Changing a Motherboard - Win XP Pro

[Channel Hopper]

Actually changing everything apart from the hard drive.

I'm updating ye olde SX280 to a somewhat newer Optiplex 745, complete with four x 1GB RAM and an additional low profile DVI graphics board that is sitting within the chassis.

The reasons are mainly the onboard graphics, which cannot deal with Pixelshader, and there is no provision to add a separate card on this model. According to the background services the CPU and 2GB slots are already working to their capacity.

What is on the hard drive really needs to remain there, including ye olde XP Pro (SP3) which is legit and comes with CD, since most of the graphics stuff used by others in the household - Dreamweaver and earlier Flash developing tools - would need a massive overhaul to work with anything more recent. I am not going to attempt Win 7 upgrading unless I absolutely have to.

Can anybody advise the best method of making this hard drive and its content sit comfortably in the new environment ?

 

[2cvbloke]

Assuming the hardware is similar (I.E. not going from an Intel northbridge to an nVidia northbridge, or Intel CPU to AMD, or a mix of the two), then you should be able to just move the HDD from one to the other, though windows may complain about there being too many hardware changes and needing reactivating...

Though the likely outcome with XP is a BSOD on bootup, and assuming it does, it can be fixed by running a repair-install using a proper Windows XP CD (not one containing a drive image);

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

After that it should be like nothing changed, aside from performance improvements with slightly better hardware...

 

[Mickha]

From memory it's not too difficult, and when I did it the motherboard came with a floppy disk, containing the required drivers, which shows how long ago it was that I had to do this. It's best to adjust the hard drive prior to upgrading, by uninstalling drivers that will need changing, including graphic card, audio, and motherboard, all this might be best in safe mode.
I did find this, on the internet:
http://www.raymond.cc/blog/move-win...erboard-without-getting-blue-screen-of-death/

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks, very informative.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Well, Raymond's information appears to have worked - almost.

I has a few heartstopping moments when the Optiplex went straight into a Windows Activation screen, and no amount of putting in the official 25 length key would shift it.
Once in safe mode though, up came the Administrator user name and from there I was able to set up the ethernet drivers from the 'old data' folder, and next time in normal mode the hard drive made contact and everything sprang into life.

I've still got a couple of issues with a 'SM bus' warning that will not go away, even after downloading the Dell drivers from the service tag, but so far, so good, no lost data and the screen resolution is way better than before, playing 720p videos with very little stoppage/artefacts.

Thanks again

 

[Mickha]

Have you checked the Motherboard manufacturers website for any updates?

 

[Channel Hopper]

Have you checked the Motherboard manufacturers website for any updates?

It's all marked as Dell, and the service tag means everything should upgrade as per Dell.

It may possibly be I am using something other than the recommended hard drive of course,

WDC WD1600JS-75NCB1

though the BelArc system confirms everything about it is 'healthy'.

 

[Mickha]

Look on boot up for the motherboard information, you might need to press the pause button to be able to write down the details. or you could check the motherboard manual, if you have it.
You could also use Windows updates, to see if they have any hardware updates available, just use the Custom option, when viewing the update option.
I would still prefer the manufacturers sites, for drivers, that includes graphics card, and motherboard.
Have you checked in Device Manager, for anything with an exclamation mark, sometimes it can find updated drivers, when using the check the internet option.

 

[2cvbloke]

For the SM Bus thing, you probably need to install the motherboard chipset drivers, easiest way to find out what you need is to look it up with Unknown Device Identifier:

http://www.zhangduo.com/udi.html

Very useful tool to have when doing anything with computers and drivers, heck, the screenshot there shows an example of an unknown SM Bus Controller!!

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks again, that programme found the Intel IC8H ATA Serial controller wasn't there, or possibly the right one for working on XP.

No more question marks

A pity the operating system within the drive will be relegated to the dustbin tonight, but at least the little one has WildLife Park 2 up and running.

 

[smoggy07]

I think the last time I had to swap out a motherboard I used DriverPack Solution -http://drp.su/ to add all the Dell drivers back but think it had trouble finding one or two that I had to get direct from Dell

 

[Channel Hopper]

I think the last time I had to swap out a motherboard I used DriverPack Solution -http://drp.su/ to add all the Dell drivers back but think it had trouble finding one or two that I had to get direct from Dell

Wouldn't have helped in this instance without the information within the earlier link, courtesy of Mickha