If I install a new motherboard will my WXP HOME SP2 still function

[BraveDave]

What can I expect to happen if I replace my motherboard because the PCI bus
has broken?
Will I still be able to use Windows XP HOME SP2 - the mb is effectively the
equivalent architecture

 

[Paul]

What can I expect to happen if I replace my motherboard because the PCI bus
has broken?
Will I still be able to use Windows XP HOME SP2 - the mb is effectively the
equivalent architecture

You can try a repair install. What I like to do for home usage, is to
clone (copy) the original disk, to a brand new disk. The brand new disk
is my backup, if something happens. Generally, if you are going to do
home computer repair, it helps to have a second working computer, and
that is the machine you'd use to make a clone of the original disk. Many
of the disk manufacturers have utilities on their site, to help make the
copy operation easier. If you screw it up, you can always copy from the
new disk, back onto the old one, then try again to do the repair
install. (I've screwed it up a couple times, so it pays off.)

The basic advice being offered here, is to not enter the "Recovery
Console". You have to be careful, when doing the Repair Install,
to answer the prompts correctly at the beginning. There are other
articles than this one, but this is the most quoted as a reference.
Some of the others are easier to read.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Since you say your install CD is already at the SP2 Service Pack level,
that means there shouldn't be problems with disks >137GB or with
USB2 drivers (built-in). So in that respect, that is a good Service
Pack level to use for the job.

Also, when doing the Repair Install, depending on where the disks
are plugged in, you might need to provide drivers on a floppy,
and press F6 at the appropriate time. For example, if you had an
Intel Southbridge, and were not using AHCI or RAID mode, then
no drivers would be needed. If you plugged into a disk port hosted
by a chip other than the Southbridge (i.e. a JMB363, a Promise Controller),
then generally you need a driver if you expect to boot from that
controller.

Some motherboard CDs, offer a "Makedisk" option. That is supposed to be
an easy way to make a driver floppy, complete with TXTSETUP.OEM file
at the top level. By looking in TXTSETUP.OEM, or in the .INF files you
find on the floppy, that will give some idea what drivers they've
put on the floppy for you.

If you quote the new motherboard make and model, someone can provide
more focused advice.

A Repair Install isn't always the right answer. For example, on one of
my machines, the original install was botched with respect to ACPI.
(The BIOS on the motherboard was a bad release, and didn't prepare
ACPI tables properly. Windows refused to install ACPI.) You cannot
fix certain ACPI problems with a Repair Install. But if the original
install was in good shape (you could put the computer to sleep and
wake it without a problem), I don't see a reason it won't work.

HTH,
Paul

 

[BraveDave]

Thanks for that Paul, I was more concerned about WXP activation disabling my
version of XP because the h/w had changed too much, but now I know there is
obviously a lot more to take into consideration.
The only reason my version of WXP HOME is SP2 is because of Windows Update -
I do have the original WXP HOME CD but I was truly hoping to avoid a
reinstallation of all the applications I have and WXP HOME for that matter.
Unfortunately I have no spare HDD nor PC.
The drive will remain the 120GB IDE as will the DVD+RW drive remain.

You seem to be suggesting, by omission, that there is no chance of putting
in the new mb & CPU and then booting into safe mode and updating the drivers?
WOuld this be the correct gist of your comment?

Cheers
(not-so) BraveDave

 

[Ghostrider]

Thanks for that Paul, I was more concerned about WXP activation disabling my
version of XP because the h/w had changed too much, but now I know there is
obviously a lot more to take into consideration.
The only reason my version of WXP HOME is SP2 is because of Windows Update -
I do have the original WXP HOME CD but I was truly hoping to avoid a
reinstallation of all the applications I have and WXP HOME for that matter.
Unfortunately I have no spare HDD nor PC.
The drive will remain the 120GB IDE as will the DVD+RW drive remain.

You seem to be suggesting, by omission, that there is no chance of putting
in the new mb & CPU and then booting into safe mode and updating the drivers?
WOuld this be the correct gist of your comment?

Cheers
(not-so) BraveDave

<<snipped>>

There are a few more, other vital factors that need to be considered
and they were not mentioned in the original post. First, what exact
version of Windows XP Home Edition is it? That is, is it the retail
version from Microsoft or is it the Microsoft OEM version for computers
without OS's or a branded Windows XP or a recovery cdrom? Second, just
how similar/dissimilar are the motherboards? Or, what are they? Third,
how prepared are you to do telephone activation because a change in
motherboard and CPU is enough to change the hash number and do you
know what to say over the telephone? Since telephone activation is
most likely inevitable, one might as well do a clean installation of
XP Home for the replacement motherboard and CPU.

 

[BraveDave]

Thanks for the tips Ghostrider -
the mb is an ASRock AMIBIOS K7S8X BIOS P1.90 - P1.90 with
AMD Athlon XP +2600

My MS WXP Home is OEM version.

