switching out mobo help...

[RIGorous1]

Hi I'm planning to upgrade my mobo soon, but in the past I've gotten BSOD from XP due to hardware changes, which resulted in me having to format. I've got too many important documents on my computer now so formatting is not a option.

I know there are alot of OC'ers here who upgrade often so my question is how do you avoid the BSOD in windows about hardware changes? Do you uninstall the board from device manager or something? Or do you backup everything like heck and do a format after you change out the board? The latter takes forever so I assume there's a better way.

thank you for your help.

 

[DannyBoy]

backup everything like heck and do a format after you change out the board!

There is no better way.

It IS possible if your changing mobos that have the same chipset and chipset drivers (Or an indentical mobo), but to upgrade your mobo to a totally different chipset WILL require a format, no questions...

Make sur eyou backup everything you need before you format

Dan

 

[LuDaCriS66]

I always format after upgrading the mobo. Difference is, I partition my hard drive so that all my important documents and such are on a partition seperate from the operating system. So re-installing windows isn't really a big deal here. It's more of just a nuisance to re-install some of the applications and reset the settings.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: LuDaCriS66
I always format after upgrading the mobo. Difference is, I partition my hard drive so that all my important documents and such are on a partition seperate from the operating system. So re-installing windows isn't really a big deal here. It's more of just a nuisance to re-install some of the applications and reset the settings.

^^^ Thats me too

If you have a reasonably sized hard drive, then try partitions yourself.

That way you save money on cd's, and save time and in-convienience

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: LuDaCriS66
I always format after upgrading the mobo. Difference is, I partition my hard drive so that all my important documents and such are on a partition seperate from the operating system. So re-installing windows isn't really a big deal here. It's more of just a nuisance to re-install some of the applications and reset the settings.

*ding!* A logical argument for partitioning. Additionally, I have all my apps/important proggys/Winzip/DRIVERS FOR MOBO AND NIC on a CD rom...you're never SOL w/all the important stuff on a CDR.

 

[RIGorous1]

.... so there's no way out of it eh? .... so you guys have to reinstall most of your programs and re-target all shortcuts? damn that's alot of work.

If anyone else has an ingenious way to avoid the format, please post cause I'm sure we all would like to know.

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: RIGorous1
.... so there's no way out of it eh? .... so you guys have to reinstall most of your programs and re-target all shortcuts? damn that's alot of work.

If anyone else has an ingenious way to avoid the format, please post cause I'm sure we all would like to know.

Helping Windows Survive a Motherboard Upgrade

There's a reason they call them FAQ, people frequently ask this question but most NEVER read the FAQ

 

[gdtaylor]

I've got too many important documents on my computer now so formatting is not a option.

What happens if your hard disk crashes or you get a virus which erases everything or your house burns down? If you've got important documents on your computer then they should be backed up and stored off-site.

I suggest you purchase a second hard disk and keep your data seperate from your programs. Further you should use an imaging program such as Norton's Ghost to create a recovery CD to allow you to quickly restore your operating system in the event of hard disk crash or other catastrophic problem.

The following article may be of use:

Swapping your board without so much as a reinstall (243kB of images)

 

[LED]

My Puter is just the Main Vein for all my Data which can be found elsewhere via Floppies,Tape, Discs, Printed Material, CD's DVD's, HD's and other resources many times over in case something does happen :wine:...been known to have a few and loose things . It's all good and recoverable though and most experience users have the same solution because we got frustrated through trial and error

 

[trak0rr0kart]

just use partition magic and the rest is history... Dont' make it more complicated then it needs to be.. Make your c: like 5 gigs.. make your d: like 20.. and then make the rest of your drive your data storage. you can do all of this without fdisking the computer and save yourself a lot of trouble.

Then organize all your junk into your data drive... then when you install any programs .. do it to your d: which will be your mass program installing place. then just keep your c: with just the basic OS junk.

After you do all that.. you will have a nice little setup. I would also install tweak UI and map your favorites, documents, music directories etc... to your data drive so everything is automatically stored in case of a os crash and format and reinstall of the c:

After you do all that.. then i would make an image with like ghostpe.exe.. or drive image.. put the image you just made.. about 1 gig or so of your c: onto the data drive (e along with at least once previous image every so often when you make any system changes etc.. so if you have any problems whatsoever.. then your cool. As far as your very most important documents you just can't live without.. I would burn a cd or so every other monther of those documents and store it offsite.

Other then that .. your going to have to invest into a little redudancy raid.

anyways.. don't flame this article please.. it is what I have found to work for me