Questions about upgrading PC - will I have to re-format?

P

PlaneCrazy

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 7, 2004
Messages
501
Ok, I have the following system:

mobo - Asus P4PE
CPU - P4 2.4
RAM - 512mb PC2700
video - 9800Pro
Hard drive #1 - 60gb - has the OS, and most system installs
Hard drive #2 - 250gb - just storage/game installs, etc.

Now, I have on the way from Newegg an Asus A8N SLI board, 7800GTX, Athalon 64, and 2gb of Crucial RAM.

No, my question is this - can I uninstall the 9800 pro drivers, and uninstall all the motherboard software, and have Win XP still run smooth? Or should I save everything I need and re-format/re-install windows on that primary drive?

Never did this type of upgrade, so I'm not 100% sure on the easiest way to do it.

Thanks for any help.
 
You can expect problems if you don't do a new Windows install.

BTW, it's "Athlon."
 
I have done AMD to AMD mobo swapping, but not Intel to AMD. BTW, welcome to the group! I know this is a pain, but you will probably get the best performance with a new install of WinXP. If you try it without reformatting, let us know how it goes.
 
Ok, I'll go and do a new install. I'd like it to run flawless, so I guess this is the best way. Thanks for the tips guys.
 
There are ways around it but the bottom line is the a clean install is the best.. but you can use sysprep to get it done or your can do a repair install...

Read this Sticky its loaded with helpfull advice on how to exactly do this
 
kumquat, there are several methods available to do just what the OP wants. You shouldn't expect problems.

PlaneCrazy said:
I'd like it to run flawless, so I guess this is the best way.
Click to expand...
If your current install is flawless, you should be able to make it run following the sticky link above.

If you want a pristine load, format.
 
Phoenix86 said:
kumquat, there are several methods available to do just what the OP wants. You shouldn't expect problems.


If your current install is flawless, you should be able to make it run following the sticky link above.

If you want a pristine load, format.
Click to expand...
There are ways, obviously. I've done it a few times.

But it's a PITA and while you can do it without problems, you can *expect* problems.

IMO a reinstall is the only way to go here.
 
No... You don't need to *expect* problems.

The vista installer is using the sysprep method as their base install. It's the same basic process, are you going to expect problems with every vista install? No.

Corporations use this method to deploy their OSes, do they/we (because I use this method at work too) expect problems? No.

The machine I'm working on *right now* has been imaged and deployed to at least 5 different machines. Runs like a champ. I'm about to redeploy it to a 6th, easy.
 
With some older OS's I would say sure. But with XP, I wouldnt go that route. XP doesnt like new hardware introduced very often.
 
Phoenix86 said:
No... You don't need to *expect* problems.

The vista installer is using the sysprep method as their base install. It's the same basic process, are you going to expect problems with every vista install? No.

Corporations use this method to deploy their OSes, do they/we (because I use this method at work too) expect problems? No.

The machine I'm working on *right now* has been imaged and deployed to at least 5 different machines. Runs like a champ. I'm about to redeploy it to a 6th, easy.
Click to expand...
I'm in the process of imaging and deploying 550 dekstops, but I fail to see what deploying an OS image has to do with moving a current Windows install, with applications and drivers, to a new motherboard with a new chipset from a new manufacturer, with a new processor from a new manufacturer, and a new video card from a new manufcaturer.

Everyone is entitlted to their opinions, and IMO this guy can expect problems with swapping MB/chipset/processor/video card in a current Windows install, particularly since he's never even done it before.
 
kumquat said:
I'm in the process of imaging and deploying 550 dekstops, but I fail to see what deploying an OS image has to do with moving a current Windows install, with applications and drivers, to a new motherboard with a new chipset from a new manufacturer, with a new processor from a new manufacturer, and a new video card from a new manufcaturer.
Click to expand...
Because my image is sysprepped...

I deploy a single image to every PC in my orginization.

Everyone is entitlted to their opinions, and IMO this guy can expect problems with swapping MB/chipset/processor/video card in a current Windows install, particularly since he's never even done it before.
Click to expand...
Have you even read the sticky link?
 
kumquat said:
I'm in the process of imaging and deploying 550 dekstops, but I fail to see what deploying an OS image has to do with moving a current Windows install, with applications and drivers, to a new motherboard with a new chipset from a new manufacturer, with a new processor from a new manufacturer, and a new video card from a new manufcaturer.

Everyone is entitlted to their opinions, and IMO this guy can expect problems with swapping MB/chipset/processor/video card in a current Windows install, particularly since he's never even done it before.
Click to expand...

The sysprep method does work, but its not trouble free, if he has no previous experience I'd rather recommend reinstall.
 
I've read the sticky, and used sysprep, but it still does not guarantee a problem-free install.

Here's a nice quote from MS:

"When you create a Sysprep image of such a system, many issues may exist that make it difficult to troubleshoot the system without a full understanding of the complete history of the changes."
 
Guarantee? Where the hell did I say that?

I said he shouldn't expect problem, not that the process if problem free.

You'll never learn until you try, so pardon me if I don't buy that. It's an option, and if you read the sticky you know trying takes minutes. If it fails there is always a backup plan of running a repair install. It's all in the sticky.

If all that fails he can still format. There is little risk in running sysprep first.
 
kumquat said:
I'm in the process of imaging and deploying 550 dekstops, but I fail to see what deploying an OS image has to do with moving a current Windows install, with applications and drivers, to a new motherboard with a new chipset from a new manufacturer, with a new processor from a new manufacturer, and a new video card from a new manufcaturer.
Click to expand...
If you can't see what deploying images has to do with the OP's situation, you shouldn't be involved with image deployment at all. The situation calls for taking an existing image from older hardware and play it down on a new platform. Anyone working with image deployment for 2 to 2 million desktops would understand that concept. Before you try to argue with Phoenix86 about sysprepping images, you might want to read his comments a little bit more. You're putting words in his mouth (posts) and then arguing over the made up content. As he said, there's no guarantee, but it's simple enough and works most of the time to at least warrant a try.
 
XP WILL demand that you reactivate within 3 days. You may have problems with drivers lingering about too. You should really do a reinstall anyway though.
 
Just for reference.

I recently upgraded a friends computer. We replaced CPU, Motherboard, Videocard, Memory, and added a Wirless PCI card. WindowsXP would boot to a blue screen of death. We used the install disc and did a new install by overwriting the previous install. All his data was physically saved on the harddrive, though everything had to be reinstalled in order to integrate it back into Windows.

I have never used the recovery console, so I don't know how that works. It dumped is into the C:\Windows folder and I wasn't sure what to do from there. So we installed over the previous copy which did not require us to format the drive.
 
That's still taking the same amount of time as a new install, so it's not really saving anything. It all comes down to one of two options:

1) Sysprep and then swap hardware
2) Format and do a fresh clean install

Option one may not be guaranteed to work 100% of the time, but it will save tons of time. If it doesn't work, then you can fall back on Option 2. Your data should be backed up first regardless of what you do.
 
I'm definately just going to format/re-install windows.

Werd, thanks for the suggestions! :D
 
PlaneCrazy said:
I'm definately just going to format/re-install windows.

Werd, thanks for the suggestions! :D
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with that, giving new hardware a fresh OS also helps if problems arise. 6 of one 1/2 a dozen of the other. Good luck. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top