Upgrading Motherboard. Is a reformat required?

DeaconFrost said:

If they have the same chipset, your chances of success are high. However, with any major system change, you should always have a backup of your data "just in case". This way, you are fine no matter what happens with the new board. If the swap doesn't go smoothly, you can wipe the drive and do a clean install, knowing your data is safe.

For me personally, the clean install process takes me about 2 hours. I would always go that route just to ensure the system gets the newest drivers installed.

As for your key, technically, you aren't legitimately allowed to use that key unless you are associated with the organization who purchased it. Take that as you wish, but there may be a time where it stops working or won't reactivate, and you'll have little recourse except to buy a new key.

Alright, seems the backup is the best way to go in terms of safety.
As for the key, it has 3500+ - activations remaining, so it'll be good in the long run.

Kaktussoft said:

The disk is a SATA disk correct? If so be sure in old and new bios SATA is set to AHCI. Or IDE... at least the same setting. I assume it's AHCI. Prior to replacing the mothherbord goto device manager. Then goto ATA/ATAPI controllers and expand it. right click the driver and do upgrade driver. Then search on my computer, then pick from list. Put a checkmark at "show compaitble hardware". Not select "standard ahci 1.0 serial ata controller" and install it.

This driver works with all motherboards and is almost the only real critical part! If computer boots after swapping motherboard you can delete all not needed drivers in device manager and reboot. Now you can install new motherboard drivers.

Always backup first (after changing sata driver)

It worked for me 10 times!

But micorosft recommends this Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

It seems sysprep might be the thing for me.
On the other hand.. it's been a while since I've reformatted my computer, it might be the best idea to do a reformat with all the new hardware.

Kaktussoft said:

Erick Aguilar said:

Kaktussoft said:

The disk is a SATA disk correct? If so be sure in old and new bios SATA is set to AHCI. Or IDE... at least the same setting. I assume it's AHCI. Prior to replacing the mothherbord goto device manager. Then goto ATA/ATAPI controllers and expand it. right click the driver and do upgrade driver. Then search on my computer, then pick from list. Put a checkmark at "show compaitble hardware". Not select "standard ahci 1.0 serial ata controller" and install it.

This driver works with all motherboards and is almost the only real critical part! If computer boots after swapping motherboard you can delete all not needed drivers in device manager and reboot. Now you can install new motherboard drivers.

Always backup first (after changing sata driver)

It worked for me 10 times!

But micorosft recommends this Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

It seems sysprep might be the thing for me.
On the other hand.. it's been a while since I've reformatted my computer, it might be the best idea to do a reformat with all the new hardware.

sysprep is the most easiest and safest thing to do.
reformat has nothing to do with the problem.

does sysprep reset the register as well? so is it doing an install, but just leaving my files/programs/folders?

Kaktussoft said:

Did you read and understand Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer?
It does answer your question

I understand the basic concept, but it opens up other questions..
This does -not- modify the information inside the hard drive that is not related to hardware changes correct?

The registry gets updated, so if I have messed with regedit, all the changes I've done will be erased as well?

If I can back up my information in another drive would it be better if I did a clean install of windows?

Kaktussoft said:

A clean install removes remains of unneeded drivers and applications. Applications you have ever installed are still in registry. A clean install makes you system maybe 5% faster... but I and companies never do it. It has nothing to do with your problem!

All driver specific updates in registry are gone after sysprep. All software will work and has settings as before! Except what is describes in the link I mentioned before

It's like you deleted all hardware stuff in "device manager" and did a "detect new hardware"

See it as a reinstall.....but only the hardware part

okay, so I suppose only one of my applications won't be able to work after the registry gets ''restored''

another question.. which is really not related to this, but my boot times have been considerably slower than they were when I had initially installed windows, I have basically no start up applications other than oovoo,utorrent,rainmeter, and the realteck audio manager, but it still takes around 2 to 3 minutes for the login screen to appear, it used to take a lot less in the past, why could this be?