RMA'd mobo and CPU, do I need to re-install OS?

kissenger · 9 Dec 2011 at 10:11

So I RMA'd my 780i SLI because I thought it was dead and got back a 780i F.T.W. Turned out to not be a mobo issue so I had to get a new CPU (Q6600) which is due to arrive today.

My question is, is it wise to do a fresh re-install of my OS (Vista 64) or can I get away without it?

CinderzFTW · 9 Dec 2011 at 11:37

1st of all... FAIL OS!!!! Get rid of VISTA!!! Get 7!!!

And for the question above. Each board uses the same chipset, so you will not have to reinstall windows, but you may have to reinstall graphics and sound drivers.

Hope this helps xD

kissenger · 9 Dec 2011 at 11:41

I know, Vista is terrible. Just a bit short on money at the moment. Ideally I would be upgrading my whole rig...

Anywho, thanks for the advice. I was just worried that I might damage something if I tried to boot a pre-installed OS with a new mobo and CPU.

CinderzFTW · 9 Dec 2011 at 11:45

No problem dude!

My misses accidently knocked a can of fosters into my case earlier in the year through the top fan slot of my case and ruined my board! (Surprisingly, only my PSU went too, everything else survived) so I went out and bought a newer asrock board that ran the same chipset. I just had to reinstall my audio and video drivers and I was back up and running (After a massive case clean out as it stunk of warm beer lol)

So I knew this from experience! xD

Hope this helps xD

TigerUK · 9 Dec 2011 at 11:55

i just upgraded my mobo cpu and ram, and had no problesm with it, didn't even uninstall the previous stuff relied on windows 7 to sort itself out. Purists would say reinstall windows though

Also, I've had problems with misdiagnosing faulty parts before. A solid motherboard really helps save time and money (it can cost a fair bob in RMA'ing goods, some companies will pay your p&p, but others won't).

In my recent upgrade where I got a brand new mobo and brand new ram and used CPU, my system didn't get into post. I thought "heck I just bought a fault CPU", was about to send an email to the seller, and then I picked up the motherboard manual and had a read.

This is a good mobo and has fault lights for each components, ram, cpu, gfx and a few others.

RAM lights went on so I had a look turned out that one of the rams didn't quick sit in place properly, so I reinserted it and it worked fine.

You don't get that with ****** ASrock boards, so when the systems fails you have no clue which part it could be, and if you don't have spare parts to test with you end up purchasing all sorts of different replacement parts you don't need.

CinderzFTW · 9 Dec 2011 at 12:03

Windows 7 is really reliable on sorting out drivers to make itself work properly, but to just be sure, install the latest video and audio drivers from the manufacturers websites just TO MAKE SURE! Always be sure! Don't want anything going wrong thanks to a driver problem in the future really do you?

It is a ***** when you think it is something else that is wrong, but turns out to be either the motherboard or something in plain sight that would be easy to figure out.

I will admit, my (******, as you call it) ASRock board ain't great (M3N78D) but it does me. I run a standard Athlon X4 640 Quad @ 3.4ghz, 4gb 1333mhz ddr3 and a cheap hd5770 and have overclocked the nuts off all my components and not had a single problem. I have stressed the balls of it for hours and it is all stable! ASRock may not be the best, but their boards are solid and my AM3 board loves being overclocked and over volted!

They ain't all bad!

Just remember kissenger, update to the latest drivers, the standard microsoft ones that windows 7 usually installs (even though it is handy 7 does it for you), having the latest drivers installed increases system stability and will give better performance in the long run! xD

Also @ tigeruk, ASRock is owned by ASUS! So basically, ASUS make ASRock boards