Question about motherboard replacement

[texmurphy]

Hi guys,

I have a question - my motherboard's toast and I've found another of the same type on the internet. Will replacing my old motherboard with a new one of the same type require a new OS install (Windows in this case).

Thanks.

 

[jdenova007]

As long as it's the same exact model, then no... I replace them all the time, but it must be the same exact motherboard.

 

[jsc]

... ,but it must be the same exact motherboard.

Mostly true.

Identical is best. Usually same brand and chipset will work. I can swap drives between my GA-EP45-UD3P and GAEP45-UD3L motherboards all day and they both still work - mostly. It breaks the Windows activation because the MAC address of the built in ethernet ports are different, at least until I swap the drives back.

But after that, the odds of success go downhill pretty quickly.