22BUK

Have just got an Athlon 3.2 and a new motherboard which I intend to fit this weekend. Someone in the office who thinks he knows everything about PC's said I'd have to reload XP after the install. Is this true?

Thanks in advance
Anthony

Tony MY03WRX

Windows is installed on your hard drive, nowt to do with the motherboard and CPU as far as im aware.

I might be wrong though

Tony

Hanslow

Possibly. With Microsofts new system, major hardware changes require reauthorisation or something like that.

Can't remember the crux of it because I haven't needed to do it (yet).

I believe something like a motherboard changes is classed as a major change so needs reauthorisation or something.

Some info here

J1nxy

You'll probabaly need a re-activiation, but in all honesty such a major change you'd be better off with a re-install. This is espically true if the chipset on the motherboard has changed as the drivers from the old board could cause a problem.

Personally I'd rebuild it from scratch...

Steve

JayPSC

Yup, you may have issues with motherboard drivers. Your best bet is to just try the HDD in the new machine, if it won't boot or has any issues in windows then rebuild.
You may be lucky & it'll be fine, 50/50 chance really.

Jay

HankScorpio

As above, you WILL have to re-activate, I'm on my 3rd new MB since XP and had to reactivate on them all.
Changing Video cards and adding harddisks and DVDs has been no probs but each board forced a re-activate.
Rebuild/re-install is also good advice, amazing how much crap you accumulate, I would have done but I'm a lazy b'stard

lightning101

Unless you use Corporate Edition - its well worth doing a re-install.