Will driver preinstall mess up my current mobo?

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

Hi folks. I am building my first PC, and it will have a different motherboard than my current one. The old: Asus Sabertooth X58 (LGA 1366)
The new: Asus Maximus Vii Hero (LGA 1155; will be putting an i5-4690K in it)

I'm going to be migrating my HDD that has Win 7 Pro on it to the new machine.

My question is this: will preinstalling drivers for the new mobo before I build the new PC somehow bork my current mobo? I saw on a different thread (http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1968067/install-sata-raid-ahci-drivers-motherboard.html) a reply by Tradesman1 that said "Only need the AHCI or RAID [drivers] if installing the OS on the appropriate drive for the OS, install the remainder after Win is in place". But my mobos are the same manufacturer, albeit different sockets (and the X58 is something like 5 years old or more).

So will preinstalling the AHCI driver (or any/all of the other current drivers for the Maximus) on my current machine bork my board or mess up my functionality prior to building my new PC?

Thanks people.

JackNaylorPE · Mar 12, 2015

You can't do what you want ...driver installation requires a detection step and it won't detect anything.

I would strongly advise that you do a clean install on the new box.

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/146996-new-motherboard.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

Shouldn't the old mobo necessarily not detect anything if the new mobo's drivers aren't compatible with the old mobo? But that's what I want: to install the new mobo's drivers, have the old mobo not detect them, and then when I tear down my current PC and build another one with the new mobo hopefully the new mobo will detect the drivers at Windows boot, even if it's not a fresh install. That isn't possible?

USAFRet · Mar 12, 2015

What you desire will not work. Not even a little bit.

Wait until all the parts are in place, then think about installing drivers.

Also, how, specifically, are you thinking of "migrating my HDD" ?

USAFRet · Mar 12, 2015

Moving a drive with a current OS install to whole new hardware....a full reinstall of the OS is always recommended, often required.

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

This link states that a full reinstall is not required: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html

JackNaylorPE · Mar 12, 2015

rollotomasty :

If it don't detect, it doesn't install. Remember that there is a common driver installation for each manufacturer and that driver may be for say Realtek ... so it detects say an 1150 and then installs drivers and mapping for the 1150 .... it don't detect what's there, it don't know what or how to install.

Let's say it did work, you reboot your machine, it's all confused .... it will be looking for hardware that's not there and start issuing errors all over the place.

Suggestion:

1. Get an SSD for your new build.
2. Disconnect HD Data cable.
3. Install Windows and drivers on CDs to SSD
4. Run Windows Update the 26 or whatever times it needs to run
5. Update any drivers that have versions newer than CD
6. Reboot last time and shit down
7. Connect HD data cable.
8. Reinstall all programs over themselves on old HD ... ie.... what used to be C:\ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat, will now be found at D:\ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat
9. When everything's working, delete Windows and users Folder on D:\ ...you can find a complete list of things to delete on sevenforums.

USAFRet · Mar 12, 2015

rollotomasty :

That link is talking about a whole different thing.

From the MS Sysprep info page: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721940%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
"The System Preparation (Sysprep) tool prepares an installation of Windows for duplication, auditing, and customer delivery. "

"Sysprep must be used only to configure new installations of Windows."

Sysprep is not what you are looking for.

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

JackNaylorPE :

rollotomasty :

If it don't detect, it doesn't install. Remember that there is a common driver installation for each manufacturer and that driver may be for say Realtek ... so it detects say an 1150 and then installs drivers and mapping for the 1150 .... it don't detect what's there, it don't know what or how to install.

Let's say it did work, you reboot your machine, it's all confused .... it will be looking for hardware that's not there and start issuing errors all over the place.

Suggestion:

1. Get an SSD for your new build.
2. Disconnect HD Data cable.
3. Install Windows and drivers on CDs to SSD
4. Run Windows Update the 26 or whatever times it needs to run
5. Update any drivers that have versions newer than CD
6. Reboot last time and shit down
7. Connect HD data cable.
8. Reinstall all programs over themselves on old HD ... ie.... what used to be C:\ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat, will now be found at D:\ProgramFiles\Adobe\Acrobat
9. When everything's working, delete Windows and users Folder on D:\ ...you can find a complete list of things to delete on sevenforums.

The 1366 should absolutely not detect the drivers, if they are for the 1150. But the presence of the 1150 drivers on my OS, I hope, would not affect the 1366's features. After all, they're different software, not merely different versions of the same software. When I swap in the 1150, the new hardware will be there.

JackNaylorPE · Mar 12, 2015

rollotomasty :

possible yes....recommended or preferable no.

Keep reading your link beyond the 1st few posts..... there are numerous steps required to bring the system back to an un-customized state ... do you remember all of them ? It also doesn't remove of the bloat and errors that have accumulated over the years.

We shut down over the holidays and I go thru every HD here and reinstall the OS. It's much easier ofc if the OS is on it's own drive or partition.

