Replacing MB

[jeffreywest]

I have to replace a dead MB. Can I just swap it and boot the computer, or do I have to reinstall the OS? If it's the latter, will reinstalling WinXP Pro overwrite the existing installation? I'd like to save it.

Thanks,
Jeffrey

 

[4Ryan6]

A new M/B will require a reinstall of the OP Sys and wipe out your information on the hardrive, if I was in your shoes and had info on the drive I absolutely didn't want to loose, I would get a new hardrive boot the machine up with that one and then hook up the second drive as a slave to the first then transfer my files to the new hardrive or just leave them on the second drive with full access to them. You may not want to spend the money to go this route but its the safest and easiest way around the problem with no chance of loosing data. Ryan

Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.

 

[CMRvet]

Please reinstall all the OS. It's always the safest way.

<b>(<font color=yellow>as good as it looks</font color=yellow>)</b>

 

[lhgpoobaa]

You can leave the OS intact, but you will probably have to let it autodetect all your hardware again. so chances are something will go screwey.
better to boot using safe mode then reinstall.

<b><font color=blue>I prefer to blend into the background, because it's much easier to sneak up on people and disembowel them that way. Arr!</b></font color=blue>

 

[Lonemagi]

Isnt it possible with XP to just to bot the system with the existing HD, to be sure everything works, then take and boot with the XP install disc, and do a OS repair?

You dont have an <b>ANY</b> key? Your keyboard must not be Windows XP certified...

 

[HammerBot]

If the new mobo is identical to the old, it is possible. Otherwise it most likely is not. However, there is no harm trying. If windows crash during boot, it has problably loaded some drivers that the new mobo doesnt like, no harm done. You can try a windows repair as suggested, but I dont think that is enough. If your system crashes during boot you probably need to do a fresh install.
As for the existing data on the drive, you can install windows on top of the old one (Dont choose new install or format). In that case, everything outside the 'Windows' and 'program files' folders is not touched, and all third party items in these folders are left intact. So your work data is safe.
The new windows install is able to inherit most of the registry settings from the old install, so you probably dont even need to reinstall all your apps.
However, once you get the system up and running you should back up all your work in case that any apps reinstall overwrites or deletes something.

 

[jeffreywest]

OK---just changed motherboard and no change.

I swapped a vid card from a working computer into this broken one, and it didn't work. I put the video card from the broken PC into the working PC, and there was no vid signal at the monitor---just like the broken PC.

I changed the MOBO, but left everything else alone. I had moved the NIC and SCSI cards into the working PC earlier and they worked OK.

What else could be going on?

 

[pat]

boot your system without extra card for start. just install hdd and video...forget the nic, sound,...

go simple!

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!