Re: Changing motherboard

baxter wrote:
I have a working PC with Gigabyte MB/AMD CPU built from scratch. I swap with a new Intel chipset ASUS MB/Intel CPU. There are also a new Video card. The rest are old. When I switch ON. It boot to a screen with "Safe mode", "Safe mode with networking", "safe mode with command prompt" and "start windows normally". If I select either one it will just reboot. The message also says it might caused by hardware change. How do I boot without a reinstall. I will have a hard time reinstalling all programs/printer/lan setting etc.


Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM installations are BIOS-locked to a specific 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.



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Bruce Chambers

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Upgrading to a new computer
    ... therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - check yours ... on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, ... You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: I have upgraded my machine incl the hdd. have issues while booting
    ... windows splash screen is about to appear. ... Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical to the one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair installation, at the very least: ... You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Changing Computer with XP
    ... BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore not transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical to the one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place ... 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. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: Replaced motherboard, xp BSODs, what to do?
    ... Normally, and assuming a retail license, or an unbranded, generic OEM license (many factory-installed OEM installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - ... check yours before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical to the one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair installation, at the very least: ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: How to "PURGE/Uninstall/Remove" All XP drivers at once?
    ... Then you'd know that the brute force removal of all drivers would be just about the most damaging thing you could do. ... Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore are *not* transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical to the one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair installation, at the very least: ... You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)