A Guide to Swapping Motherboards?

  • Thread starter Thread starter glee
  • Start date Start date
G

glee

Is there a simple way to do this without losing data,
losing settings, having to reinstall applications and
perhaps not having to reinstall service packs. I
undertsand the latter is necessary if a 'repair install'
is carried out after swapping mobos. TIA.
 
i changed my motherboard without losing anything. why
would you lose anything anyway? all that stuff is on the
hard drive.
 
Use the same model motherboard, or one with the same
chipset.

There's no hard and fast rule. If the chipset is
different, odds are it needs a different HAL (a special
file that Windows uses to be able to talk to your
motherboard).

You won't lose data or settings (although you should
always do a full backup beforehand just in case), you
won't have to reinstall applications, but you will have
to reinstall service packs and updates.

Here's the best way to do this:

When you're ready to change motherboards, do the
following:

Insert your XP CD while XP is running.
Launch XP Setup, choose to "Upgrade".
When the computer reboots to continue setup, turn the
power off.
Swap motherboards.
Turn the power back on, and let XP setup complete
the "upgrade".
Reinstall service packs + updates.
 
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