Installing Formatted HDD to New Mobo/RAM/CPU

[burrish]

I never did anything like this when I had XP, but I was wondering if, with W7, I would need to completely reformat/repair the pre-existing content on my current HDD. I've just purchased a new platform (1156), and wanted to use my current drive. Since W7, from what I've gathered, obtains drivers on its own for many things, would it automatically do what it needs to do in order to work with another motherboard?

Thanks in Advance!

 

[zigzag3143]

I never did anything like this when I had XP, but I was wondering if, with W7, I would need to completely reformat/repair the pre-existing content on my current HDD. I've just purchased a new platform (1156), and wanted to use my current drive. Since W7, from what I've gathered, obtains drivers on its own for many things, would it automatically do what it needs to do in order to work with another motherboard?

Thanks in Advance!

Hi and welcome]

You dont need to format in order to install win 7. It can format for you if you chose. It does use different drivers and software but that is all built int. what exactly are you concerned about?

It really is pretty easy to install, and we will be happy to help

Let us know if you have questions

Ken J

 

[burrish]

Thank you for the quick reply. I'm basically asking if I can seamlessly connect my current hard drive (with W7/programs/data/etc already installed) to a brand new motherboard without having to change anything on the hard drive, itself. I did a search on google, and primarily found that XP users would need to prepare before connecting an already-loaded hard drive to another motherboard. I hope I'm making sense on my intent.

 

[myzr7]

Are you asking if you can use a already installed version of 7 on a new motherboard and proccesor?

 

[burrish]

Are you asking if you can use a already installed version of 7 on a new motherboard and proccesor?

.....exactly.

 

[ickymay]

well the new motherboard is going to have a different chipset , sound, and other basic settings which may well need different drivers from the windows 7 install so it might work , but then again it might cause untold problems

If it gets past boot and loads windows then suggest you check all the correct drivers are installed for that NEW motherboard, but it's likely to be a mess if the new board is much different from the old one ?

If in doubt doing a fresh install has a much better chance of being stable

 

[zigzag3143]

Are you asking if you can use a already installed version of 7 on a new motherboard and proccesor?

.....exactly.

Sorry NO. too many variables. Microsoft also recommends a clean install to remove all the old 'bits' Your data shouldnt be a problem. Just OS


Ken J

 

[fseal]

There are great chances for failure here but it /might/ work. I've had it work in the past, but as others have said, it depends on HOW different the new machine is from the old. I.e. moving from an nVidia platform to AMD would be very trying. But moving from older intel to newer intel may do ok.

The safest thing to try I think is to boot the drive in safe mode on the new machine. If that works, try doing a repair install from there.

Be prepared to have to do a complete install in either case. Make sure all your persoinal data on the drivce is backed up to a safe location before doing anything

 

[burrish]

Thank you all for the answers. Once I re-install Windows, will I need to call MS to validate the key, again?

 

[Shinobi73]

Thank you all for the answers. Once I re-install Windows, will I need to call MS to validate the key, again?

Yes - the "Product Activation" prompt will come up since you replaced the MOBO.

The activation alert comes up when you replace hardware that would exceed the 80% threshold of your system's components (the MOBO is already 80% )

But that's not going to be a problem a quick call to MS will take you 6 to 10mins to reload your Product Key. You just have to tell them what you did to your current setup just so they know your not trying to install Win7 on a second computer

 

[burrish]

Thank you all for the answers. Once I re-install Windows, will I need to call MS to validate the key, again?

Yes - the "Product Activation" prompt will come up since you replaced the MOBO.

The activation alert comes up when you replace hardware that would exceed the 80% threshold of your system's components (the MOBO is already 80% )

But that's not going to be a problem a quick call to MS will take you 6 to 10mins to reload your Product Key. You just have to tell them what you did to your current setup just so they know your not trying to install Win7 on a second computer

Thanks, Shinobi!!!

 

[gregrocker]

I have moved a HDD to another computer to install Win7 several times for different reasons.

When I plug it back in the target computer, it changes out all the drivers and asks for several restarts.

Each time I have run chkdsk, HDD surface scan, System File Checker afterward and found no errors.