New Motherboard = New Windows Install?
 

I'm running a FIC VB601 Motherboard with an Intel P-III Katmai 500mhz chip. I can find the chipset if needed. I'm thinking of getting a new mobo, a Shuttle, with an Athlon XP 1800+. I'm running Windows XP Pro SP1. I understand that, with a different chipset, my current Windows install won't work. But, will I be able to do a repair installation? I need some tips on this...

I don't know if that is an absolute, but most likely you need to reinstall the OS. I know that I've tried repair installations before, but I don't remember if they worked.

When I built our new computer and tried to just stick the old HD in there, it booted up and worked, but didn't seem to work quite right. I'm not sure if repairing will work or not. Just to be safe I'd go ahead and back everything up and start from scratch.

you could run sysprep

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...troduction.asp

I recommend a clean install to avoid strange side effects. Plus it's always nice to get a fresh start with Windows.

However, I've had friend pop a Windows 2000 install onto new hardware and have it work OK. Windows XP may not work due to the hardware signature used for Production Activation.

I think the product activation thing will allow up to 5 hardware changes. I'm not sure if that's 5 individual hardware changes or 5 separate reactivations. After that, I believe you have to call microsoft.

Check MS knowledge base article #316401. All the gory details.

Interesting Story:

I had a single installation of XP that survived 3 motherboard changes, all the same processor type (athlon), but 3 different motherboards.

I didn't have any problems, but I did reinstall shortly after the 3rd change ... at first i was lazy, then i got interested.

$0.02

Intel => AMD = Fresh Install

I have tried swapping motherboards as you describe (AMD system, transferred over to a Pentium mobo), using Win98 and received about 20 error messages and I think I even burnt a CD with Nero.

I recently stepped up from a 2 year old ASUS AMD to a newer Thoroughbred-Xp ASUS without a hiccup - Windows XP (hacked version) did not detect new hardware. So if you move to a Pentium 4 you might get away with it.


Note: Sysprep requires identical hardware and is used to remove machine specific information such as computer name, locale and GUID. It keeps hardware information so you don't have to reinstall drivers.

Heres a quick short cut, If you go into your registery And delete the ENUM key (the entire one) shut down , change hardware, and restart, XP should detect your new hardware without a format or a reregister with microsoft

http://www.pimprig.com/forums/attach...=&postid=43049

You are probably to late since you already moved it. But for future refrence this works with most major hardware changes

This will reqires some extra reboots and driver installs but should work fine :)

new MB does not necisarrily NEED clean install, because windows is PNP(plug and play), but windows is also very gay...and likes to reject things

another gay sideeffect of Windows XP, if they deny accress PM me and ill give you my Volume Licensed Serial(unlimited copies...and its legal too) :)

and it works for every version of windows from 3.11 to XP :)

An opportune time to install Linux instead.

redhat 9 has a very easy installer and really sexy interface, if anyone wants to dive into an easy to set up version of linux, freebsd is nce too but not easy

lycoris is a very easy setup too(even lets you play solitair while installing :x), but very limited hardware support

all of which can be found at http://linuxiso.org/ (free, and legal)

If you do reinstall to repair, there are two repairs in XP. The first repair offered upon reinstall is the recovery console,

<i>"What do you do if you can’t start Windows in normal or Safe Mode? Don’t give up hope. You may be able to get back to work by using the Recovery Console, a stripped-down command-line environment that provides a limited set of tools you can use to diagnose and repair problems. The Recovery Console is not for the faint of heart. But if you’re experienced with working outside a graphical environment, it can be tremendously useful."</i>

Skip that. Wait for XP to start installing, it will detect your old install and offer to repair that one. Do that.

<i>Repairing and Reinstalling Windows
When all attempts to repair your system fail, you may be able to repair your Windows XP installation using the Windows Setup program. As a last resort, you can reinstall Windows over an existing installation and hope that the new installation will recover enough of your old settings to allow you to retrieve your data files.

The repair option is quick and painless and typically does not adversely affect user settings. To exercise this option, start from the Windows CD as if you were going to do a clean install. It’s easy to become confused during this process, because the word repair appears in two different places when you start your computer using the Windows CD. At the Welcome To Setup screen, do not choose the option to repair your installation using the Recovery Console. Instead, press Enter, which starts the Windows Setup program. After you accept the license agreement, Windows searches your system for existing Windows installations. When you reach the screen that lists your current Windows installation, select it from the list and press R to start the repair process. The remainder of this procedure requires the same steps as if you were performing a clean installation; when Setup finishes, your system files should be refreshed and your existing data and settings should be accessible again.

