Changing motherboard without reinstalling Win 7 HP Retail..doable?

Marine-RX179

Marine-RX179

Marine-RX179

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As the title said it. I was told that after switching motherboard, if I go into safe mode and install the neccessary drivers for the new motherboard, I will be able to boot into and use the existing Windows...was wondering if anyone can confirm if that is the case or not.

Do note that my Win7 64-bit Home Premium is Retail version, not OEM.
 
I believe Windows 7 Keys are linked to your motherboard when Validated.

If that's what you're asking that is :P

/Johnthan
 
I agree with a fresh install, did the same after my MB blew and Windows was not happy, so rather than sit and go through drivers system setting etc went for clean install.
Did prep better this time and for future bust ups with apps on diff HDD etc, and as I always hear why carry old bugs with you install takes well under an hour with apps ;)
 
02goswej said:
I believe Windows 7 Keys are linked to your motherboard when Validated.

If that's what you're asking that is :P

/Johnthan
Click to expand...

he has a reatyils version.

It is doable.. but you need to clean off all drivers, chipset, graphics in safe mode and use driver sweeper.

Windows 7 seems not to mind this as much.. Try it and see.

Although tbh, there's nothing like a clean sweep on a new system :)
 
Let's say if I do reinstall, I should do a clean install under a different directory, and delete the previous Win7 later rather than installing over the previous installation right?

When I use to use XP, I always install the new XP at a different directory and delete the previous installation later.
 
If you are trying to ensure you don't lose what you have at the moment why not use Acronis True Image or similar and create a backup as is.

W7 has a backup facility although I've never used it.

When you do your fresh install of W7 simply do so to your existing 'C' drive.

I'm not sure what you gain from having two copies of the same OS on one PC ?.
 
hey guys

i changed my mobo, but thats it

hooked everything up and was ready to go.

is this the same as what the OP is asking?

I didnt change nothing at all except went in bios and loaded optimized defaults.
i have XP....??
 
I've done it with no problems - built a new PC, cloned the Windows 7 hard disk from my old PC, and put the cloned disk in the new PC and it all worked fine. Detected the drivers correctly, and no performance issues. Just had to reactivate via the free phone activation line. The original Windows 7 disk is now used to make cloned backups of my new PC.

Just make sure that all your personal data is backed up first so that if you have to do a full re-install you haven't lost anything.
 
I changed from a P5N board to a P5Q board without a re-install, booted fine and everything, but wasn't anywhere near as fast as a clean install. Win 7 doesnt take all that long to re-update everything, so I would do a fresh install unless you are absolutely pushed for time
 
I've had a windows install (think it would have been 98SE) survive a complete mobo/cpu swap once before. I was amazed. Other times, more recently, windows wont even load in safe mode with the new hardware, let alone work properly. I guess it maybe depends to some extent just how different the new mobo/cpu is to what was there before?
 
I'm tempted to do a re-install just to check if it does make any difference performance-wise. I have a barebones drive I use for cloning, so it'd be reversible if I need to. I have had a few progams hanging on exit recently, so maybe a re-install would be worth it.
 
ive done this successfully before on W7 (admittedly by accident). Although my OCD got the better of me and i did a clean install about a week later.
 
Liampope said:
I've had a windows install (think it would have been 98SE) survive a complete mobo/cpu swap once before. I was amazed. Other times, more recently, windows wont even load in safe mode with the new hardware, let alone work properly. I guess it maybe depends to some extent just how different the new mobo/cpu is to what was there before?
Click to expand...
Back then when I was still using XP, I moved from a MSI AM2 board to a MSI socket 775 and windows worked perfinely without needing to reinstall, whereas when my dad move from the MSI AM2 board to a Gigabyte socket 775 board, his XP wouldn't load so he had to reinstall.

Since Michaeljcox24 also mention he had no problem moving from a P5N board to a P5Q board (both are Asus if I'm not mistaken) and Windows work fine, I suspecting that may be same Windows would work if the manufacturer was the same (or may be same bios?)

Anyway I will do a clean install after my CoolerMaster 690 II Advanced (which I ordered today) arrive for me to move the parts over.

Although I have already decided what to do, it would still be interesting to actually find out what "makes windows works" and what doesn't after changing motherboard.
 
its easy i got the hdd from my old pc and put it im my new one and windows just carried on like nothing had happened
 
I think the biggest problem is if you're using third party RAID or AHCI drivers. There are fairly easy fixes for enabling AHCI after moving a Windows 7 install that used SATA IDE mode to a new PC that uses AHCI. I did this with my new build.

I went from an Asus P5K motherboard to an Asus P7P55D Pro without any real problems. I suppose as they're both intel chipsets that helped.
 
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