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48 Comments
- inactive, on 03/27/2009, -1/+32Who the ***** doesn't reinstall windows when they're dealing with new hardware?
- meed, on 03/27/2009, -2/+28It is called a clean install, do it.
- t0x2c, on 03/27/2009, -5/+28It should be requird knowledge of how to replace a motherboard BEFORE you're allowed to register for digg.
- jafo818, on 03/26/2009, -3/+15Very cool article. Of course it's useless for me. I upgrade every 3-5 years and usually install a new OS version (hopefully this year I'll be going from XP to 7).
- roijen, on 03/27/2009, -0/+12There is this joy that comes from sketchy installs. The sight of windows barking errors on each reboot gives the machine personality. Fingerprints, if you will, of its creator.
You have placed a portion of yourself in the machine and it beautifully responds in acknowledgment of you. - MonkeyFit, on 03/27/2009, -0/+12Maybe in the before times. Now people come here for pictures of mountain goats. :(
- Jhiaxuz, on 03/27/2009, -0/+8It's all about research. Some are better at following written instructions while others prefer a more visual experience. If you do your research and are patient the first time around, it's sort of like riding a bicycle and it only gets easier.
Except when you run into those corporate cases which make you question the meaning of life. - RadiantSilver, on 03/27/2009, -0/+7Why not just back up your data, de-auth your apps, and format the drive while you're at it? Seems easier than screwing around with the registry and drivers.
- Allstarn08, on 03/27/2009, -1/+8uhhhh, what if you want to be able to increase maximum amounr of RAM? A different latency RAM? New CPU socket type? Change bridge types? Get more PCI-e slots?
How will Linux help that?
Don't just post out of your ass. Know what your talking about. Linux is software, motherboard is hardware. - Tenoq, on 03/27/2009, -0/+6Some people have particular programs or setups they can't afford to loose, or take too much time to setup again.
Specific examples I commonly see:
- People have 'lost' their 'original' Office disc, and therefore won't be able to re-install it
- Accounting packages like MYOB can have very specific setups, and can also be a SERIOUS PITA to install, upgrade, install, upgrade, upgrade, verify, activate, log-in, call customer service, re-activate, blah blah blah
Etc, etc. Personally I'm with you though. If there's anyway I can convince a client of a fresh-install, I will. Repair/over-installs suck ass. - Jhiaxuz, on 03/27/2009, -0/+5Custom bolt-through heatsink kits can be a nuisance. It's not like haulin out a motherboard is hard, just a bother.
- Tenoq, on 03/27/2009, -0/+4Technicians with whiny, inept clients.
- cr3ative, on 03/27/2009, -3/+7On 30 pages!
- Lunarbunny, on 03/27/2009, -0/+3have fun when you accidentally touch a pin on a new CPU.
At the bare minimum, touch the freaking chassis. - matt.rubin, on 03/27/2009, -0/+3basically its cleaning up taking all your info and format again. I format every year.
- homercles337, on 03/27/2009, -1/+4Who the ***** doesn't do a minimal POST before "hooking everything up" and "sealing the case"?
- rmxz, on 03/27/2009, -0/+3Did you notice that most of their problems seem to be DRM-related issues? And some with poor driver support built into some OS's?
I thought the best approach was "apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade" (to make sure I have drivers for modern hardware) followed by replacing the motherboard. - WilliamAdama, on 03/27/2009, -1/+4Here's an easier solution, backup your documents, music, movies, and after installing the new motherboard then reformat your hard drive and start with a clean slate.
- Lunarbunny, on 03/27/2009, -0/+2Don't ever forget to install the chipset drivers *before* the display drivers. That was fun the first time I accidentally ***** that up.
- themastersb, on 03/27/2009, -0/+2I just upgraded my motherboard last month after 2 years of my old one. I pretty much doubled everything. Dual core processor with 2mb cache to a quad with 8mb cache, 2 GB 400 mhz ram to 4 GB 800 mhz ram. However, since I was just reinstalling vista I did a fresh install and my old windows installation was automatically backed up into a folder called windows.old so I could pick out whatever I needed. Much easier than all the crap in the article.
- alsazen, on 03/27/2009, -0/+2well, 4 pages... but who's counting.
- 2of8, on 03/27/2009, -0/+2Really? I wouldn't enjoy that at all! Chances are, I would see _their_ way of doing it, and nothing more. Learning it by myself is extremely enjoyable.
- jer2eydevil88, on 03/27/2009, -0/+2When its time to replace a motherboard you might consider also upgrading the CPU and PSU. The CPU because buying an older board brand new can be difficult and so a bundle off Newegg for newer equipment could be about the same price. The PSU you should test and replace if off voltage because in my experience a bad motherboard is usually caused by a faulty PSU.
