a world of hurt. It's just not worth it

 

[pspada]

It's a piece of cake, I've done this many, many times.

 

[jiffylube1024]

You could do a windows repair or a reinstall overtop, but back up (My Documents) and other key folders first. Also, it's just better to reinstall windows - you should do it sometime down the line so why not right away?

 

[deadseasquirrel]

There seems to be 3 schools of thought on this:

1) Don't do it because the world will end. You should always reformat completely or you'll get kidney stones.

2) It's simple. Just change the IDE Controller driver to the Standard IDE Bus Master controller driver, shutdown, swap boards, reboot.

3) #2 doesn't work reliably, but complete reformat/reinstall isn't necessary. Swap mobos, boot from WinXP CD, choose new install, it will detect your existing installation and ask if you'd like to repair it. Say yes. All your data remains, win installs what it needs, but you then need to get all the updates, service packs, etc. and install those manually.

 

[pspada]

it's #3 ^ that I've done. I installed XP several years ago, and have done this each time a hardware change has made it necessary. XP runs perfectly stable and reliable, or rather as stable and reliable as any Windows OS is able to run.

 

[Buz2b]

Helping Windows survive a Motherboard upgrage (from AT FAQ's).

 

[mdcrab]

Try this thread.

mdcrab

 

[will889]

#1 for me always. But it's never the end of the world, It's quick -and easy. Especially with backups, and ghost. Never 1&2, not in my shops.

 

[stranger707]

In a word -- DON'T

 

[dxkj]

Always worked fine for me, no hitches... switched out 3 different mobos before, 3 processors, and everythign else

 

[will889]

Processors are ok usually - depending on mobo limitations, alot of other hardware is ok, it's just when you run totally different chipsets that the problem occurs.

 

[chanfo]

I'm in the camp where its always better to reinstall the os. Keep all your docs, favorites, mail folder and important documents in a separate partition so whenever you need to reinstall the os you can do so easily.

 

[Killrose]

I've done this many times wit Win98se, and have not had any problems. BUt a reformat is always the best way, but if it does'nt seem to work you can allway's do it.

I allway's first remove software drivers associated with any add-on cards like Nics, modems, sound cards. Then shut down, remove the actual cards. Then re-start the comp and boot into safe mode (Win98, never delt with XP) and look in device manager and remove any of the hardware that might show up that I know I just removed, then restart.

Then I remove the specific chipset device controllers listed in device manager, like IDE controllers, USB and/or anything that is listed with the name of the current chipset manufacturer in use. Uninstall the video card drivers via add/remove hardware utility, Then shut-down for the last time and install the new motherboard.

The only real problems I have incountered was once I did not remove a Nic and its specific driver before installing the new motherboard, and I could never get internet to work, although it worked fine on my network when tranfering files from comp to comp.

Also thought I had a problem when I went from KT266a to nForce2 when I saw all the nVidia device controllers being rcognised on initial start-up by Win98 and thought I had done something wrong. Kept on recognising about 13-15 device controllers, which I thought was abnormal, but turned out ok.

 

[dunkster]

I just switched from 8RDA+ (failed) to NF7SV2 and attempted a repair install.

After completion it booted into XT and posted a dozen access violations.

Clean installs always work.

 

[Buz2b]

Do ya get the consistant "but if's" and "if it doesn't" or "you can always"??? Yes, you can successfully "find a way" to do this without reinstalling the OS. Consider the consequences though versus the benefits of reinstalling the OS. Yes, I have done the avoidence of reinstall before but you know what?? Eventually I had to reinstall. So, pay the piper now or pay him later; your choice. BTW, you also will find a significant increase in speed by the OS reinstall; in case you want to consider all the options and benefits. The link is there in the second post I made to this thread. It is a tried and true way of doing it. I point to it all the time when others ask because, like you, that is what they ask for. However, if you can invest a couple of hours (is that really so much?!?), the benefits far outweigh the downside of a reinstall.