Do you need a new installation of XP on a new motherboard?

[yoda313]

So if I were to consider getting a new motherboard/case would I have to have a full new XP installation?

Would I be able to just take my existing harddrives and plop them in the new system? I only have the emachine xp disc that came with the computer. I don't think that counts as a "full installation" disc of XP.

[Poppa_Meth]

You could try to do a repair of the installation if you have an full version of XP on that disc. Chances are though that the install CD may be keyed to the manufacturers BIOS which will no longer be there if you swap mobos. Dells are like this but I'm not sure on eMachines.

[yoda313]

Thanks poppa_meth. Because I'm wondering if I were to upgrade at all how much it would cost in total if I need to have a "installation" copy of XP in addition to the hardware.

I love my emachine except for the missing agp port. If I were to go the new mobo route I would need a new case.

Let's say I'm happy with my celeron 2.66ghz processor. Could I buy just a motherboard that supports that processor + the case? What would the odds be of still being able to use my existing power supply? How do you determine the power supply wattage?

Mind you this is information gathering stage. I'm nowhere near ready to commit.

[ROF]

Poppa_meth is correct, but unlike Dells some eMachines do include full XP installation discs. Fortunately, it is easy to tell them apart. Full installations comes with the COA sticker attached to the OS. eMachine installations have the sticker attached to the computer.

[yoda313]

Ok I just looked and it says "restore dvd". My guess is that doesn't count as a full installation disc.

[ROF]

Correct. That will just restore the computer to it's eMachine Factory settings. It will probably install all that bloatware software you probably uninstalled too.

[yoda313]

all that bloatware software you probably uninstalled too.

Uh sure yah what you said (shy's away at shame of not having done that...... )

[ROF]

Since you are buying new hardware you should be eligible to purchase an OEM version of Windows XP from your hardware reseller. OEM versions are cheaper than retail versions but they do have some restrictions.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Ok I just looked and it says "restore dvd". My guess is that doesn't count as a full installation disc.

You are correct.In the past I have swapped a HDD to a new motherboard with no problems*.When you bootup for the first time Windows will search for drivers,I just let Windows install native drivers until I can load the drivers that came with the mobo.
*Win9x/Me/2000/XP SP1 will work but SP2 will require activation because it detects another mobo,it's best to buy a new Windows CD.

[yoda313]

Would ebay be worth it or would it be safer to try something like tigerdirect? Again I'm just searching right now.

[Cobra]

If you run into problems, just give Microsoft a ring. That's what I did, and they sorted me right out.

[smitbret]

The thing you have to worry about is driver conflicts with the motherboard's chipset and your video drivers. If they are the same, then the same installation of Windows will be fine and you won't need to reformat. If you switched, for example, from an Intel chipset with onboard video to a Via chipset with an nVidia video card, then you'd mosty likely need a fresh reinstall to a formatted HDD to avoid conflicts and instability.
-Brett

[budz]

Would ebay be worth it or would it be safer to try something like tigerdirect? Again I'm just searching right now.

I'd stay away from Ebay and suggest buying what you need from Newegg.com. I've bought many used motherboards from Ebay only to return them because they were defective in some way. I had only one successful motherboard & cpu combo that I bought from Ebay which was my first computer that I built. The rest of the mobo's I've purchased were returned. Check resellers.com for comments about Tigerdirect.com. Good luck!

[Dv8ted2]

Ok I just looked and it says "restore dvd". My guess is that doesn't count as a full installation disc.

I had a co-worker that had an e-machine. The motherboard crapped out on her. The restore disc would not work. She had to buy a XP disc.

[TBoneit]

When The Mobo dies like that in the e-machine (Commomn failure for e-machine too) if you have any Generic OEM XP of the proper type, Home or Professional, a repair install will get the old windows back up and working. Or if you can find the same chipset on the new Mobo then you'll be in luck too and only need activation.

I recently replaced a HP Mobo with a Intel 965 chipset with a Foxconn Mobo using the same chipset and only needed to install the new dribers disc after Xp came up and was running. Same chipset, same PCI Express Video and same SB Audigy II sound.

So easy replacement if you can match what you already have.

I mention this for others info.

[yoda313]

Well I think I'll try selling my snes and n64 on ebay to pay for the new case and mobo. I've got about 10 games for the n64 including both zeldas and goldeneye. That should do pretty well. And I just sold my dreamcast at our neighboorhood garage sale for $15 this weekend. I've already got a good start

Thanks for all the tips. I also have a friend that might still have an extra unactivated legal copy of XP laying around I might be able to trade for

[yoda313]

Well I sold my xbox and a few games to ebgames and got $90 for it. I didn't want to do ebay because I was not looking forward to trying to pack and ship that monster.

So know I've got at least a $110 dedicated to this venture. I've seen plenty of barbone kits in that range that include the case, power supply, motherboard, and usually a celeron chip.

