new motherboard, don't want to reinstall windows?

parkie · 20 Feb 2006 at 15:10

I've got an NF4 board coming tomorrow and I want to know is there a way of keeping the installation of Windows XP WITHOUT doing a repair installation which is what I usually do in these circumstances. What is the reason a drive won't boot when a new motherboard is installed, is it the MBR? Why do some boards boot OK and some don't when you change motherboard and keep the OS the same. What is it that is stopping some boards from booting when a new/different motherbaord is used? Hope you can help, I'm going from a P5P800 (INTEL) to an DFI NF3 (AMD).

hope you can help

cheers

P

Borris · 20 Feb 2006 at 15:14

I'm guessing that you're changing the CPU too?

(Unless you can now plonk Intel chips onto AMD boards).

XP doesn't mind the occasional bit of hardware swapping, but you need to keep as much of it constant as possible (ie. same RAM, same GFX, same CPU, different MB).

Greenlizard0 · 20 Feb 2006 at 15:36

I'm not sure on the reasoning behind it, but the large changes that you're doing would mean that you probably will need a fresh install of windows.

David G · 20 Feb 2006 at 16:45

I managed it when moving from AMD NF2 to AMD ASROCK 64, by deleting in safe mod all chip set drivers, including graphics card etc, running driver cleaner, then loading new board driver. Switch off changed board then reboot, then reload graphic drivers.
It's worth a try, if you really don't want to reinstall.

Slam62 · 20 Feb 2006 at 16:46

you might have todo a 'repair exsting windows installation' then reactvate, wokedfor meand kept all th progs and stuff.

parkie · 20 Feb 2006 at 16:47

cheers everyone, will consider my options and probably do a 'repair existing windows' installation.

cheers

P

David G · 20 Feb 2006 at 16:49

I was lucky and didn't have to reactivate that time.