Windows XP home question

[Spawn-Inc]

ok so i went out a got a cheap video card for my pc to use until i have enough for my 8800 ultra. i can take my brothers ram and this computers proc and finally get this thing running. but do i have to install windows fresh with this setup up or can i use a older harddrive and just install the new drivers and what not without having to format?

[Luke122]

You may be able to do it without a format or reinstall, I've done worse. :)

[xRyokenx]

You don't have to reinstall it, it'll adapt. I had to call up MS and go through an annoying process to reactivate it. I think a fresh install might run better though, but try it out the other way first.

[Spawn-Inc]

wow +rep for the fast replies, once i get my second 250gb hdd and a 750gb hdd then i will copy all the files from the two drives and then run them in Raid 0 then i can back them up on the 750gb hdd, then i will install fresh.

[calumc]

The best way to install windows: DONT!!

[Bucko]

It will depend on what hardware the windows install was on before. When I upgraded my AMD Athlon XP2000+ to the Intel setup, it wouldn't work. Not even trying to do a repair would help it.
In the end I did a format and fresh install.

[Spawn-Inc]

well it will be going from this,

pentium 4 1.6ghz ( 478 )
gigabyte 8IDX
896mb's of ram pc133 3-3-3-6 (512mb stick, 256mb stick, 128mb stick)
not sure who makes it but a Geforce4 mx 440 or something, 64mb.
80gb+20gb hdd's
320watt psu

to this,

LG H26N SATA DVD Burner
EVGA-NF68-A1 680i
Enermax 850watt DXX
EVGA e-GeForce 7200GS 128mb
Intel pentium 4 3.0GHz with HT
512mb DDR2 667
7gb IDE hdd

if it works it works otherwise i will just format and reinstall.

[Airbozo]

Save yourself some headaches and cursing, do a fresh install. You will find that the original install will have extra drivers and registry entries that may cause problems down the road so a little extra time (and really it will take longer to fix the fresh install) now will keep your heart rate and frustration level down.

[Luke122]

I didnt realize it was that significant of a hardware change! Haha.. I agree that a fullblown format/rebuild is the best way to handle a hardware change like that. :D

[agnat]

They might let you now, but not long ago, Micro$oft figured that a new motherboard was the ticket to getting a new license. A new HD or more RAM was fine, but once the mobo was replaced, that was considered a new computer and they would not let you activate XP on it. If that has since changed, I'm sorry, but I know this happened to me in the past.

Agnat

[Airbozo]

They might let you now, but not long ago, Micro$oft figured that a new motherboard was the ticket to getting a new license. A new HD or more RAM was fine, but once the mobo was replaced, that was considered a new computer and they would not let you activate XP on it. If that has since changed, I'm sorry, but I know this happened to me in the past.

Agnat

I have used the same XP pro on my last 3 computers (no not all at once), and only had to reactivate. I had to call in the last time since it was a pretty new build, with a new mobo and proc and video card, etc. They just wanted me to verify that I uninstalled it from my last system and they gave me the code.

[.Maleficus.]

There is one workaround I know of to let you use the same install of Windows on 2 different motherboards, but it is full of headaches and doesn't always work. It's not illegal or anything (I posted it here somewhere...) but trust me, you're far better off doing a fresh install.

[Spawn-Inc]

ok so i did a fresh install and it all works! i'm so happy, on the weekend i'm going go get some cheapo ram and then all thats left is the proc. i'm looking at ebay for good deals but it looks like i'm going to have to spend at least 30-40 so i will get this one (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3240153&CatId=1973) i think. my only concern with that one is will it work with my motherboard (EVGA-NF68-A1 680i)? i only ask becuase the cpu looks like this (http://www.all4pc.nl/img/urun/17717.jpg), instead of this (http://www.pcstats.com/articleimages/200505/inteLGA775_frontrear.jpg). i don't see the notches on the side like in the second picture.

[.Maleficus.]

The CPU doesn't actually look like that; it's a render. It's an LGA775 so it will work.

However, buy at your own risk.

[Spawn-Inc]

The CPU doesn't actually look like that; it's a render. It's an LGA775 so it will work.

sweet

However, buy at your own risk.

why do you say that?

EDIT: oops, i put the wrong proc in i meant this one (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2526011&CatId=1973).

[Bucko]

Don't eBay drunk when buying a processor either.

"Wow! A motherboard, 3.07Ghz intel and a gig of ram for less than $400??? Where's that buy it now button?!?!"

Then you wake up and realise you bought a Celeron D and a Micro ATX board when really, you wanted a Pentium D and a full ATX board.


ewwww Celeron. I feel so dirty. It the PC equivalent of buying a Mac.

[Luke122]

More like the PC equivalent of buying a 486sx.
:D

or a broken processor.

[xRyokenx]

Or more like that damn Socket A that blew after a month, lol. Never again am I going with that crap... except Celery's don't die on you so you can get a new one.

[Crazy Buddhist]

ewwww Celeron. I feel so dirty. It the PC equivalent of buying a Mac.

Do you mean wearing a Mac? lol

[Spawn-Inc]

as long as the proc works decently i'm happy. i'm just getting a crappy video card, ram, and processor so i can have my own pc working already. i'm tired of it just sitting there. in the mean time i will save up for the last 4 parts of my gaming/main.first rig.

[modmansage]

Moving a windows install is apparently possible with a few pre-migration steps.
Just uninstall everything in device manager while in the old setup, then move the hard drive to another computer and let windows go through all the "found new hardware" steps.
someone actually try this before or know if it works?

[.Maleficus.]

Moving a windows install is apparently possible with a few pre-migration steps.
Just uninstall everything in device manager while in the old setup, then move the hard drive to another computer and let windows go through all the "found new hardware" steps.
someone actually try this before or know if it works?
I did. That's what I was talking about, and like I said, it doesn't always work (didn't for me). It's much easier to just do a fresh install. Backup all you important stuff, install Windows again, and reinstall everything else. Takes a weekend but is much more hassle-free.

[Crazy Buddhist]

Moving a windows install is apparently possible with a few pre-migration steps.
Just uninstall everything in device manager while in the old setup, then move the hard drive to another computer and let windows go through all the "found new hardware" steps.
someone actually try this before or know if it works?

You don't even always need to do this if the machines are vaguely similar. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. On many occassions I have taken a Windows 2000 HDD and shoved it in a completely different system having uninstalled nothing to have it boot first time without a problem even though the mobo, processor and Video card were different.

Having said this I tend not to use systems this way. I'm a clean install man myself.