mobo + cpu change == reformat ????

[cuti7399]

Hi,

I want to change my motherboard and cpu. Is there anyway I can do this without having to reformat and reinstall windows. I'm running P965 chipset and want to change P35 chipset. Thanks for any input and help

 

[o1die]

The usual method is to uninstall as many device drivers from the device manager before shutting down and removing the old board. Then install the new board and reboot. Windows will reconfigure the new devices, and ask for the new motherboard device drivers using the driver cd that comes with the board. Vista may not need it. It has 14 gb worth of drivers for many newer boards. Windows xp also has a repair option, but I've never tried it. Please read the previous post below: "prescribed procedures for replacing motherboard".

 

[Denithor]

This process is probably worth a try.

Otherwise, for XP, you can alway do the second repair option (after hitting F8 to accept the EULA) which nukes system files and restores to defaults on your XP disk. Then you just have to go through the update process all over again.

I'm not familiar enough with Vista to comment on migration with that OS (having just moved up to it 2 weeks ago).

 

[crispy2010]

Both being intel chipsets (right?) I would say it would boot right up. All you would have to do is install new drivers!

If you were switching platforms, intel to amd, I would say format.