Upgraded motherboard, windows now not working!

You can't just switch motherboards. You have to reinstall Windows. Is the version of Windows Retail or OEM. According to the license agreement, the OEM version can only be installed on one computer, so you can't change the motherboard. However, the retail version will allow it, as long as it's only isntalled on one computer.

May seem like a silly question but what is the reason for not being able to change motherboards? I've changed mobos in other machines before with no problem with XP.

I've tried to use recovery console but I cant' get the option for a repair install to show, I've got XP home installed have both pro and home discs but home is legit where as pro is only there for the rec console.

I really don't want to totally re-install as there are a few programs I can't get back.

You can change motherboards but Windows XP won't boot if the new mobo has a different hard drive controller than the new one.

http://www.windowsxphome.windowsre [...] guides.htm

Grumpy

ok I've got the repair install option up and was running ok got all the way to 13mins remaining and registering components then it hangs have read various sites recomendations on this some say it's a no go and fudged have to re-install others say it's updating itself and have to just let it run...problem is I'm going from sp1 cd i think may be pre sp1 to what are we now sp3......i'm going to be waiting a while if that is the case, has anyone else had this? is there any way to circumvent it?

If the CD you had contained SP1 and if your computer has SP3, then Windows would NOT have allowed you to proceed with the repair installation. It would of stopped you at the beginning saying that the version on your computer outdates the CD, or something along those lines.