I want a new motherboard. I plan to transfer all components over to the new board. Is it that simple?

Question

I mean, can I tranfer hard drives, power supply, processor etc...to the new mobo and boot up? If not, what do I need to do?

Answer 1

Sure, I do it all the time, just make sure that all the hardware is compatable with the new motherboard.

Answer 2

You should be if the sockets are compatible with the new board. You may need a different power supply if the new motherboard is larger and supports a faster processor.

It is also possible the new board may not fit your case.

Assuming everything can work with the new motherboard you need to install the motherboard in your hard drive. It will come with a CD to do this. Your new motherboard may come with its own video card.

When you buy the new motherboard, hopefully at a reputable and knowledgeable computer shop, ask a technician how to go about doing the changeover.

If it is as little as two years between the times of the manufacture of the two boards you could be looking at some very significant differences.

The motherboard is also home to your BIOS and CMOS, and these may or may not require adjustment.

And then there is the matter of RAM. Make sure you have the right sockets for that.

Why are you replacing your motherboard? It's usually one of the more durable components in a computer.

Answer 3

Hard drives vary by connection type, IDE or SATA.

Power supplies yes, as long as you have all the connectors the new motherboard needs. Older supplies won't have all the connectors, and might not crank out enough juice.

Processor is a big maybe. Best bet is to buy a new mobo and processor. Otherwise, choose a mobo based on what processor you have.

Graphics cards connect differently as well. There are different types of RAM. And to top it all off, you may have proprietary components that only work with that specific mobo.

You best bet is to make a list of the components you want to salvage and ask the clerk at where ever you're making the purchase at to check the compatibility for you. They can make suggestions based on that.

Answer 4

Technology moves fast, it may be impossible to find a board to support your existing hardware.
A new motherboard will have a certain pin requirement from it's power supply. Usually a new machine can be built by determining first What kind of processor do you want the board to support? Mobos are made to support a certain chip set and no other. Intel and Athalon have different pin requirements the socket on the motherboard must accommodate as well. Ram is another consideration. Different boards and CPUs require different types of ram operating at different speeds. These things aren't interchangeable across manufacturers.
Pc upgrade and Maximum PC are 2 Magazines that build PCs and showcase the results. You may want to supplement your reading with this type of magazine to get a firmer idea of the type of system you are interested in building. ATA, SATA, SCSI etc are
some of the types of hard drives in the marketplace. These are not universally supported on all motherboards. Read the box of the MOBO and see if it would be worthwhile to stay with your old drives and if they are supported.

Ground yourself, and work with cotton clothing and the power disconnected. Lock the cat out of the room when the case is open.

Answer 5

Motherboard and CPU (processor) combo aren't expensive nowaday. You can get the combo as cheap as less than $100 or you can pay couple hundred for one, your choice.

For moving the old processor to the new MB (motherboard), make sure the new MB supports your CPU, or it won't work. Not all MBs will work with all CPUs. Pay close attention to that. The rest is okay to move to, it won't conflict with the MB, only the CPU will (if there is). Fry's has very cheap new MB combo. If your CPU is old and slow, I would just spend out $100 to get the new combo. The combo I saw at Fry's which I was about to buy was an Intel processor, using DDR PC3200, which is pretty decent CPU. Unless you're opt for fast and greatness, then you can spend more, otherwise....I'll just stick with low - mid price range.

Good luck,

JLo

Answer 6

yes u can transfer all the components to mother board i.e hard disk ,CD drive usb ports etc but don't ever try to change processor before changing processor consult professional whether the board is suitable for old processor .

Answer 7

Unless you buy a used one, motherboards are almost as expensive as a computer. Most people just get new computers, but it is possible. Just know that everything is compatible.