I'm moving to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ AM2 Processor, 2.1GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Cache, 2000MHz FSB Socket AM2

and

ASROCK AM2NF3-VSTA ATX MOTHERBOARD

and I hoping the activation will happen automatically over the internet -
but if I have to phone I have to phone.

However, I don't have the amount of time to completely reinstall everything;
in past experience this can take upward of 6 hours to get all the
configuration options of the applications back to as they were before - but,
again, if it's necessary then I'll have to fit it in. My main problem is that
after my day job (10hrs) I have an evening job which totally relies on the PC
but I suppose it's just deciding when I can afford not to work in the evening
or w/end for a day!!

cheers

 

[Paul]

Thanks for that Paul, I was more concerned about WXP activation disabling my
version of XP because the h/w had changed too much, but now I know there is
obviously a lot more to take into consideration.
The only reason my version of WXP HOME is SP2 is because of Windows Update -
I do have the original WXP HOME CD but I was truly hoping to avoid a
reinstallation of all the applications I have and WXP HOME for that matter.
Unfortunately I have no spare HDD nor PC.
The drive will remain the 120GB IDE as will the DVD+RW drive remain.

You seem to be suggesting, by omission, that there is no chance of putting
in the new mb & CPU and then booting into safe mode and updating the drivers?
WOuld this be the correct gist of your comment?

Cheers
(not-so) BraveDave

A Repair Install gives an orderly way to solve the "Windows is missing the
driver to boot off the disk" problem. It gives an opportunity to press
F6 and offer a custom boot driver, if one is needed.

I've successfully done a transplant, by installing the default Microsoft
IDE driver on the old system (i.e. not a hardware company driver, but a
driver that works with standards defined IDE devices). Then, moved the
hard drive to another motherboard that had a standards defined IDE
hard drive interface. Since the Microsoft driver worked with both
(Intel) Southbridges, it worked. I was greeted with a whole bunch of
newly discovered hardware, lots of drivers to install, lots of reboots etc.
But for that to work, my old motherboard still worked, so I could delete the
old Southbridge disk driver, and allow Windows to install the default
Microsoft one. Some Southbridges really need their hardware manufacturer
driver, in order to be able to boot into Windows, in which case this kind
of method won't work.

In the old days, there were techniques like "deleting the ENUM key" in
the registry, which effectively starts the hardware discovery sequence
all over again. There is also the ability in Windows, to define a
hardware profile (you see a choice during bootup, as to which one you
want to use). Hardware profiles were intended for laptop environments,
where perhaps a docking station was being used. Neither of those methods
are going to solve the problem, that the OS cannot even boot to the point
of checking for new hardware etc.

A Repair Install preserves applications and settings. It does not preserve
any Service Packs that are not already on the CD (which is why people
may add them via AutoStreamer and make a new install CD). Effectively,
it takes you back to the OS state just after an OS install. You still have
to add any missing Service Packs after that, plus Security Patches and the
other stuff you get from Windows Update.

I'm not an authority on activation, so I cannot tell you how many changes
constitute a problem. My experience is with Win98 and Win2K. Win2K was
purchased with the specific intent, of never having to phone anyone. (In
other words, when I was at the store, both WinXP and Win2K were for sale
next to one another - I chose Win2K.)

If there is nothing of value on the 120GB drive, then you don't need
backups. Otherwise, I'd find a way to remedy that situation. Maybe the
right answer, is to buy a new disk, and do a fresh install onto it with
your WinXP CD. Then connect the 120GB as a data drive, and copy across
the valuable stuff.

I always keep one or two hard drives spare in the house, for the specific
purpose of doing stuff like this, with some margin for error. When hard
drives are $50 a pop, it just makes sense to have a few around.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E&N=2010150014 1035907789&bop=And&Order=PRICE

In terms of a second computer for emergencies, you can get items like
these.

TC2502 $200 (Linux)
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614

GV3502 $278 (Vista)
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754613

Assuming this is the motherboard used in both of those, you get
a couple IDE connectors, and could use a machine like this for
cloning disks. The processor on this is relatively slow (and
I imagine Vista would run like a pig), but in terms of giving
you the ability to connect to the Internet, make USENET postings,
this is one option.

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2007/11/lowcost_board_runs_linux.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890
http://www.everex.com/products/gpc/gpc_techspec.htm#techspec

Paul

 

[BraveDave]

Thanks for the tips and pointers Paul & Ghostrider.
When the h/w arrives I'm going to install it and then boot of the WXP CD and
attempt an Installation Repair - hopefully this will preserve my apps and get
me to a situation where I can update the drivers if necessary and activate
over the web.
Before that I may just use the WXP migration wizard to backup my app
settings to be reinstalled after the dreaded fresh install of everything - it
was a lot easier before WXP (ie W98 SE ver ???) but also a lot more unstable.

cheers again. Will update the post with the outcome.

