upgrading cpu/ram/mb....keeping old hd

[user3657]

i should beable to just switch out the hardware right??? holding off formating till i upgrade to vista.

 

[Gorrillasnot]

There's a slim chance you can swap hardware without formatting and it'll boot up, but I wouldn't count on it. Most likely you'll have to do a repair install of the OS at the very least.

Going with a new mobo, cpu, and ram if it were me I'd back up, format, and reinstall. clears out allot of junk and will make your system that much more snappy.

 

[Nnyan]

This can lead to problems but I've done it several times with minor issues. It helps to have ALL the correct drivers you'll need on hand ahead of time.

I suggest reading the following:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1755

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=34&threadid=1688660&forumid=1

 

[potato28]

Depends on what your upgrading from and to. I switched from AMD 3200+, A8N, 1 gig to C2D 6300, DS3, 1 gig with no problems. Just uninstall the motherboard drivers, and if your motherboard is really picky once you get the systewm up and rnning again reinstall the video drivers.

 

[user3657]

i dont get the sysprep.........do i have to install any of the new drivers before??or just, run it and shut down, install new hardware and it will do the rest?

 

[user3657]

well thanks for the link to the sysprep.......i am using my new hardware now.....everything went smoothly!