New mobo and windows question...

MitchMeister-

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Feb 6, 2006
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So i figured out that my problems lay with the motherboard. So i ordered a new k8n-deluxe (asus) from newegg and it should be here today. So im gonna go home tonight and install the new mobo with the new vid card and extra ram i got in yesterday. Now .. am i going to have to format and reinstall windows xp home again? because when i did this last time, i just plugged in my old HDD and it booted, tried to load windows and blue screened on me. Now i havent worked at a pc store in about 3 years and dont remember about this one. Is there anyway i can do this without having to reinstall windows? probably not im assuming since it needs new mobo drivers and it will be loading the wrong ones.



Second question.
When i installed windows onto the 10gb partition with the last mobo, it booted fine. But when i went into the 40Gb partition that windows was installed on last time, i could only acsess my mom and sisters stuff. Mine and my fathers i couldnt. Now.. i had about 4 gb of music and another 6 or so of videos/pictures. I cant get at them now. Ive done numerous searches, and under 'shared documents' and 'mitch's files' it says the folder is only 1 byte. Now im assuming all my stuff is gone.. but the partition still says it only has 15gb available still, which is what it had on my old setup. So i cant access it ... but its still taking up space..
 

Anoobis

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First: Yes reformat the drive and make it a clean install. I don't care what anybody says about this. Windows does not like it when you install a new mobo and try to use an existing install. You'll get conflicts across the board as well as you the dreaded BSOD.

Back up your data either to CD-Roms (suxs), DVDs (not as bad) or a spare HD if you have one laying around.

Then re-install.


Second: Your question is too confusing. Please try to explain it more clearly. Are you saying you installed Windows on multiple partitions of single a HD?
 

MitchMeister-

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Sorry... what i mean is i actually have windows installed on two partitions on my hdd. When i got the new hardware installed i went to load windows and it bluescreened. I remembered that windows didnt like new mobo's, so i went to reinstall windows. When i got into installing it showed 3 partitions. 1(2gb) was for my page file. 2(40gb) was what i had windows installed on previouslly. 3(15gb) was unformated/empty. I dont know why 15gb was unformated, so i formated it and installed windows on that partition. I figured that would be the best way for me to have windows installed and still be able to access all of my files. Well, it worked fine, but when i got into windows it would not let me access my folder. Kept saying that it was read only. Well, when i looked, it was only 5 bytes. I have at least 4gb of music in that folder and 6gb of video/pictures. So long story short i cant access the files i need to, so having two partitions is pointless unless i can get at those files. So what im asking is does anyone know why it wont let me at those files, yet they are still 'there' meaning the 40 gb partition still has 25gb of space taken up ?
 

Mobius

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Man I wish people wouldn't reformat when they change motherboards. Why would you think you have to? Dear sweet baby jebus - XP migrates EASILY to a new motherboard.

The secret is to remove all drivers related to the motherboard before your final shutdown.

There are plenty of sites (Google) which will detail which drivers to remove - but if in doubt - just remove most of 'em, and all which seem to pertain to the motherboard.
 

MitchMeister-

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well.. i wish i woulda new this before i dedcided to swap out parts.. lol. well.. my old mobo boots sometimes.. im gonna try and do that tonight to save time.