Motherboard Swap/Save OS

Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
edited July 2007 in Hardware
Hey guys,

I am going to be switching out motherboard and CPU on older Pentium 4. Going to Core 2 Duo. I am doing this for someone that cannot lose any information on drive, OS. I have swapped out boards before without fresh install of XP. Does anyone have any thoughts on this. Anyone run into any really bad problems. I think it should go fairly well. Let me know.

Comments

  • nonstop301nonstop301 51° 27' 24.87" N // 0° 11' 38.91" W Member
    edited July 2007
    Hi Radio91P,

    Most people would recommend to backup the data your friend has on the hard disk first before doing this and so I'd advise the same.

    I've swapped motherboard and CPU as well in the past and I just want to remind you to add the CPU first on the motherboard before connecting anything else :)

    Before booting into the operating system, make sure you enter the BIOS to check if the hardware has been detected properly and make any changes if necessary.

    Then, boot into Windows XP and have the motherboard CD handy to update the chipset drivers and the drivers for any other devices that haven't been detected properly in windows device manager.

    Of course, by backing up first you can then move on and do a fresh Windows XP install on a new partition which is always better.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    The easiest way is to put the new system together, boot off the WinXP CD and then do a repair install. That leaves the software and settings but reinstalls XP (and all the hardware drivers) clean, so your system is stable. I've done motherboard swaps many times with XP and it works like a charm.
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited July 2007
    beautiful guys,

    I will go from there.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited July 2007
    It also doesn't hurt to go in before the upgrade and uninstall any proprietary drivers such as mobo chipset drivers, sound drivers and lan drivers first through the add/remove applet in control panel. This makes for less unused clutter after the repair install. Do this right before you shut the old install down for the last time.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    Swapping your board without so much as a reinstall...

    I've even changed over from AMD to Intel platform before without OS reinstallation. Follow the instructions in the link above (Ars Technica). Muddocktor's advice was also very good.
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