Motherboard Swap

[fern]

Hello,
i'm thinking about swapping mainboards. i have an ECS K7S5A Pro, i want to replace it with an ASUS A7N8X Deluxe. My os is WinXP. will i be able to just swap the boards without a problem? someone said that i'd have to reformat my hdd. any ideas?

[DallasDon]

The answer is Maybe. If you haven't changed much hardware since activating windows XP, and use all the same hardware, Windows may do a "new hardware found," and continue to boot up.

The mainboard is a biggie, though. Good idea to back up the files you want to save just in case. I have changed processor and ram with success, but never tried a motherboard.

Worst case is to reformat the hard drive, and do a telephone activation, after a clean install with the Windows Xp cd.

Read more about it here

[RedFury]

You would have the best luck by using RegCleaner ( a freeware program ) and using the option "reset hardware configuration" under tools, shut down, replace the motherboard and fire it up. It basically wipes the registry of all the keys to your hardware and windows detects the new motherboard, etc all over again.

[Gait_Keeper]

very interesting redfury, hmm....................

[B71655]

Sounds good.... This I have to try

[sKiT]

I alaways go with clean install for a new mainboard. Swapping leaves too many variables. The first time something goes wrong(apps, games, programs, OS crashes) You have to wonder if it could be related...... I just save myself the time and re-install the OS clean after a format. It's really the only hope of reliabilty your gonna get IMO. Personally, it bugs the crap out of me if I can't figure out what made the app, game, program, OS crash in the first place. My advice.......save yourself the headache and do it right the first time.

[jmichna]

I like RedFury's "reset hardware configuration" option (I've never tried that)... and it may work out fine... however, I would be leary of your particular swap since you are going from an SiS chipset mobo to an nVidia chipset mobo. If the chipset was the same on both boards, it is a simpler switchout.

Unless you are really married to your current OS/programs/data set up, I'd do a full reformat and reinstall of the OS.

[fern]

i guess i'll just backup and reformat
would an ati VGA be ok with this mb?

Originally posted by sKiT
I alaways go with clean install for a new mainboard.

Agreed.

Originally posted by fern
would an ati VGA be ok with this mb?

What model ATI card is it?

[RedFury]

RegCleaner will COMPLETELY remove all traces of the hardware with that "reset" option. I've done it and it took a while for Win98 to reconfigure the system ( about the same amount of time it does during a fresh install ).

Short of having problems with the current set up you have and wanting to start with freshly installed drivers, I can't see a reason why anyone would do this when installing a new mobo, since you would want to back up all your important data anyway ( game saves, etc ) before you changed boards, unless you didn't have a way to back anything up before hand ( no extra drive, or CDRW ).