 

[Ghostrider]

Thanks for the tips Ghostrider -
the mb is an ASRock AMIBIOS K7S8X BIOS P1.90 - P1.90 with
AMD Athlon XP +2600

My MS WXP Home is OEM version.

I'm moving to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ AM2 Processor, 2.1GHz, 2 x 512KB L2
Cache, 2000MHz FSB Socket AM2

and

ASROCK AM2NF3-VSTA ATX MOTHERBOARD

and I hoping the activation will happen automatically over the internet -
but if I have to phone I have to phone.

However, I don't have the amount of time to completely reinstall everything;
in past experience this can take upward of 6 hours to get all the
configuration options of the applications back to as they were before - but,
again, if it's necessary then I'll have to fit it in. My main problem is that
after my day job (10hrs) I have an evening job which totally relies on the PC
but I suppose it's just deciding when I can afford not to work in the evening
or w/end for a day!!

cheers

Just be wary of a possible new activation requirement vis-a-vis an
OEM version of Windows XP. It may not happen at all as a result of the
HD migration. But should activation be needed, it will certainly be a
telephonic one. This election is decided within the OS already present
on the hard drive.

OTOH, a fresh installation usually always trigger a remote activation
over the Internet unless the particular Product Key has been over-used
(and recently). The sticking point will be the EULA. For the OEM version
of Windows XP, it is limited to the original computer. Be very careful of
what to say for the reason for re-activation.

Look in microsoft.public.windowsxp.general for similar tales, tactics
and outcomes.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

What can I expect to happen if I replace my motherboard because the PCI bus
has broken?
Will I still be able to use Windows XP HOME SP2 - the mb is effectively the
equivalent architecture

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
installations are BIOS-locked to a specific motherboard chipset and
therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - check yours
before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical
(same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one
on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to
perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with WinXP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
"tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
than the Win9x group.

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than
120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.



--

Bruce Chambers

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killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[BraveDave]

Many thanks for the additional information Bruce.
After all the comments I'm sorta resigned to the fact that, whether I like
it or not, I may have to do a clean installation and try to convince the
people on the other end of the MS activation line that I really haven't
installed WXP on any other PC apart from my own.

cheers again.

 

[BraveDave]

Replacing a motherboard and not losing your previously installed apps on a
Windows XP SP1 PC, i.e. you want to keep your primary HDD
The reason I went through the following processes is because, for some
unknown reason, the PCI bus on my original mb stopped functioning to such a
degree that if I used any more than 2 USB devices, either through a PCI USB
or the onboard USB ports Windows would blue screen. In effect I was reduced
to the use of a USB mouse and a USB printer which I had to re-install every
time I have to restart the PC.
Some mental points I noted
1. Before replacing the motherboard make sure all component drivers are
available on your HDD
2. Make sure you have relevant MS Service packs available on your HDD
a. Some motherboard manufactures do not tell you that SP2 is required for
certain onboard components like the network card
3. Make sure you have an Internet enabled PC available other than the one
you are updating
4. Make sure you have a PCI network card that will work with older versions
of XP
a. This is very helpful if the onboard network card that comes with your new
mb does not work with the service pack version of XP you have.
5. It’s a good idea to have a 10/100mb Ethernet hub available with required
cabling as a last resort so that you can connect the PC you are upgrading to
the “available†PC which does have a connection to the Internet — this type
of configuration requires the Internet enabled PC to connect over wireless to
the Internet.
a. The old PCI NIC I found was only 10mb and the Ethernet port on my
wireless router only understood 100mb, so I had to connect to a laptop over
UTP in order to get access to the XP service pack I didn’t have in order to
install it and allow all the onboard components to install after that;
including the new mb’s onboard NIC.
6. Activating XP again is so much easier over an Internet connection than
the telephone; I tried the telephone option first but gave up when the
telephone instructions didn’t match up with the onscreen instructions. This
is also the point when I decided to do anything I could to make sure my newly
repaired installation of XP would be able to connect and activate over the
Internet, hence the previous points about NIC cards.

The above are just pertinent points; the following are some top tips when
either through design or need major PC surgery is required.
• When the installation actions seem to take forever
o Be patient
o Make sure you have access to your preferred beverage
 If you don’t, go make/get it
• Do not get stressed
o In my experience (now 17 years with regards to PCs) getting stressed
somehow affects anything you want to do with PCs; without a doubt the process
you’ve started will begin to suffer failures. I don’t know why but I’m just
commenting on my experience.
• Avoid days of the week that have a “T†in them
o Through a certain amount of pain my colleague and I have scientifically
come to this conclusion through tests and experience.
• Be prepared
o Make sure you have every CD/DVD of device drivers relevant to the PC
configuration you are trying to rebuild. (Obviously this doesn’t help when
the DVD/CDROM drive is at fault but I would hark back to point 1 above.)
o With the installation of new mb components, damned well make sure your PSU
has the power to drive them. (Another thing I came across that was not
included in the graphics card documentation but was defined on the Internet.)
• Internet re-activation of XP seems to be painless.