Is there a case/mobo package in the $150 range that includes, say a pentium 4 2.8ghz processor????

And how much do PCI-E motherboards go for these days???

[TBoneit]

Just took a quick look and as a P4 2.4 is $98 wholsale and the LGA 775 version of the 2.8 is $99 for the 533fsb version and $169 for the faster 800fsb version any case w/mobo/cpu in that price range would have to be the slower 533 FSB CPU and a really cheapo case and Mobo.

That's looking in todays wholesale pricing spreadsheet.

Of course that is also retail w/3 year cpu warranty and not what seems to be appearing on the market, IE made in China P4 w/no warranty and not made for sale in the USA. Those might be cheaper OTOH then we're talking about a unsupported in the USA CPU with the cheapest heatsink/fan they bung onto it.

[Bjs]

If mother board is the same and just being replaced = yes
If not = no ... must do full reinstall , and re-register os with ms

In this case , you need to purchase the full os .

I have also seen some restore disc's ... they actually say restore on them , and are the full os , but include the reg file's , so no need calling ms to re-register it .

Some of the difference's :

No os included = ilegal os (weekend market's , ect) , may even be given a copy of os ... avoid ...

Vendor's can be : (including the above mentioned)

1: Backup restore is residing in hidden partition on hard disk (back it up asap) or you end up in crapola when hd fail's

2: Restore disc , include's reg file's so no need calling ms to re-register (cannot be used if different mother board is installed)

3: Restore disc , full os , may have company name brand on it , like dell's , need's re-registering (a simple phone call to ms)
Can be installed on any pc (do what you want , though it is for dell pc's only)

4: Os purchased at oem with the purchase of pc (can be purchased with any main upgrade , ie , motherboard + cpu + memory + case) ... though this entirely depend's on the company you are dealing with as some refuse to offer os at oem price's unless you purchase a complete pc from them .

In the final situation , find someone else ... and tell your friend's to avoid them like the plague they are .

Last :

5: You own a pc and want to upgrade os ...

There are 3 to choose from :

Winxp home ($139.00au) , win xp pro ($220.00au) , both available at oem price's (new system's / major upgrade package)
And upgrade ($139.00au) , full price .

Last one can upgrage from win98 to xp pro ... and these are full price's quoted from my current vendor here in the au , not oem price's which would be cheaper .

But then again , there is alway's a bargain in ebay to be snapped up .

My last xp pro purchase was $130.00au for xp pro , the other 2 bidder's failed , final price was $210 (heck , I can buy it for $220.00) , it was still sealed and with key attached ... a bargain ... guess I be lurking about there more often ... lol

[yoda313]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll be browsing the web and checking out the bargains. I think for simplicity I'll look mainly for the barebones case/mobo/powersupply. There are many in the $100 range.

[ntscuser]

So if I were to consider getting a new motherboard/case would I have to have a full new XP installation?

Would I be able to just take my existing harddrives and plop them in the new system? I only have the emachine xp disc that came with the computer. I don't think that counts as a "full installation" disc of XP.

You will find a full answer here:-

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

[yoda313]

Well I thought of a solution I forgot I had. I still have an old copy of Windows 2000. I can install that and buy an UPGRADE copy of XP. There is a memorial day sale at Compusa for the Home edition upgrade version of XP for $50 after rebates. That way when I do commit and buy a new mobo/case I can install 2000 than put XP upgrade on it and I'll be all set.

[ntscuser]

Personally, I'd stick with Windows 2000 for as long as possible. It's less of a system resource-hog so is like having more power than a similar machine running XP.

[yoda313]

True but I've gotten used to XP and there are many web downloads that are XP only nowadays, as well as apps like windows movie maker. Plus I like the feel of it a little more than 2000.

[lenti_75]

for a new mob, NEW install is a must, unless you want to do it later....a lot of drivers conflicts....doesn't worth it.
later or sooner you will reinstall de xp,. trust me.

[yoda313]

I have another question. Are there simple cable adapters to go from sata to pata for harddrive interfaces? Or does it have to be a pci card to connect pata hard drives to a sata interface?

[lenti_75]

I have another question. Are there simple cable adapters to go from sata to pata for harddrive interfaces? Or does it have to be a pci card to connect pata hard drives to a sata interface?

you can't connect ata to sata with cables....totally different .....the only way is to get a pci for sata drive, if you don;t have sata on mobo.

[yoda313]

So wait a minute - can you run a pata drive on a sata mobo?

[MOVIEGEEK]

So wait a minute - can you run a pata drive on a sata mobo?

Yes but not the other way around,all mobo's come with IDE sockets but only newer mobo's come with SATA sockets.You need one of these:
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?ref=froogle&pfp=froogle&product_code=...a=&cm_ite=feed

[yoda313]

So you're saying there is a PATA ADAPTER PCI CARD for mobo's with ONLY sata interfaces?