Question about upgrading a computer

[Build it Myself]

I have a computer that I'm upgrading but I want to make sure there's no problems...

I have a p4 using an antec board and a WD caviar HD with windows XP. I have a gigabyte 7200GT video card, a new antec 500 earthwatts PSU, and cd-rom.

I will be replacing the motherboard and the chip with a G31T-M mobo and an Intel 6550 and putting 1 gig of ram in it...I'll be keeping the HD/CD-ROM/Case/PSU...is there anything special I need to do to this system, or can I just swap out the board and CPU?

The reason I ask is the last time I asked, someone told me I needed to wipe the HD, but I don't want to do that because 1) I only know how to reinstall windows, not just delete the HD and keep it that way...and 2) I have 30gigs of family pictures that I'd like to save if I could without backing it up onto 8 DVD's.

If I have to wipe the HD to get a better install or to avoid problems I will, but I would need to have someone go over how to erase a HD...I know if you re-install windows it will allow you to delete the previous partition, but I guess i'm not educated enough to know how to do it without that, so when I build the computer it'd be like a completely new build.

If i'm missing anything please let me know...

 

[g8wayrebel]

Add a second HDD to the system b4 you do it.
Move all your photos to that drive to store. With that volume I'd leave it that way as well.
Wiping your HDD may not be absolutely necessary , but it is a good idea since you will need entirely new drivers for the equipment.
As far as formatting goes , the disc will ask you to delete partitions then ,when you try to install ,
it will tell you you have to format and ask if you want to.
If this is a name brand box ( ie: DELL , Gateway, HP etc ) the reinstall disk is proprietary and the OS will not install since it is a license for the original machine only.