Windows 7: New Motherboard

Hi

my motherboard has developed a fault and I am looking to replace it.

I am running Windows 8 Pro. I have no plans to replace any other component.

Will this work straight off or will I need to reload/configure anything.

Thanks for your replies.



Frank

That will depend mainly on the replacement board and if 8 allows the change without the need to...? do it all over again which usually is what many would want to avoid.

When the new supply for the present 2010 build cooked a brand new board after the clean 7 install back then I swapped the first mb with the exact same make and model and Win 7 didn't require reactivation. I haven't had that situation since I still only have the 8 RP presently seen on a VM to say if you could do the same with the new version.

A different model board even by the same company will however force the need for a fresh install of 8. The chipset and other things could be enough of a difference including the drivers where a fresh install would be advised. Any other make and model would automatically require a clean 8 to start off all over again.

The main reason you might run into a problem even with the exact same would be from an updated hardware profiling seen in 8. You may want to back everything up just in case you have to go that route ahead of time.

You may have to re-activate Windows, even if you replace the board with an exact copy. The MAC address of the NIC (network interface controller) will change, and that's one of the major items used to determine whether Windows must be re-activated.

The good news is that this sort of repair is OK, even with an OEM (non-transferrable) Windows license. AT worst, you'd need to activate by telephone. (I presume that would be no harder than with Windows 7.)

If you use the same motherboard model, you should be OK with all the drivers.

That's where the big problem would come in if the make and model are different. Clutter as far as old drivers from one board can get in the way at times on a new board when the two are not the same. The Mac address wouldn't see any change with the same Windows install remaining on the drive if you are using usb or moving a nic card from one board to the next.

With 7 simply changing from OCZ Gold 1.9v memory to Mushkin Enhanced 1.5v back in 2010 was a need to call MS however before the first board cooked. The change of brands effected the hardware profile enough while swapping the boards didn't?! No brand name for that.

So you have a faulty motherboard. Are you still able to boot to win8? Of so Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer METHOD ONE. Works for win8 as well

Mostly everything will depend on what the new board will be. If the exact model is ordered you may not have to do anything but watch as Windows starts and runs like it has been doing. The only problem seen with that would simply require a call to MS if you should end up seeing the "This may be a counterfeit copy of Winodws" watermark appear in the lower right corner.

Unfortunately 8 seems to lack any upgrade to repair method instead seeing the new PC Refresh which simply wipes everything to start over completely again. When looking at options for the CP and RP builds no go on a repair install.

That would be something for the same make but different chipset where removing old drivers right before swapping boards to prep for the new ones would avoid any possible driver problems. The Window Easy Transfer tool as well as the Sysprep tool are usually reliable. With the upgrade to repair option the next best thing for Windows 8 however would be Refresh Windows 8 - Create and Use Custom Recovery Image

Thanks for all your replies.

As I can still boot into Win 8 it looks like the reply from "Kakeussoft", ref. using the
Windows 7 System Preparation Tool , is the way for me to go.

Also, I have Paragon Hard Disc Manager 12 suite installed, so I can make a backup image
of drive C to a different Hard Disc.

Thanks again

Frank