Replacing Motherboard

[GrantMeThePower]

My motherboard died and I'm going to swap it and a new processor in my computer.

Will there be any problems just doing a straight swap? Will it start up and run fine right away?

Thanks,
Grant

 

[o1die]

Depends on which version of windows you have, and how similar the chipsets are. Intel to Intel may be the easiest. Some folks recommend you go into the windows device manager and delete all the device drivers before removing the old board. I just format and get it over with.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Well I have windows XP.

I can't go into the device manager to do that because my old board died and I can't even get it to POST.

 

[nefariouscaine]

I've had mixed results on swapping out boards - some times windows doesn't like it and I don't need to do a full install but a repair on the old one

other times windows hasn't refused to work right off and I just make sure I uninstall all drivers/programs associated with the former board - no issues so far associated with that

 

[Denithor]

Check this out.

http://episteme.arstechnica.co.../77909774/m/1400925745

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Originally posted by: Denithor
Check this out.

http://episteme.arstechnica.co.../77909774/m/1400925745

Hmm...thanks for the link....i dont know if it will work though, because my current board is totally dead and I can't get into windows period. So unless I can do that after switching the board it sounds like i may be screwed.

sad days indeed.

Thanks though.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Typically unless you are putting in the same chipset board, you will have to do a re-install. You might be able to do a "recovery" install, but you still run into risks...

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The link provided above seems to confirm a more complex operation similar to what I had thought was required. so not only the chipset drivers "have to go," but the video drivers and several other drivers.

I emphasize that the advice above -- don't bother, just do a re-install -- is fairly prevalent among people I know who still work in IT. I may have said elsewhere that I keep a list of software installed on each computer, and try and keep all the install disks or downloaded installation files handy.

That leaves the matter of data. If you don't know the difference between data and programs, well -- you should.

I have automated backup from every computer here to a RAID5 server volume occurring quarterly, or monthly, or weekly -- depending on whether it is "persistent" data that doesn't change, or "volatile" data that does change. This includes everything from personal archives of wordprocessing files, photographs, etc. to "bookmarks" or "favorites" for FireFox or Internet Explorer, e-mail files and archives. That stuff, in turn, gets backed up on a periodic basis.

So, since it's not a question of "emergency" but of "hardware upgrade," those backups still come in handy as I move toward installing OS, drivers, software and data in that order.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck
The link provided above seems to confirm a more complex operation similar to what I had thought was required. so not only the chipset drivers "have to go," but the video drivers and several other drivers.

I emphasize that the advice above -- don't bother, just do a re-install -- is fairly prevalent among people I know who still work in IT. I may have said elsewhere that I keep a list of software installed on each computer, and try and keep all the install disks or downloaded installation files handy.

That leaves the matter of data. If you don't know the difference between data and programs, well -- you should.

I have automated backup from every computer here to a RAID5 server volume occurring quarterly, or monthly, or weekly -- depending on whether it is "persistent" data that doesn't change, or "volatile" data that does change. This includes everything from personal archives of wordprocessing files, photographs, etc. to "bookmarks" or "favorites" for FireFox or Internet Explorer, e-mail files and archives. That stuff, in turn, gets backed up on a periodic basis.

So, since it's not a question of "emergency" but of "hardware upgrade," those backups still come in handy as I move toward installing OS, drivers, software and data in that order.

Haha! I'm not so noobish that I don't know the difference between data and programs. The problem for me is that I didn't have the OS on a seperate HD and I do in fact need the data from both of my drives. If I can't get her up and running I guess I will get another drive

 

[JustaGeek]

Just do the Repair Install - it will save all your programs and data. You need the original XP Install Disk though.

You will have to call Microsoft to activate Windows, that's all.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

If the "REpair Install" does the trick, then it's a lot less trouble.

Some people -- not referring to those here or intending to -- don't know where to find their data files. Some don't even have a clear idea of how to look for them. I've seen people consume hours of computer time and resources attempting to "back-up" their entire hard disk, when the acceptable minimum would be backing up user-created data files exclusively. Even a registry backup is a minor thing, doesn't consume a lot of space or take a lot of time, but you'd be surprised how many mainstream users wouldn't be able to find the registry on the hard disk if they really had to.

 

[JustaGeek]

Need help finding files...?

Agent Ransack, a free "lite" version of the FileLocator Pro is a utility that will find anything in seconds (especially on XP platform), as opposed to long searches with the OS' built-in utilities.

http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

I even use it to find files/groups of files on large servers.

