Upgrading to new CPU/RAM/mobo/PSU without format...?

Hi all!

I've grown accustomed to formatting my system every time I do an upgrade of major components, but the tediousness and length of time required can be a bit frustrating especially as it takes me awhile to get everything placed / re-setup on my system the way I like it (yes, I'm one of THOSE people, haha!)

I figure I will end up doing a complete format anyway, but I was just curious if anybody's ever done this before and how difficult it was for them...? I'm running Win7 Ultimate 64-bit at the moment.

I've had people tell me it's nigh on impossible, others tell me you just have to make sure all the drivers for the previous motherboard were removed....

Thoughts? Thanks! :)

Sometimes Win7 will start on new hardware but most times not. You can either SysPrep to move HD to another computer or after the hardware change boot Paragon Adaptive Restore CD to P2P Adjust the OS to boot on new hardware.

After it starts it will swap out most drivers in a cascade you can monitor from the animation in the System Tray, heeding all reboot requests.

Then enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) to run all Important and Optional Windows Updates until there are no more. Check Device Manager for any missing drivers to import - there shouldn't be many.

You'll need to reactivate at Computer>Properties by inserting the Product Key.

In the future keep a backup image so you can reimage in 20 minutes instead of reinstalling, even if you need to adjust for hardware change as given.

gregrocker said:

Sometimes Win7 will start on new hardware but most times not. You can either SysPrep to move HD to another computer...

Wow Gregrocker, that pretty much sounds like what I'm looking for! I don't mind reinstalling drivers, it's the setting up of directories, copying files, installing the many, many programs I have, etc. that's a pain!

So in a SysPrep reinstall, all my existing programs are all still there and all still INSTALLED and functional from the get go? (i.e. it didn't just leave their FILES in the same place but the programs won't run because they're no longer in the Windows registry...?)

All Sysprep (beforehand) or PAR (after the fact) do is remove Hardware ID, Security ID, Activation, and drivers so that the confluence of those doesn't flummox Win7 boot.

All of your programs, files and settings remain exactly the same.

If you SysPrep, then I would save to external or another HD a backup image using freeware like Macrium - Image your system or Paragon Backup and you will have a copy of your customized install which will start up on any hardware if you buy, build or change PC's.

Awesome, I will definitely be giving this a try once I get my new parts!