Tom's Hardware > Forum > Motherboards & Memory > General Motherboard > After I change mobo, how do I install Windows?

After I change mobo, how do I install Windows?

Forum Motherboards & Memory : General Motherboard - After I change mobo, how do I install Windows?

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
warofart   03-15-2009 at 04:02:34 AM

What's the correct procedure, after I switch motherboards, and all the necessary connections have been made, how I go about doing a fresh install of Windows XP.

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
knotknut   03-15-2009 at 04:30:57 AM
- 0 +

Is the Motherboard New?
Basic Directions:
In Bios Set your CD/DVD Drive as First Boot Device
Escape
Put XP Disk in CD/DVD tray
F10
Windows will Start Installation
Follow instructions for Clean install

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp [...] fault.mspx

Reply to knotknut
warofart   03-15-2009 at 04:41:33 AM
- 0 +

Yes it's new, thank you for replying.

So the very first time I boot up, the Bios is gonna come up? It's not gonna attempt to load up the old Windows and crash?

Reply to warofart
jitpublisher   03-15-2009 at 02:56:01 PM
- 0 +

Not if you hit the delete key to enter the BIOS first.


Message edited by jitpublisher on 03-15-2009 at 02:56:53 PM
Reply to jitpublisher
warofart   03-15-2009 at 07:38:44 PM
- 0 +

Alright, sorry for my noobiness, but you gotta start somewhere. See you on the other side.

Reply to warofart
mamw93   03-16-2009 at 05:10:47 AM
- 0 +

You shouldn't have to reinstall windows. Windows is installed to your hard drive, not the motherboard. Just install the motherboard and boot... windows will automatically isntall drivers for it and you are good to go. If you think I am lying... try it and if it doesn't work........... go into the BIOS and set CD drive as first boot priority then reboot with Windows in the drive and follow the instructions.

Message quoted 2 times
Reply to mamw93
warofart   03-16-2009 at 11:48:44 AM
- 0 +

Too late! Everything seems to be working perfectly. Just hit small hitch in the whole too many activations issue, but I just called instead of doing it online.

 

The other thing is that my 5.1 speakers only have sound on the front left and right. Motherboard does support that.


Message edited by warofart on 03-16-2009 at 11:57:48 AM
Reply to warofart
chunkymonster   03-16-2009 at 02:30:38 PM
- 0 +

mamw93 wrote :

You shouldn't have to reinstall windows. Windows is installed to your hard drive, not the motherboard. Just install the motherboard and boot... windows will automatically isntall drivers for it and you are good to go. If you think I am lying... try it and if it doesn't work........... go into the BIOS and set CD drive as first boot priority then reboot with Windows in the drive and follow the instructions.




Be careful about booting up a new mobo from an existing hard drive with a pre-installed copy of Windows. In theory, Windows "should" detect the new hardware and "automatically" install the required drivers, that is providing the hardware changes are not so drastc. If the hardware specs are too different from one mobo to the next, Windows may not even load as it will not be able to recognize the hardware. More times than not, you are better off installing a fresh copy of Windows after swapping out the mobo, give yourself a clean slate and minimize driver conflicts and Windows errors. Dont' get me wrong, just booting using the existing Windows install could very well work, but 15 years of experience has taught me this is a bad idea and typically leads to a fresh install anyway...save yourself the time and just do a fresh install.

------------------------------ ASRock X58 Extreme - Core i7 920 - 6GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3 1600 - Sapphire 4890 2GB - Creative Xtreme Gamer - 4-80GB WD in RAID0 on HighPoint RR 2310 as OS drive - 1-320GB WD scratch drive - Corsair CMPSU 750TX - HAF 932 - Hanns-G 281DPB @ 1900x1200
 Reply to chunkymonster
jitpublisher   03-16-2009 at 02:56:45 PM
- 0 +

mamw93 wrote :

You shouldn't have to reinstall windows. Windows is installed to your hard drive, not the motherboard. Just install the motherboard and boot... windows will automatically isntall drivers for it and you are good to go. If you think I am lying... try it and if it doesn't work........... go into the BIOS and set CD drive as first boot priority then reboot with Windows in the drive and follow the instructions.



Bad, bad, bad advice.
New motherboard, always do a fresh install of Windows, unless the board is a very near replacement board to what you already had.
Even then, it is still better to start over fresh.

Reply to jitpublisher
warofart   03-17-2009 at 06:42:18 AM
- 0 +

Yes, I agree, that's what I've been hearing from most people. And I gotta say, I've had NO problems so far, no crazy blue screen of death, no weird erros. It's been pretty, pretty, pretty, good.

 

I got the 5.1 speakers to work again. But I've noticed that the HDD LED is not blinking or doing anything, I think I might have connected it incorrectly.


Message edited by warofart on 03-17-2009 at 06:57:23 AM
Reply to warofart
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Motherboards & Memory > General Motherboard > After I change mobo, how do I install Windows?
Go to:

There are 875 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.545 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them
How do I win badges?