Compatible?

[pbrad08]

I'm looking to clean up my desktop and was looking just for a new motherboard. I have an Intel DP965LT currently and am looking to upgrade to an Asus P5B Deluxe.

Also, i'm looking to move over to the new(from the old on the same copy of windows) board flawlessly and was curious if anyone knew if I should be good to go. I understand to get your old version of windows to boot successfully to a new motherboard you must have the same chipsets, so here they are to compare and make the judgement:

Intel DP965LT
Chipsets
North Bridge Intel P965 Express
South Bridge Intel ICH8

ASUS P5B Deluxe
Chipsets
North Bridge Intel P965 Express
South Bridge Intel ICH8R

From what I've gathered, they are (technically) identical boards except for the ASUS's "R" at the end of the southbridge model, which stands for Raid. Will that throw the whole motherboard change out of wack and cause it to not get into windows properly?

What other problems could I encounter doing this?

Thanks!

[RicheemxX]

There shouldn't be compatibility issues but is there really a reason from going from one board to another? Other than adding RAID and or some overclocking features you aren't really gaining much are you?

As for your Windows install is this an OEM version of Windows or Retail? Just having the same chipset doesn't ensure it will work but it does help. You are almost always better of going with a fresh install, but at the very min I suggest doing a repair install.

[pbrad08]

I pretty much wanna switch for the 2 PCIe slots for maybe SLI and I do not wanna just go all out and get a new rig when all my parts work just fine.

I would just be getting a new GPU, but (I don't know why) I have a gross feeling putting a modern PCIe 2.0 GPU on my PCIe 1.0 X16 slot....I just dont know how much I'm shorting myself not having 2.0

[RicheemxX]

You wouldn't want the P5B for SLI besides not being an SLI board it only runs the second pci-e x16 slot in x2 or x4 mode.

Edit: and to be totally honest I'm not sure you'd even want or need to run two gtx 280's in SLI with the setup you have.

[JPMiller]

Waste of time, and you may not even be able to do SLI with your current PSU...
SLI is a waste in most cases, and unless your ugrading everything else, I expect you will bottleneck anyway

[pbrad08]

Hmmm, well thanks for the helpful answers guess i'll have to second guess upgrading. Perhaps I'll leave everything the way it is now and do a whole new build in a year or 2.

Thanks