ok i have reached the amount i can upgrade on my current motherboard. Now im looking to replace it. Heres my question, can i do this and keep all my information on my old hard drive? or will i have to wipe it clean and lay down a new os? Do i just unplug everything and take out old mother board, put in new motherboard, hook everything back up to it including the old hard drive and just turn it on?
replacing motherboard
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Usually, its a lot easier to wipe the drive and reinstall...
If you're computer is not a custom one now, you'll need to make sure if you do wipe the OS, that the OEM CD's(or the recovery partition) that came w/ it, will work to reinstall the OS. I've saw before where someone replaced a motherboard, and then their restore CD, wouldn't work to reinstall Windows, because it didn't detect the hardware that was supposed to be there. I'm guessing this is done to make sure the OS is not installed on another PC. I think that particular PC was an Acer.
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Why are you replacing the MB? Are you replacing the MB with the exact same model? If you are thinking of replacing the MB to speed up the computer then you will also need to upgrade the CPU and the RAM
Replacing it because the one i have no is about as upgraded as i can get it. Going to replace it with a different one. i dont need a dvd drive or a hard drive or video card or any of that otherstuff so why pay for it. i know ill need a cpu and ram for the new motherboard and probably a newer video card down the road.
the computer is a dell but since i bought if ive had to replace the hard drive with a newer one and install my own copy of xp and not the one dell gave to me.
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Why replace parts when you can get a new system for between $300 - $500 ... For the cost of the MB, CPU and RAM you can get a new low end system
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Also depending on whats in your current system you may also need a new power supply.
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+1 if you have a Dell then it is pretty much an exercise in futility to try to replace parts with non Dell stuff (except easy stuff like RAM).
It would be better/easier to either:
1) Get a new computer, copy data from old one (data meaning pictures, videos, documents, etc, not the OS)
2) Get a new case, power supply, motherboard, CPU, RAM, and move over the hard drive from the Dell, may still have to reinstall Windoh's, but it may work
3) Get a Mac and be done
4) Get Linux and be cool! :supergrin:
For an anecdote, I have a custom built PC that I just recently upgraded from an AMD64 (first gen, socket 754) to an AMD64x2 (socket AM2+), with new motherboard, RAM, videocard, and SATA DVD. Kept the hard drives, did not have to reinstall Windows (or Linux). However I kept with the same brand mobo (Gigabyte), though different chipset (old = Via, new = AMD), and kept with same architecture (AMD64). I run Windoh's XP and Fedora Linux, neither had any real hiccups when doing the switch over.
If you want to stick with brand name prebuilt computers it is easier to stick with them and only upgrade small bits (RAM, new video card maybe, hard drive), and get a new brand name system when it is time to upgrade. If you want to do your own major upgrades it is better to stick with custom built.
Just fyi, in my case-
Upgraded:
Motherboard (both Gigabyte)
CPU (AMD64 to AMD64x2)
RAM (DDR PC2700 to DDR2 PC8400)
Video (GeForce 6600GT to 8800GT)
DVDRW (IDE to SATA)
Kept:
Case (Coolermaster aluminum)
Powersupply (400W I think it is, Thermaltake)
CPU cooler (monster Thermaltake, works with AMD socket 754 and up to current AM2)
Hard drives (1 for Windohs, 1 for Linux, 1 for random data)
Soundcard (SB Live, works well with Linux, yes new mobo has built in, but eh)
It would be better/easier to either:
1) Get a new computer, copy data from old one (data meaning pictures, videos, documents, etc, not the OS)
2) Get a new case, power supply, motherboard, CPU, RAM, and move over the hard drive from the Dell, may still have to reinstall Windoh's, but it may work
3) Get a Mac and be done
4) Get Linux and be cool! :supergrin:
For an anecdote, I have a custom built PC that I just recently upgraded from an AMD64 (first gen, socket 754) to an AMD64x2 (socket AM2+), with new motherboard, RAM, videocard, and SATA DVD. Kept the hard drives, did not have to reinstall Windows (or Linux). However I kept with the same brand mobo (Gigabyte), though different chipset (old = Via, new = AMD), and kept with same architecture (AMD64). I run Windoh's XP and Fedora Linux, neither had any real hiccups when doing the switch over.
If you want to stick with brand name prebuilt computers it is easier to stick with them and only upgrade small bits (RAM, new video card maybe, hard drive), and get a new brand name system when it is time to upgrade. If you want to do your own major upgrades it is better to stick with custom built.
Just fyi, in my case-
Upgraded:
Motherboard (both Gigabyte)
CPU (AMD64 to AMD64x2)
RAM (DDR PC2700 to DDR2 PC8400)
Video (GeForce 6600GT to 8800GT)
DVDRW (IDE to SATA)
Kept:
Case (Coolermaster aluminum)
Powersupply (400W I think it is, Thermaltake)
CPU cooler (monster Thermaltake, works with AMD socket 754 and up to current AM2)
Hard drives (1 for Windohs, 1 for Linux, 1 for random data)
Soundcard (SB Live, works well with Linux, yes new mobo has built in, but eh)
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