Mobo installation question

burro

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
95
If I were to install a new motherboard into my case, would I have to re-install XP?

I'll be going from my 5000+ to a 9850 Phenom and I'm almost positive I'll be buying this M3A78 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131331

Something in my head is telling me it's usually when you switch between AMD and Intel on a hard drive that you have to re-install your OS, but I'm just looking to know if I have to back up my documents and all that.
 
If you switch motherboards, you need to reinstall. Doesn't matter whether it's between AMD and Intel, AMD and AMD, or Intel and Intel.
 
If you switch motherboards, you need to reinstall. Doesn't matter whether it's between AMD and Intel, AMD and AMD, or Intel and Intel.

I don't agree with that. You can get away with not doing a reinstall if you're using similar chipsets. I've gone all over the Intel chipset gamut from P35 to X38 to G31 to P45 to G45 without doing a reinstall of the OS. The chipset drivers are usually the same anyway for those chipsets, and a lot of the audio/NIC/etc. can be uninstalled prior to the switch and then installed with the new board.

I would do a reinstall if you're switching from one brand of chipset to another. At least a repair install if you want to keep your programs intact.

It's NEVER a bad idea to back up your documents anytime, let alone when you're doing a major upgrade to your system ;).
 
Yeah I usually swap it and then if it bombs I do a recovery reinstall and keep on going, pretty much regardless of what hardware is going in. If you know what you're putting in and have access to the drivers while the machine is running the old setup you can force install the important ones sometimes too and have them ready when you put in the new parts.
 
im with the guy that says you should reinstall when you get a new mobo.....hell to be honest i try to reinstall every 6 to 8 months anyhow....makes the system just seem faster.

Even if you dont though yes i highly recommend backing all your stuff up because it very well may not boot into windows at all
 
im with the guy that says you should reinstall when you get a new mobo.....hell to be honest i try to reinstall every 6 to 8 months anyhow....makes the system just seem faster.

Even if you dont though yes i highly recommend backing all your stuff up because it very well may not boot into windows at all

I don't disagree with the "should" reinstall. I disagreed with the "need" to reinstall ;).
 
If you want to be on the safe side you could always use acronis true image with the universal restore function... you might have to grab some drivers on a flash drive, but it will most likely let you switch hardware, then clone the contents to the new hardware. But in general practice you probably want to reinstall windows when switching hardware... even though it may work
 
come on people. this cat is going from an nvidia chipset to amd. of course he needs to reinstall the os.
 
I always reinstall - of course I pretty much only replace a motherboard after I cause the existing one to pop and smoke - just as I did earlier this week.

You should always back-up in any case. Another option if you have not backed up is to install your OS on a new HD and then pull your data off the old OS drive.
 
Turns out it installed without any problems at all. I didn't switch processors because TD sent me a DOA 9850, but it's working great with my classic 5000+
 
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