New motherboard installed, now XP won't boot

[VoterX]

I hope this isn't a repost of a tired topic, but a quick search didn't turn up anything.
I just installed a new Intel D845PEBT2 motherboard with a P4 2.4 GHz CPU into my existing system. Now when I try to boot into WinXP (pro, SP1) it says that windows was unable to boot, perhaps due to a recent hardware or software change. I am presented with all the usual boot options, but regardless of what I choose, my computer just restarts. My brother had this problem a month or two back (different mobo, though), and he ended up reinstalling the OS. I'd like to know if there is any other recourse I have. I didn't see any knowledge base articles on this when I looked, either (doesn't mean they don't exist).
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Let's hear it for the lurkers!

 

[Lord Evermore]

Boot to the XP CD and when it locates your current installation, select the repair option. All your software and files will still be there, but all drivers will be wiped back to the way a brand new XP install would be, so you can load new stuff. Also you'll have to reload the Windows Updates as they get erased too.

 

[VoterX]

Will this adversely affect the "My Whatever" folders or, more importantly, their contents?

 

[Lord Evermore]

No, the usernames will still be there as before. At worst I think you're prompted for an administrator password again. Just to reassure you, I did the same thing a couple of months ago moving to an nforce2 board, and I've been running fine the whole time. Takes about the same amount of time as a full install since it is copying all the files again, but no time needed for installing applications.

 

[MrAnderson]

When you switch something major in XP it seems to brain dump. With a new chipset on my system it wouldn't do anything for me and I ended up reinstalling on a new drive. Hopefully you have better luck, let us know what happens.

 

[VoterX]

While I repair my install with uncertain results (though comforted by Lord Evermore), I'd just like to comment that the concept of an OS that can't survive any major hardware change is simply ate up with the stupids. I may be preaching to the choir on this......

 

[Lord Evermore]

What happens when you swap boards in a Linux box? Nobody ever talks about that, so I've no idea what's needed in terms of new drivers, whether it boots up and says "hey, the current setup isn't accurate, fix it" or what.

It makes sense for Windows to not "work" when you change configurations, since the base hardware is completely different and needs different drivers, but it ought to at least let you boot up and install new drivers. Even Win98 managed that much even if it did it badly. I think the activation garbage may be to blame in some cases.

 

[VoterX]

Ok, here's the aftermath.

I repaired the installation and all my files were unaffected. Registry, Start Menu, My Docs, everything accounted for. I was asked to activate XP afterwards, though. The key I had activated with before was, I guess, still in use by me, so that didn't fly. I had to call the 888 number to straighten things out. After that it was just mobo driver installation.

Thank you ever so much *tips his hat to Lord Evermore*

edit -Yeah, I would be content if it would just boot enough to let me install drivers and have it detect all the new lovely shiny baubles I installed.

edited for an extra 5% more content!

 

[oscoyle]

I had a FIC AD11 board with windows xp on one drive and redhat 7.3 on another and when I upgraded to the Epox 8rda+ I had to totally reinstall
windows. When I booted to the linux drive everything worked fine except usb and sound. Nvidia supplied drivers solved that problem and I was ready to go.
I was surprised that I didn't have more problems.

 

[daveybrat]

there is a way to make all of this less painful than you guys are making it.
I've changed motherboards plenty of times for customers with different chipsets and never had a problem.
Of course if you don't do one thing before u upgrade then u will get a blue screen like you all have gotten.

Here's what you do for future reference:

Before you take out your old motherboard, go into windowsXP (also works with win2000)

1) then go to your device manager:

2)go to your IDE/ATAPI controllers section:

3)go to the main controller, i.e. VIA, SIS, INTEL controller (not the Primary or secondary) and update driver:

4)choose to update the driver manually, then it will come up with a screen of compatible hardware:

5)your options will be whatever is current, i.e. VIA, SIS, INTEL (whatever yours is), and also Standard Dual Channel IDE

6)choose the Standard Dual Channel IDE controller and click ok. It will ask you to reboot, hit no.

7)now simply turn off the pc and replace motherboard

8)turn system back on and it will now boot into windows and begin to find new components

9)now your done! Install new motherboard chipset drivers and your good to go

 

[Lord Evermore]

That's pretty much a "dirty" swap, all the old drivers are hanging around the drive and sitting in the registry. Repairing is a cleaner option.