If I buy a new motherboard, can I just install it and Windows will boot up?

Question

I wanted to upgrade my motherboard... Can I just plug everything (that is compatible) into it and it run? Or do I have to format windows and install?

Answer 1

You may have to reinstall. I answered a similar question a few weeks back. The other person had already swapped out their mainboard and was having issues with getting Windows XP to boot up. I think they ended up reinstalling the operating system.

You have to understan that to Windows XP you are not just swapping out one component. There can be dozens of software dirvers and resources that Windows XP needs to re-establish from chipset drivers to onboard hardware drivers.

Answer 2

Big maybe. Windows XP is pretty good about recognizing new hardware, but it might not work.

Be sure to back up all your important data onto CD, DVD, or get a USB hard drive if you have a lot of stuff to back up.

Swap the motherboard and give it a try. You might get lucky. It might take several reboots to get all the hardware to show up.

If it works, you're in luck. If not, you'll have to re-install Windows and all your applications.

I recommend the re-install route anyway as PC get "polluted" over time and lose performance.

To clean a polluted PC, I use CCleaner. It's free. Click the link below.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Pretty much just play and play! I recently changed from an old NForce2 chipset based motherboard with an AthlonXP CPU to a VIA KT800 chipset one and an Athlon64. Just installed the drivers from the CD and away I went!

Answer 4

Idont know much about hardware but I took a chance when my motherboard went bad. I bought one that fit it on ebay and put it in. It fired right up and all worked just fine. That was 3 years ago and I am using it now. Its a Dell. I didnt know how to get the service tag off the old one. I dont know if was was just dumb luck or they all work like that, but thats my take. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Before U shut down the old system, make a recovery disc with
a blank CD Rom disk. When you get your new board installed
and up & running simply load disc, should bring back up all the
important stuff U had. If not, U will have to re-load the items
that are missing. It should bring everything back-up !

Answer 6

this is really,really easy.

but this only works if the original motherboard and harddrive still work. so put it back together. for newbies, go to control panel, double-click the system icon, go to hardware tab, and click device manager button. find the IDE ATA/ATAPI CONTROLLERS and expand the tab. not the primary or secondary controller, but right-click the first controller. choose update driver. choose the option to install from a list or specific location. click next. now choose the (don't search. I will choose the driver to install) option. click next. now highlight the Standard Dual Channel Pci Ide Controller. click next. the Standard controller will install. now reboot. log in. the standard controller is completely installed. you can now shutdown the computer, remove your harddrive, and it will boot with the new motherboard. i've done this 24 times on 12 different computers. it works.

Answer 7

Probably not. Windows has drivers that support the chips on the mobo and embedded controllers. It might boot up, but you might also trash your drive in the process.

Answer 8

as long as your hard drive is compatible with the new motherboard, it should boot up for you

Answer 9

You will have to re-install windows on your HD, because of the massive change of drivers.

Answer 10

I wouldn't take a chance. Make sure you important files are on a separate partion or another drive...