Replacing motherboard - anyway I can avoid having to do a full reinstall?

[Penman]

I've tried this a few times and sometimes windows doesn't totally screw up on me, just wondering if there's any steps that would help me keep windows functional after changing a motherboard for a completely different model (current one is faulty.) In the past I've gone into device manager and removed all devices in the hope it'll redetect them with the new motherboard - it's awful hit and miss though!

Any ideas? I'd really like to avoid a full reinstall of OS as it's only been done recently and my dad has like 100000 applications he uses

[TripleRLtd]

I've tried this a few times and sometimes windows doesn't totally screw up on me, just wondering if there's any steps that would help me keep windows functional after changing a motherboard for a completely different model (current one is faulty.) In the past I've gone into device manager and removed all devices in the hope it'll redetect them with the new motherboard - it's awful hit and miss though!

Any ideas? I'd really like to avoid a full reinstall of OS as it's only been done recently and my dad has like 100000 applications he uses

An "in place upgrade/repair" should do the trick without many problems. But you MAY not need to do this IF the different model MB's use the same chipset.

[Larommi]

Read this

I think if you run the procedure before the swap you will be ok.

[Penman]

Read this

I think if you run the procedure before the swap you will be ok.

Worked like a dream, PC booted and autodetected everything without any problems

[confus-ed]

Read this

I think if you run the procedure before the swap you will be ok.

Good ... but since that was entirely not the kb I expected & the one I want seems to have been renumbered .. How do I move Windows XP to different hardware & XP installs - walkthroughs ... for reference if nothing else

[TripleRLtd]

Good ... but since that was entirely not the kb I expected & the one I want seems to have been renumbered .. How do I move Windows XP to different hardware & XP installs - walkthroughs ... for reference if nothing else

FYI: updated KB number: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];249694

[confus-ed]

FYI: updated KB number: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];249694

Errr "The Requested Web Page is Not Available " ... that's what happens to me everytime now ... why oh why did they renumber the ****ers !

249694 is How to Move a Windows 2000 Installation to Different Hardware which works, for that, but this is xp ... there was a kb just for that ... now I can't find it ! (hence the earlier stuff)

[Major Kong]

Read this

I think if you run the procedure before the swap you will be ok.

I too have used this procedure several times without a hitch. I have even gone as far as saving Mergeide.reg to my zip drive and using it when needed. It is a most useful, nearly foolproof article.