so i can install a mobo without formatting right

[Killax]

im gonna get a mobo with a new processor and ram, once i place it in the case with my old hdd, it will reconize it right? i wont have to format or anything like that? what will happen?

 

[tyanni]

Switching mobos without reformatting doesn't work very well. You might get away with it if you change your IDE controllers to Standard, but it rarely works. Just backup your data and reformat.

Tim

 

[gwai lo]

mad crashing sometimes...especially if you change chipsets

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I agree, backup and format, it will save you time in the long run

 

[madthumbs]

"re"formatting is never necessary. If nothing else, you can reinstall windows on top of old when switching. With 9x, you could simply delete a registry key.

 

[pantner]

yes you can...if you're lucky it'll possibly work straight away...that is VERY rare...

otherwise, you have to do a "Repair" of XP...which will leave your registry and file completly instact...it is not 100% garrenteed to work...but its your best bet without loosing data...

you have to boot from the Windows XP Cd, go through the process as if you would install it like normal, and at one stage of the setup it'll "Search For Existing Copies of Windows", when it does that it'll list them, and you select your WinXP and press 'R' for repair...it would only come up with one copy of Windows, unless you dual boot...

after you do that it mimics the normal windows installation almost exactly...

and you will need re-activate your copy of WinXP...

and do not do the first repair option it gives you...the first screen it gives you will have Press Enter to install, R for Recovery Console or F3 to quit....the recovery console is useless!!!!

however, this has been known to make PCs BSOD...but it also does that before you try it, so it doesn't make much of a difference...its a good idea to back-up everything anyway...

 

[tyanni]

Originally posted by: madthumbs
"re"formatting is never necessary. If nothing else, you can reinstall windows on top of old when switching. With 9x, you could simply delete a registry key.

Sometimes a good old reformat is the best thing. Especially in this case, why do a repair when you can start from scratch and know you have a nice clean install? Especially if you are going through the trouble of upgrading. I would want to know I had the cleanest, most stable install of windows to start.

Tim