Is there a way to change a new Motherboard without having to reinstall Windows XP Pro?

[Bad Dude]

I have this problem that every time I change to a new motherboard I have to reinstall Windows XP Pro b/c the hardware does not match. Any way, is there a way to reset it to the new hardware without having to reinstall Windows XP again?
Reinstall is time consuming. This does not happens when I upgrade the CPU, RAM, or hard drives or any other hardware in the system, just the motherboard.
Thanks.

 

[NogginBoink]

Do a full backup.

Swap out hardware.

Install XP Pro bare bones install.

Do a full restore.

This works, and is a Microsoft-endorsed method for moving Win2K/XP from one hardware platform to another.

 

[Bad Dude]

Do I need to reactivate or the previously activated system is OK?
Thanks.

 

[NogginBoink]

You'll probably need to reactivate.

Don't activate the clean install; just do the restore without activating.

 

[Dahak]

Another way of doing it is by going into the device manager and upgrade the IDE Controller drivers from Sis/Via/Intel IDE Controller to Standard IDE Controller. Shut down, swap hardware and boot back up. It will re-detect all hardware properly and everything should work out fine. Ive done it numerous times at work.

But the best way is a fresh install.

 

[esun]

I successfully did this with a friend's computer. We changed to a new case, new RAM, and new motherboard and didn't have to reinstall (or reactivate) a thing. I know it's not the best idea performance-wise, but he didn't care so I didn't either. However, he may have had a cracked (no activation) copy for XP from the beginning, so that may have been why.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: esun
I successfully did this with a friend's computer. We changed to a new case, new RAM, and new motherboard and didn't have to reinstall (or reactivate) a thing. I know it's not the best idea performance-wise, but he didn't care so I didn't either. However, he may have had a cracked (no activation) copy for XP from the beginning, so that may have been why.

The only way this will work is if both the source and destination motherboards had a hard drive controller that used the same driver.

Otherwise you would have gotten a STOP 0x0000007B inaccessible boot device.

My method is the MS endorsed method. Dahak's method will most likely work. Esun's method is based primarily on hope and prayer and in most cases will not work.

May the Force be with you!

 

[Bad Dude]

I did it. It was as easy as I thought. Basically, I just swap the board. Everything else is exactly the same. So no need to reinstall and no need to reactivate. I just did a fresh reinstall a week ago so I did not want to do it again.
Thanks for all of your help.

 

[WarCon]

Another way that works for XP (for future reference) is to boot on the XP CD after you replace your equipment and goto the INSTALL option and after it comes up, choose a Repair Install. This takes a bit of time and some software will need to be reinstalled (Like Virtual Drives and all your Windows patches).

Only reason I suggest this is that I have 40gigs in my primary partition and no where big enough to back all that up too (besides way too many CD's to really consider that as an option).

I just did it for a change from an Epox 4G4A+ to an IC7 and it worked well.

 

[WarCon]

DP - from forum error.

 

[Wigwam]

i recently changed my motherboard [replaced like for like] and had no problems with no need to reinstall or anything.

does this only apply if you change yuor brand of board?

 

[Booty]

Originally posted by: Wigwam
i recently changed my motherboard [replaced like for like] and had no problems with no need to reinstall or anything.

does this only apply if you change yuor brand of board?

The biggest issue is if you change chipsets/platforms, but going to a different model could cause problems as well, especially if (like they said above) it uses a different IDE controller.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: Bad_Dude
I did it. It was as easy as I thought. Basically, I just swap the board. Everything else is exactly the same. So no need to reinstall and no need to reactivate. I just did a fresh reinstall a week ago so I did not want to do it again.
Thanks for all of your help.

You got lucky. Apparently your old and new motherboard used the same chipset. If this were not the case you'd likely throw a STOP 0x7B blue screen.

I'm putting that note here in this thread to discourage other folks from trying this. The number of 'I swapped my motherboard now XP won't boot' threads is bordering on the ridiculous.

But... way to go! All's well that ends well.