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

USAFRet :

The article may have to do with sysprep, but it states that a full, new install is not necessary.

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

Just found this: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/296767-30-motherboard-swap-install-windows

Solution by pjmelect: "Although the recommended procedure is a clean install I have found through much experience that Windows 7 is very good at coping with motherboard changes (much better than Windows XP where you nearly always have to reinstall) and that you very rarely have to reinstall when changing motherboards. Of greater concern is the fact that windows will become deactivated due to the maximum hardware changes limit being exceeded."

USAFRet · Mar 12, 2015

rollotomasty :

We are not recommending a clean install 'just because'...we are recommending a clean install on the new hardware because 'it works'.

Installing drivers is much more than just extracting the driver. Just as any software....Registry entries, etc.

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

USAFRet :

rollotomasty :

We are not recommending a clean install 'just because'...we are recommending a clean install on the new hardware because 'it works'.

Installing drivers is much more than just extracting the driver. Just as any software....Registry entries, etc.

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by this comment.

USAFRet · Mar 12, 2015

rollotomasty :

Yes, Windows 7 is better than XP at this.
That means nothing. 'Better' does not mean 'perfect', or 'always'.

Go ahead. Try it.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Be prepared for if/when it does not work.

I have a pair of very similar Compaq laptops. Moving the drive with a clean Windows install between the two, in either direction, does not work.

As your link says - "Although the recommended procedure is a clean install..."

JackNaylorPE · Mar 12, 2015

rollotomasty :

Well if that's what you believe then by all means go ahead..... but you should be aware that a CPU (or any hardware) doesn't detect drivers, its the other way around.

Go ahead try and install a driver fort hardware that's not there.... you will get a popup with the installation software telling you the hardware is not present or that it can't find compatible hardware and it will refuse to install.

rollotomasty :

Emphasis on the bolded part. If you swap a Z87 MSI GD65 for a Z97 version, yes you can oft "get away with it'. That doesn't mean it will be optimized, run at best possible efficiency and not saddle you with delays in booting, loading programs, or doing other tasks.

What you are suggesting is using a maintenance manual and parts from for a 2009 Nissan Xterra and "praying" that everything will work on the 2015 model.

This is actually very similar to the hardware change limit issue raised above .... the more things that are the same from MpBo A to MoBo B, the less likely you are to have a problem with either the transfer or the activation issue. Conversely, the more things that are different, the more likely you are to have a problem. And as you are crossing what is equivalent to an epoch in PC history, moving past P67, P68, Z77, Z87, to Z97 and whatever I have forgotten plus 5 or 6 generations of on board audio, LAN, etc.... I wouldn't even think of making such an attempt.

I can understand that you may not want to undertake a fresh install but I don't think trying to force fit other answers to different questions is a worthwhile pursuit ... looking at your link where they guy says it's OK, lets look first at the question he was answering

Can you change out your current motherboard running Windows 7 with the same manufacturer's board and branded chipset with the same platform (AMD or Intel) by installing generic or standard drivers in place of all branded chipset drivers, i.e., ATI, Intel, Nividia, etc., with the old motherboard in place, then make the replacement and not have to do a clean install of the OS after replacing the motherboard?

Coming from an X58 platform, you most certainly DO NOT have the same branded chipset or any of the other onboard components.

rollotomasty · Mar 12, 2015

JackNaylorPE :

rollotomasty :

Well if that's what you believe then by all means go ahead..... but you should be aware that a CPU (or any hardware) doesn't detect drivers, its the other way around.

Go ahead try and install a driver fort hardware that's not there.... you will get a popup with the installation software telling you the hardware is not present or that it can't find compatible hardware and it will refuse to install.

rollotomasty :

Emphasis on the bolded part. If you swap a Z87 MSI GD65 for a Z97 version, yes you can oft "get away with it'. That doesn't mean it will be optimized, run at best possible efficiency and not saddle you with delays in booting, loading programs, or doing other tasks.

What you are suggesting is using a maintenance manual and parts from for a 2009 Nissan Xterra and "praying" that everything will work on the 2015 model.

This is actually very similar to the hardware change limit issue raised above .... the more things that are the same from MpBo A to MoBo B, the less likely you are to have a problem with either the transfer or the activation issue. Conversely, the more things that are different, the more likely you are to have a problem. And as you are crossing what is equivalent to an epoch in PC history, moving past P67, P68, Z77, Z87, to Z97 and whatever I have forgotten plus 5 or 6 generations of on board audio, LAN, etc.... I wouldn't even think of making such an attempt.

I can understand that you may not want to undertake a fresh install but I don't think trying to force fit other answers to different questions is a worthwhile pursuit ... looking at your link where they guy says it's OK, lets look first at the question he was answering

Can you change out your current motherboard running Windows 7 with the same manufacturer's board and branded chipset with the same platform (AMD or Intel) by installing generic or standard drivers in place of all branded chipset drivers, i.e., ATI, Intel, Nividia, etc., with the old motherboard in place, then make the replacement and not have to do a clean install of the OS after replacing the motherboard?

