Swapping Same Chipset Motherboards Question

[cmaMath13]

If you want to swap only the motherboard on a WinXP system with another motherboard of the same chipset (not necessarily the same brand), do you have to Reformat and install WinXp?

Or can you just swap mobos?

 

[First]

Brand (ASUS, MSI, etc.) matters more than the type of chipset.

But it really depends on exactly which boards you're talking about. You might as well do a clean install, you won't have to worry about encountering any conflicts.

 

[sandorski]

No, even with different chipsets, WinXP's Repair option works great. You may have to use Repair, even though it's the same chipset, but that would likely only be necessary if the previous mobo or the new one has some added features such as: Onboard RAID, SATA, or some other feature. I'd just swap the mobos and boot it up, if it boots fine, make sure everything is working proper. If it doesn't boot into WinXP or things are not working correctly, boot from your WinXP cd and Repair the install.

 

[Peter]

You're already busted if the boot drive isn't on the exact same type of IDE chipset. Windows XP uses chipset proprietary IDE drivers, and has no standard IDE driver to fall back to.

All you'll get is an "inaccessible boot device" blue screen.

With the exact same chipset though, this is not a problem.

Next, hardware abstraction. If your old board didn't use ACPI abstraction and the new one does, no go. Same if one board uses APIC interrupt controllers and the other one doesn't.

Then you might still run into more subtle plug&play desasters.

 

[cmaMath13]

I am going from MSI KT4 Ultra (KT400) to Epox EP-8K9A2+ (KT400). I believe that both motherboards use the same onboard sound and Serial RAID, but the Epox adds LAN.

I have no problem with re-formatting, but I would prefer to NOT do it if it is not necessary (since the mobos are so similar). All of my data is backed up.

I think that I will swap them and see what happens first.

I will have my WinXP disk handy, just in case it needs to repair something.

Plus, I can always reformat at a later date, if necessary.

Any more comments?

 

[rwalterk]

I had to do a repair installation with XP after I upgraded from a P3 setup to Athlon XP 2100. It worked flawlessly; I just had to reinstall SP1, the security updates, etc. but all of my apps run fine and nothing has changed.

If you boot your machine and it doesn't go (I got a stop error because the IDE controller was different), just boot from the Windows XP CD and choose "repair."

 

[cmaMath13]

rwalterk,

Thanks for you input! I found this article about the topic, too.

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/other/motherboard/winxp.htm

 

[cmaMath13]

I took care of business last night. I replaced the KT4 Ultra with the EP-8K9A2+. I made sure that I had read the manual and I did not replace any extra peripherals (etc modem). I fired up the system and it booted as a 2100+ but would not go into windows.

I put WinXP disk into dvd drive and started the repair. By the way, you first pick install and then pick repair. I then let WinXP install disk do its work and applied the service pack1, too. Now, I was in windows.

Of course most of my hardware drivers were not up to date (video card, sound, modem). In fact, I could not get the modem to work until after I installed the SP1 and Via drivers and the onboard sound would not work until I install drivers. After install latest via 4-in-1, Nvidia video card, and onboard sound drivers everything is working great.

I got online, without any trouble (had to add init code to turn off speaker). I ran 3dMark2001 SE at the default 2100+ (scored a litter higher than KT4 at same setting). I ran some Unreal 2. I ran some audio, too. Everything was working great!

I then added extra peripheral (printer, Scanner, Digital Camera). Then are all working great!

Overclocking Time: I had two goals I wanted to achieve from swapping these mobos 1st, I wanted to break 2.0GHz on the processor (with out ridiculous over-volting). 2nd, I wanted to break 12,000 on the 3dMark2001 SE. Both goals were accomplished. Right now I am running at 12.5 x 166MHz = 2075MHz @ 1.75v ~42-44degrees. I ran 3dMark2001 Se and Prime 95. Rig is running stable.

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

 

[sandorski]

woot

 

[Ketchup]

I never had a problem with this when I had an AMD chip. I could just let Windoows find all the hardware and format and re-install later. But when I switched from AMD to Intel, I immediately got a blue screen. Weird.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Went from a AK31A to a 8K3A and it didn't even hiccup, just booted like it had always been there and ran flawlessly till the day I sold it [/personal testimonial]

 

[cmaMath13]

That would make sense. At one time, I went from an Asus A7V to an Asus A7V133RAID and I did not have to do anything. Booted fine and went on my merry way.