- jer2eydevil88, on 03/27/2009, -0/+2You went from an ATI system to an Intel and you didn't wipe Windows? Do you have no love for Clippy?
- sevenalive, on 03/28/2009, -0/+1....and the countless lists, Top XX this and Best X that.
- Cl1mh4224rd, on 03/27/2009, -0/+1> "You have placed a portion of yourself in the machine and it beautifully responds in acknowledgment of you."
Like Sauron and the One Ring. - chronos56, on 03/27/2009, -0/+1The most important driver to uninstall before a board swap is the IDE driver, reset it to generic before you swap the board. XP can handle just about any other driver problem but that one. Having swapped a bunch of boards over the years as long as I can get the IDE driver reset then the install will go OK. If you cant, due to a board failure, then your in a lot of trouble, XP repair install MAY fix it.
- deadsenator, on 03/27/2009, -0/+1Who says you have to?
I have one system in which I have replaced the motherboard several times. I am trying to see how long I can carry the original XP64 load. I am a systems admin, so it is a challenge/experiment sort of thing. It may be getting too snarled to go much further, but it gives me opportunities to see and do things on the OS that you won't see when you always load fresh (ie - removing hidden devices, etc).
On some of my other gamer systems it takes only a few minutes to reload, so I do that there. - FlyingCaveman, on 03/28/2009, -0/+1Is it just me, or by the time you need to "upgrade" the motherboard you need to build a new computer. Unless of course, you have a faulty motherboard to begin with.
- jotux, on 03/29/2009, -0/+1uhhh, AMD? If so, yes I went from an AMD system to intel without a reinstall.
- MizuhoChan, on 03/27/2009, -0/+1I touch a radiator to ground myself first. But I put screws on the carpet and stuff and nothing ever breaks.
- Lunarbunny, on 03/27/2009, -0/+1I've been known to do it, but only because I'm lazy.
- jsffive, on 03/27/2009, -2/+2I just make sure to get all my CD keys, replace the board, and ON THE VERY FIRST BOOT (that oine is critical)... run a Windows repair install. Haven't had a problem yet.
- Malteserr, on 03/27/2009, -2/+2Wow, what a noble cause!
/s - JosedeNoche, on 04/17/2009, -0/+0technicians with a little rushed-up schedule for deliviring junky systems
- echoztrip, on 03/27/2009, -0/+0shadowprotect (or acronis with universal restore) do a good job at this :)
- antdude, on 03/27/2009, -3/+2One print page: http://www.extremetech.com/print_article2/0,1217,a ...
- jotux, on 03/27/2009, -4/+2I was running a 3800X2, 2 gigs of whatever ram it used, and an accompanying motherboard until about a year ago. Fry's ran a deal on an E6950 with a motherboard, so I picked it up with some ram, dropped it into my machine. After a few restarts with windows to configure hardware, everything worked fine. Last week, they had another deal on a 9800GTX+ (I had a 7900gt), so I swapped that out too. So now I'm running an install of windows with the only common component being the hard drive.
It kinda reminds me of the Ship of Theseus. - N0DIGGITY, on 03/27/2009, -3/+0This guide makes it seem much more complicated than it really is. It's not that tough to switch a motherboard, although for a piece of hardware as important as a motherboard, I would recommend a reinstall of your OS for sure. No need to risk stability issues just because you don't want to take an hour to reformat.
- rockon4life45, on 03/27/2009, -5/+1I want to digg you up but of course you add in the snide comment on how you aren't using vista so I am conflicted and will neither thumb up or thumb down you.
- Allstarn08, on 03/27/2009, -6/+1Or you could go to your local computer store, and pay the measly ~$30 fee and they'll show you how to do it and guide you through it. A lot better than some sketchy website.
- ikonizer, on 03/27/2009, -6/+1These tips are for idiots. I have upgrade every component in a computer and I never "discharge" myself beforehand. And guess how many things I've destroyed by neglecting to do that? NOTHING.
- jggube, on 03/27/2009, -8/+2I think there's only one tip for upgrading a motherboard: buy one that sucks less than that one you have now. There, upgraded!
- freakFlag, on 03/27/2009, -9/+3The one person that dugg you down is a fan of Vista and is completely shocked you didn't upgrade from XP. With Vista's amazing blah blah you can blah blah at blah times the speed!!!!
- banosd, on 03/27/2009, -8/+2I stopped reading after the first Windows comments, which began in the second paragraph
- banosd, on 03/27/2009, -9/+2I stopped reading after the first Windows comments, which began in the second paragraph
- depro9, on 03/27/2009, -12/+1Don't upgrade your board, install Linux & maybe more ram.
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