Reinstalling Windows After Changing Motherboard

[servif2002]

Good Day,

This maybe a strange question but I want to know if is it necessary to reinstall Windows if you are changing motherboard to a new one with the same chipset and brand...I mean a DFI Infinity NF$ SLi to a DFI LAN PARTY UT NF4 SLI-D...

Thanks for your time....

 

[Kholonar]

Actually, it might be a little worse than that. Windows xp uses product activation which basically locks itself to a certain motherboard, by changing the motherboard you may have to phone up microsoft to get the activation changed.

 

[servif2002]

ups...Thanks for your reply..didnt think about it.....Now I will need to find my license number....Thanks for your reply

 

[nigelf]

ups...Thanks for your reply..didnt think about it.....Now I will need to find my license number....Thanks for your reply

dont tell ms that tough ... say you had to format due to viruses (that what i do - and i have 6 pc all on the same liscense)

 

[chunkymonster]

MS and windows activation issues aside...

If the chipsets are the same, the hardware is the same, and all things are equal with the exception of onboard devices that are able to be updated with a driver, then yes, you can "just" swap out mobos...if the chipset and devices are different, then you definitely want to re-install or things will get pretty buggy.

Back in the day, I swapped out hardware (drives, gpu, cpu, roms, etc) that came from a Soyo SY-KT333 (Via KT333 chipset) to an Asus A7V333 (also the KT333) and aside from reloading some drivers, it worked fine enough.

Conversely, a friend of mine just took the drive from his old machine and complained when windows wouldn't load properly and BSOD'd.

Again, MS activation issues aside, it can be done, but it's really not recommended.

Good luck!