Re: If I install a new motherboard will my WXP HOME SP2 still func

Thanks for that Paul, I was more concerned about WXP activation disabling my
version of XP because the h/w had changed too much, but now I know there is
obviously a lot more to take into consideration.
The only reason my version of WXP HOME is SP2 is because of Windows Update -
I do have the original WXP HOME CD but I was truly hoping to avoid a
reinstallation of all the applications I have and WXP HOME for that matter.
Unfortunately I have no spare HDD nor PC.
The drive will remain the 120GB IDE as will the DVD+RW drive remain.

You seem to be suggesting, by omission, that there is no chance of putting
in the new mb & CPU and then booting into safe mode and updating the drivers?
WOuld this be the correct gist of your comment?

Cheers
(not-so) BraveDave

"Paul" wrote:

BraveDave wrote:
What can I expect to happen if I replace my motherboard because the PCI bus
has broken?
Will I still be able to use Windows XP HOME SP2 - the mb is effectively the
equivalent architecture

You can try a repair install. What I like to do for home usage, is to
clone (copy) the original disk, to a brand new disk. The brand new disk
is my backup, if something happens. Generally, if you are going to do
home computer repair, it helps to have a second working computer, and
that is the machine you'd use to make a clone of the original disk. Many
of the disk manufacturers have utilities on their site, to help make the
copy operation easier. If you screw it up, you can always copy from the
new disk, back onto the old one, then try again to do the repair
install. (I've screwed it up a couple times, so it pays off.)

The basic advice being offered here, is to not enter the "Recovery
Console". You have to be careful, when doing the Repair Install,
to answer the prompts correctly at the beginning. There are other
articles than this one, but this is the most quoted as a reference.
Some of the others are easier to read.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Since you say your install CD is already at the SP2 Service Pack level,
that means there shouldn't be problems with disks >137GB or with
USB2 drivers (built-in). So in that respect, that is a good Service
Pack level to use for the job.

Also, when doing the Repair Install, depending on where the disks
are plugged in, you might need to provide drivers on a floppy,
and press F6 at the appropriate time. For example, if you had an
Intel Southbridge, and were not using AHCI or RAID mode, then
no drivers would be needed. If you plugged into a disk port hosted
by a chip other than the Southbridge (i.e. a JMB363, a Promise Controller),
then generally you need a driver if you expect to boot from that
controller.

Some motherboard CDs, offer a "Makedisk" option. That is supposed to be
an easy way to make a driver floppy, complete with TXTSETUP.OEM file
at the top level. By looking in TXTSETUP.OEM, or in the .INF files you
find on the floppy, that will give some idea what drivers they've
put on the floppy for you.

If you quote the new motherboard make and model, someone can provide
more focused advice.

A Repair Install isn't always the right answer. For example, on one of
my machines, the original install was botched with respect to ACPI.
(The BIOS on the motherboard was a bad release, and didn't prepare
ACPI tables properly. Windows refused to install ACPI.) You cannot
fix certain ACPI problems with a Repair Install. But if the original
install was in good shape (you could put the computer to sleep and
wake it without a problem), I don't see a reason it won't work.

HTH,
Paul

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: If I install a new motherboard will my WXP HOME SP2 still function
    ... clone the original disk, ... You have to be careful, when doing the Repair Install, ... USB2 drivers. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: A8N5X & SATA
    ... I can ghost XP from the IDE to the SATA ... If I do a repair install on the SATA and press F6, it can't see the drivers I copied to a floppy. ... Sounds like the file you downloaded is a "Make Disk" program. ...
    (alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus)
  • Re: If I install a new motherboard will my WXP HOME SP2 still func
    ... Before that I may just use the WXP migration wizard to backup my app ... settings to be reinstalled after the dreaded fresh install of everything - it ... in the new mb & CPU and then booting into safe mode and updating the drivers? ... clone the original disk, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Computer Freeze.....
    ... It could very well be the wireless network, more specifically, the drivers ... To get you back into your system, boot the system, start tapping F8 until ... If that fails or you cannot access Safe Mode, try a repair install as ... Once you have pressed a key, setup should begin. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: MCE TV and FM radio suddenly not working
    ... I was told not to bother with a repair install as it ... I took the opportunity to partition the hard disk and now keep periodic disk ... hence no windows. ... giving me error messages about the tuner being in use by some ...
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