replace motherboard without reinstall windows?

[Chiles4]

Another vote for a full clean OS install. As a sort of Frankenstein experiment I tried to do this with Win98SE and got a fatal BSOD when booting with the new board. I followed all the recommended steps but no go.

Partitions are great for holding data when you redo your OS on your C: partition. I've also used a superfast method of actually renaming the Windows and Program Files directories and reinstalling Windows fresh when there was no other partition available for storing large amount of data.

[upinya]

I'd go with a fresh install,, I tried it once, and it was a BIG pain. It's SO hard to trobleshoot when you go with that plan.
IMO Course

[Martoch]

Clean install! I've seen several "hot swap" attempts end up as clean installs...save yourself some time and do it right.

I believe Surreal has had successful mobo swaps w/out clean installs...I blame it on good luck!

[sheriff]

I've gone from a asus-a7v to a gigabyte ga7dx, (using win2kpro) the old a7v had a "o"clocked 1.2 gig cpu and I changed to a xp 1800+. No problems. changed ram also, sdram to rdram, 768mb to 512mb, changed video cards also now that I think about it. Boy guess I was lucky, everything works fine.

[big_buick]

i also swapped boards with win 2k pro, with no problems..

[Brainchild]

I believe Surreal has had successful mobo swaps w/out clean installs

Me 3
I think it would perform better if I did reinstal l though
But It woked for me

BC

[Gutter Ball]

I'm too lazy to do clean installs. I've been swapping, but the mobos have always been ASUS so I haven't had a problem. When Windows boots after the install, it starts installing drivers if needed.

[lost-and-found]

I was actually successful to run windows without a problem a few times after changing the mobos. I would still recommend a clean instal. As John Locke would say "Tabula Rasa"

[skyfish]

I acctually did a 'repair' installation after swap for a try, since the vendor send me a wrong version (non-raid, and I requested a raid version). the windows XP works fine, (but I have another non-related issue )

when I recall the process, I doubt I needed a 'repair' at all, because after repair I got the same massage that the boot disk couldn't find. it turns out the I didn't set the WD hard drive from 'master' to 'single'.

I'm sure a clean reintallation would be better. so when the vendor send me the right one (if they can do it right this time!), I will start clean. My system partition needs to be cleaned up anyway.

be sure to look at my new problem, and give me some advice. thanks!

[RainFire]

In a single word *REinstall*

The pain you avoid will be worth the time invested.