Coming from an X58 platform, you most certainly DO NOT have the same branded chipset or any of the other onboard components.

I am fully aware that drivers do not reside on the CPU; they will reside on the HDD with Win 7 on it. I am also fully aware that a clean OS install may be preferable. As far as this comment goes, "trying to force fit other answers to different questions is a worthwhile pursuit", that is not what I am doing. Nor is that Xterra analogy remotely close to what my situation is. In fact, your comments make me wonder if you understood my original question. If your analogy made sense, you're essentially saying I'm trying to use X58 drivers on a Z97 board, or vice-versa. This is not the case. The Z97 drivers will reside on my HDD until I swap the X58 out and put the Z97 in. The X58 shouldn't detect Z97 drivers. My original question was would such drivers negatively affect the X58 if I preinstall them.

USAFRet · Mar 12, 2015

My original question was would such drivers negatively affect the X58 if I preinstall them.

They will not 'install' on different hardware, because they will not detect the required hardware.

What are you trying to achieve with this? Time save for a new build?
You've already spent more time just in this discussion, vs just installing the drivers after the OS is installed with the new hardware.

I am also fully aware that a clean OS install may be preferable.

With different hardware (motherboard) it is often required. Always recommended.

rollotomasty · Mar 13, 2015

USAFRet :

I am seeking opinions about preinstalling drivers for the new mobo, and whether that would somehow mess up my current mobo (or rather the functionality thereof), which will be different from the new mobo in my (as yet unbuilt) new system. I feel I've been very clear on this. I've researched the possible outcomes of not doing a clean OS install; but that wasn't my question.

USAFRet · Mar 13, 2015

rollotomasty :

I put that at a 99.998% against actually working.

What do you hope to achieve by trying to install divers for a whole different motherboard?
The OS will need to be reinstalled anyway.

rollotomasty · Mar 13, 2015

USAFRet :

No it won't, as I've already stated and posted links to that effect.

You yourself stated that a reinstall is always recommended, but perhaps not required. That does not equal a 100% need to reinstall the OS.

I feel like I'm getting nowhere on this post.

And again, an OS fresh install is NOT what my question was.

USAFRet · Mar 13, 2015

'Preinstalling' the drivers will not work, because the driver software will not see the needed hardware.

JackNaylorPE · Mar 13, 2015

rollotomasty :

I didn't say anything about "residing". You said:

The 1366 should absolutely not detect the drivers

No, the 1366 nor any CPU, will not detect any drivers..... Again, you have it backwards, the drivers "detect" the CPU, chipset, auto, bluetooth, USB, LAN, etc.

In fact, your comments make me wonder if you understood my original question. If your analogy made sense, you're essentially saying I'm trying to use X58 drivers on a Z97 board, or vice-versa. This is not the case. The Z97 drivers will reside on my HDD until I swap the X58 out and put the Z97 in.

Those statements are completely contradictory. Here's your original question:

My question is this: will preinstalling drivers for the new mobo before I build the new PC somehow bork my current mobo?

So in fact you are asking about installing Z97 drivers on a X58. It is simply not possible and is in fact analogous to installing 2015 car parts (Z97) on a 2009 car (X58).

As was said numerous times, no you can not pre-install them ... the install program simply will not run because the driver installation program will look for the corresponding hardware and if it doesn't find it, the program will not proceed. For example, the Z97 related driver will:

1. Look for specific Z97 hardware.
2. Not find any Z97 hardware
3. Tell you it can't find the hardware
4. Abort the install process

Now if you want a solution that will actually work:

1. Create a folder on your HD (NOT the OS partition if you have multiple partitions)
2. Create a set of folders called say
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\Audio
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\BIOS
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\Bluetooth
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\Intel Chipset
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\LAN
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\USB
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\Utilities
- - - D:\Downloads\AsusM7H\VGA

3. Download the drivers to their respective locations

4. Open the manual and read it - I print out a copy for my users which we highlight important areas

5. After you uninstall all drivers from the old system, attempt the sysprep alternative, and install HD in new system, assuming it boots, AT THIS TIME install the new drivers.... then the new drivers (parts) will actually install (fit) since it will be able to detect the new hardware.

6. Run an registry cleaner to find as many dead links to software and hardware that is no longer there as you can.

7. Run a very thorough diskcleanup

8. Now think about how old the HD is and how much time is left before failure.... and plan how to migrate everything over with less hassle.

And you are still left with an inefficient OS install cluttered with flotsam and jetsam from the old OS install that Step 6 and 7 did not find.

The reason you are getting nowhere is that you are being told the exact same thing by experienced multiple sources and refuse to believe it. it is not going to work.... no matter how hard you pound, a square peg is NOT going to go into a round hole.

Now think about how old ya HD is and how much time is left before failure....

Will driver preinstall mess up my current mobo?

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