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Upgrade Motherboard without reinstalling Windows?
Is there a way to upgrade a motherboard without reinstalling Windows. I'll be upgrading for christmas and do not want to reinstall anything.
FYI : I'll be changing from Intel to a AMD motherboard (upgrading everything apart from HDD)
If I cannot do this is there a way to backup all my data in Windows like Time Machine does on a Mac.
FYI : I'll be changing from Intel to a AMD motherboard (upgrading everything apart from HDD)
If I cannot do this is there a way to backup all my data in Windows like Time Machine does on a Mac.
Tags: 7, AMD, Intel, Windows, backup, changing, machine, motherboard, reinstall, time, More…
Views: 516
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mystic Virgo on -
Dafz, So long as you do not mess with the data in your HDD's , I do not think you would have to worry about reinstalling windows... or anything else for that matter.
My wife and I have done several motherboard transplants, and have often moved HDD's from one system to another when building. Never had to reinstall windows once it was on the HDD
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Permalink Reply by Dafz Thomas on -
Did you uninstall hardware drivers and such. Because my worry is that Windows knows what hardware it was installed on, will I have boot errors??
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Permalink Reply by Wandering I on -
Nope, not if going to amd from intel. If you were staying with intel you MIGHT be able to get away it if you used similar chipsets but for the majority of cases out there no, your best bet would be to throw everything on to an external and reinstall after the upgrade.
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Permalink Reply by Dafz Thomas on
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Do you know of any Time Machine equivalent backup solutions for Windows?? I like time machine on the mac because it backs up virtually everything from Documents to Applications to System Settings.
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Permalink Reply by Wandering I on
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I've actually found the file and settings transfer program in xp work fairly well with moving documents and settings stuff, but as far as software I hate to say it but your more than likely gonna be stuck re-installing most of it. FYI, if you use the transfer wizard to back up your settings, install the software onto the new comp first, and then reapply the settings. If you reapply the saved stuff first, you wont retain the settings for software that you haven't installed on the new one yet that you had on the old one.
example would be photoshop. the settings you used with photoshop will be saved in the file when you use the transfer wizard. However, if you don't re-install photoshop first on the new board and stuff before you apply the saved settings, it won't apply any of those specific settings since there's no program to append them to.
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Permalink Reply by Dafz Thomas on
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Does the Backup feature in Windows 7 do anything special????
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Permalink Reply by TyphoidKitten on -
If you didn't reinstall all you'd get is BSOD's. So yes, you have to reinstall and start from scratch.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Bing on -
I think you're going to waste a lot of time with this workaround, only to have to do what you dread in the first place. I have a Norton feature that would put my files in cyberspace and then down load them when I got my act (more like the OS) together. There are other ways. My computer manufacture allowed me to make one copy for a complete boot disk saving my files, settings, and drivers. Try that first, before proceeding further.
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Permalink Reply by Retrorem on -
Sounds really messy. I would back-up my data, format and install Windows again fresh.
Yes, you'd expect that if you don't mess with your HD's data you'd be ok, but could you really trust Windows not to mess with it when it throws a hissy fit on boot-up when it encounters the new hardware. It might crash and then when you put it back with your old motherboard you might get that infamous blue screen of death, making it a lot harder to retrieve your data then.
Also, if your computer came originally as a complete system, like a Dell or Compaq, and you got a system restore disk rather than an actual Windows disk, that restore disk would be coded in such a way that it would only install on that same computer, due to licencing restrictions. So, it's reasonable to assume that that code would kick in on boot-up when it finds the new motherboard, which essentially is a new computer.
At the very least, back up any important data.
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Permalink Reply by JT on -
I tried the Motherboard switch once with Windows XP Pro and I didn't have to reinstall but I did have to call Microsoft to get reauthorized. I had to explain to them that my Motherboard went bad and I replaced it and then they just walked me through fixing the issue.
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Permalink Reply by implying implications on -
NO, for the love of god DON'T swap mobos without a fresh install.
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Permalink Reply by implying implications on
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all i know is about 70% of the issues i fix are because the person changed something major and didn't reinstall.
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