 

[bruceb]

You may or may not have to call MS to reactivate XP .. depends on when
the last time was that you activated it ... Generally the activation server
forgets your information after about 3 - 6 months .... Worst case is a phone
call

 

[Jhhnn]

If possible, install the drive as a slave, non-boot drive in another computer, copy the files you want to save before doing anything else. That way, if the whole thing goes wonky, you'll still have your files...

You might even be able to use the Ars method in such a scenario- deleting the files you need gone, then installing the drive w/ the new mobo... let windows figure it out.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Originally posted by: Jhhnn
If possible, install the drive as a slave, non-boot drive in another computer, copy the files you want to save before doing anything else. That way, if the whole thing goes wonky, you'll still have your files...

You might even be able to use the Ars method in such a scenario- deleting the files you need gone, then installing the drive w/ the new mobo... let windows figure it out.

Hmm...thats a great idea. I only have the one computer and a laptop so to do it i'd need an external enclosure to hook it up to the lappy.

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: bruceb
You may or may not have to call MS to reactivate XP .. depends on when
the last time was that you activated it ... Generally the activation server
forgets your information after about 3 - 6 months .... Worst case is a phone
call

You WILL have to call to activate - you loose too many "points" (3) just by replacing the NIC adapter with the new MAC address.

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php

 

[vailr]

Try booting in F8-Safe Mode, if regular boot doesn't succeed.
Use this method for removing old non-present devices from Device Manager:
................................
"Set Device Manager up to show Non-Present devices and delete the hidden device.

"1. Please click "Start" menu => click "Run" => type "cmd" <without quotation marks> and click "OK"

"2. Please type "set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1" <without quotation marks> in the command prompt.

"3. Please type "start devmgmt.msc" to launch "Device Manager".

"4. Please click "View" menu in "Device Manager" and choose "Show hidden device".

"5. Please expand all items in the panel, if any hidden device listed below, please delete them. (The hidden device is shown in a transparent color.)

"6. Please right-click the hidden devices and click "Uninstall".

 

[Regalk]

as VAILR says. Install the MB boot into safe mode (F8) and when Windows has done a few installs of devices go into add/remove software and remove the previous motherboard drivers, graphics, sound, Lan etc - anything unique to the old board. Remove graphics and sound as well since these may cause you issues later.
I usually ignore the devices pop up screens - click cancel
When it is cleaned out then I reboot and install everything for the new board.
Been there done that a a lot of times - last one I did was AMD-->Intel platform - so it does not get any worse than that.
Over time you can clean the system until it works well. Vailr's way is good too in that it removes all the hidden old stuff once and for all. However WindowsXP has a way of backing up its configs everytime you install a new driver, get an update etc and this can be a problem one day when you do a restore. I usually delete all those as well from the Windows directory (unless you are hardcore you may not understand this ) for a good start from the day of changeover.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Thank you to both vailr and regalk..i'm planning on doing the switch today.

It is indeed and AMD (with a VIA chipset) to an Intel change over. I hope the safe mode boot works. I'll also get rid of the restore backups.

Thanks, again to all! I'll post with an update after I get the stuff done.

-G

 

[HJustin]

For VIA to Intel, you're going to want to do a repair install of XP. The safe mode stuff is not necessary and a waste of time. The repair install will detect your new hardware and install what it needs. You will want to update chipset drivers, etc. after the repair is finished. I use this method successfully on a regular basis for clients and have done it myself countless times.

Good luck!

E

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: HJustin
For VIA to Intel, you're going to want to do a repair install of XP. The safe mode stuff is not necessary and a waste of time. The repair install will detect your new hardware and install what it needs. You will want to update chipset drivers, etc. after the repair is finished. I use this method successfully on a regular basis for clients and have done it myself countless times.

Good luck!

E

Seconded!

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek

Originally posted by: HJustin
For VIA to Intel, you're going to want to do a repair install of XP. The safe mode stuff is not necessary and a waste of time. The repair install will detect your new hardware and install what it needs. You will want to update chipset drivers, etc. after the repair is finished. I use this method successfully on a regular basis for clients and have done it myself countless times.

Good luck!

E

Seconded!

The downside to doing a "repair install": the "Documents and Settings" folder gets re-done, so you then have duplicate sub-folders. I prefer not having duplicate "Documents and Settings" sub-folders.

 

[Regalk]

The repair option is also good but LONGER than using safe mode - so depends how you interpret "waste of time". To each his own I guess.
I just did another - swapped out my HD from my A8N-E board to Asrock dual939 vsta - needed the sata hard drive for a mobile rack. Done and finished in less than 1/2 hour. As i said do it all the time as I have several computers.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Well, if I do the safe mode version and something doesn't work, I can always do a repair install as a fall back, right? Or am i missing something?

 

[Regalk]

NO - you know your HW more than anyone else