In cases of severe disk damage or registry corruption, a repair installation will not be effective; the only alternative is to reformat the disk and install a clean copy of Windows." </i>

I have changed many things and have had to reactivate because of this. It was no big deal really, I have a legal registered copy, so, I just reactivate. Whats the problem with that? Oh, once you reinstall, if you feel the need to goto Windows Update, don't. Get sp1, but be very judicious about all the "critical" and "security" updates. When it offers a driver, get it from the manufacturer.

I have had printing on my network stop, because OfficeXP sp1 was installed, yet XP sp1 wasn't. Error message told me to access the KB, which told me to get sp1. They don't need to know that much (no paranoia, just arrogance on my part) about what I have installed, and what I need/want. They (MS) damn sure don't need to shut me down because I didn't get all their "recommended" updates either!

On an older machine I worked on, WinMe demanded I install OfficeXP disk 1, after just two of the forty updates available were installed for the OS. I stopped the updates, returned the computer and advised them of the problem. They inserted the disk, all was cool, but it still stinks.

I digress somewhat. Just don't do MSWindows Updates, and dont use the console unless you are well versed in how to do it! Let XP do it itself after it finds your existing install, and offers to repair the proper install on the screen menu (don't click on your new install, fix the old one).

Now, before the "I use Linux" stuff starts, I have Redhat 9.0, and am developing the "rules of engagement" before the fresh install on it's own partition/drive/computer, haven't decided which.

I look back on this post, and see I was really trying to say, what's the problem? Reactivate.

Back up your stuff. and just re-install. There will be lots and lots of reg keys and crap left behind. WIndows keep all of that stuff archived "just in case you go back" so just...back up and reinstall. Where I work (a computer geek place) most people re-install their home systems oncee a year. Yeah, I did say geeks. Believe it.

Thanks, I'll have to try that sometime on a spare PC.

I recently did a major hardware overhaul (2100 DDR ram to 2700 RAM, new motherboard, new processor - athlon 1700 to 2600 - different core architectures) with the same windows installation with no problems. I guess I lucked out...

No, you just did it all at once, Spungfoo. If you do stuff here and there, you run out of the amount of times they think your number has been used whenever your machine goes to do an update. Don't do updates.

From Msoft, <i>"Enum
The Enum subkey in each Services subkey stores information about the hardware associated with that service. The values in the Enum subkey associate the service with the instance of the device it controls.

The Enum subkey appears in subkeys that are under the Services subkey and that store values for drivers and other services controlling or interacting with devices.

Note

Values of entries in this subkey are rewritten each time the system starts. Do not change the values of entries in this subkey."</i>

Unless you are prepared for the absolute ignorance of your computer, to understand where it is, because enum is gone. Be prepared to supply it with the drivers, and other registry info you deleted!

Go online, if possible. Get current drivers, or let MSoft supply them for you. After re-installing the MSoft drivers, if you choose to install your own current drivers, you may do so.

Either way, you will have to reinstall soooo much stuff.

choice a: do a repair as shown above, or:

choice b: delete a file (enum) that tells your os what is installed in it's home town, and start fresh, or just fuging reinstall your operating system using the play by play queries that already understand what is installed!

If reinstalling XP requires all these clues, tutorials, then you need to let your son/daughter do it for you.

If you own a valid copy, just do it! What's the big deal?

<i>Scapegoat</i> evidently knows the operating system, and how to use it. He should use "enum", you should not.

clarification
 

what i'm asking is not if i will have to reactivate. I really don't care about that, I'll call up MS and bitch on the phone if i have to. I'm just worried about keeping my programs, settings and whatnot. A few years have gone into making this comp what it is now: the perfect comp for me, set up just the way I like it, but a bit slow. What I'm gathering from here is that a repair installation should work. Is that right?

Yes.

You do have a point there poof, its not for the faint of heart, its somemuch eaiser to do format c: LOL

You can do it _only_ if you prep your system first! It seems Mobos aren't too pnp. Window's boot wont get far enough to reinstall the correct drivers if you switch mobos, but you can remove the mobo drivers before you switch mobos. Then it should install the new ones on the next boot.

Do some googleing. Not to long ago my friend's mobo died and had the responsibility of fixing it. But i couldn't save the install (under the time constraint) because his other mobo was dead.

I read numerous ways of stripping the mobo drivers so switching them was possible. Though, i cant recite thorough instructions. It may be as simple as booting in Safe Mode and removing them in the Device Manager.

Depening on your drivers, it may work without any labor from you. But likely not.

why not just reinstall? how long has it been since your last installation?

i dunno, is kinda pain in the ass, yes...but i find my computer's happier/runs better if i go thru the trouble every so often.

Sorry I didn't even read any of the replies. The answer is yes.

In my experiance, yes, new motherboard == reinstall windows. My mandrake system survived a MOBO move with no problems.