Can i install a new motherboard without a re-install of windows?

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Pacific Freeze

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Apr 18, 2014
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I have a Asus MA78L-M LX PLus and just got a used Biostar A880GU3 Motherboard, and would like to know if i can install it without having to reinstall windows. I have over 400 Gb of games and work stuff on my current hdd I would liek to save.I'm running on windows 8.1 if that helps any.
thanks
 
Solution
spooky2th
It won't work. You will most likely get blue screens of death and more. The two MB drivers are different. You can sysprep the OD/hdd and it will most likely work.

To sysprep it before plugging it to new MB to avoid boot BSODs. Do this, go to C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\sysprep.exe, check 'generalize', select 'OOBE' on drop down menu, and 'Shut down'.

When your PC boots off the new MB, you'll get the 'out of box experience' screen, asking you to create new user account. Just call it anything and after that's done, you can log off and switch to your main user account.

Once you're logged in with your main account, you can safely proceed with deleting the newly made account in Control Panel > User Accounts applet

To clarify what...
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Ijack

Ijack

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Depends upon your version of Windows. The newer the better your chances. You will almost certainly have to reactivate Windows on the new machine. And, as already said, have a backup.

Some people take this as a chance to do a fresh install, thus tidying the system up and almost certainly making it perform better.
 
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spooky2th

spooky2th

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May 18, 2010
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It won't work. You will most likely get blue screens of death and more. The two MB drivers are different. You can sysprep the OD/hdd and it will most likely work.

To sysprep it before plugging it to new MB to avoid boot BSODs. Do this, go to C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\sysprep.exe, check 'generalize', select 'OOBE' on drop down menu, and 'Shut down'.

When your PC boots off the new MB, you'll get the 'out of box experience' screen, asking you to create new user account. Just call it anything and after that's done, you can log off and switch to your main user account.

Once you're logged in with your main account, you can safely proceed with deleting the newly made account in Control Panel > User Accounts applet

To clarify what sysprep does, it basicly gets rid of all platform specific data such as drivers and configuration files.

EDIT:
After boot for the first time with new MB, you need to load all the new MB drivers. And video drivers if you use a discreet GPU. And what ever other drivers for whatever other devices you may have and use.
 
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Solution
Ijack

Ijack

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Jul 30, 2008
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"It won't work."

That is not correct. It may not work, but I have moved Windows 7 and Windows 8 this way a number of times. They contain good enough built in drivers to run in a basic way and the new drivers are installed when you boot the new machine. It's well worth a try.

It almost certainly won't work with Vista or earlier; those OSs aren't clever enough to repair themselves in such a situation.
 
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spooky2th

spooky2th

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May 18, 2010
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Reading that PC World article just showed me that it is much simpler and easier to just sysprep the boot drive first.

And that probably only works (without syspreping) if you are switching boards of the same manufacturer and similar boards like in the article. The drivers were probably the same or very alike.

Going from an Asus MB to a Biostar MB will most likely result in problems. That's my experience anyways.
 
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