swapping out mobo...need advice...

[BROGS]

doing cpu, mobo upgrade.....going from 266kt to nforce 2 mobo...going to reformat xp because i need to clean up clutter...do i need to uninstall all the drivers i can if i reformat?

 

[Vadi]

If you format all your drivers will be gone. No need to uninstall anything.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Also make sure you take the time to enjoy it!

 

[Fox5]

doing cpu, mobo upgrade.....going from 266kt to nforce 2 mobo...going to reformat xp because i need to clean up clutter...do i need to uninstall all the drivers i can if i reformat?

Reformatting or reinstalling?
Formatting deletes everything on your harddrive.
Reinstalling doesn't do much.

Anyhow, it's unlikely your harddrive would even work on the new motherboard without formatting.(or doing a repair installation of windows)

 

[BROGS]

reformatting...have backed up a few items but its time to clean up the old puter...

 

[digitalwanderer]

Anyhow, it's unlikely your harddrive would even work on the new motherboard without formatting.(or doing a repair installation of windows)

That's a myth, I've swapped out lots of mobos without re-installing XP.

Granted I always recomend a fresh install when you swap mobos, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I've went from a CUSL-2 (Tulatin Celeron 1.4@1.68) to a K7N2-L (Barton 2500, speeds change a lot still) to a NF7-s rev2 (same Barton 2500, speeds still change a lot but they're quicker now) without re-installing and without major problems.

 

[rainz]

Anyhow, it's unlikely your harddrive would even work on the new motherboard without formatting.(or doing a repair installation of windows)

That's a myth, I've swapped out lots of mobos without re-installing XP.

Granted I always recomend a fresh install when you swap mobos, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I've went from a CUSL-2 (Tulatin Celeron 1.4@1.68) to a K7N2-L (Barton 2500, speeds change a lot still) to a NF7-s rev2 (same Barton 2500, speeds still change a lot but they're quicker now) without re-installing and without major problems.

Yeh Dig but in your conclusion you should say it again .. you dont recommend it

RainZ

 

[Fox5]

Anyhow, it's unlikely your harddrive would even work on the new motherboard without formatting.(or doing a repair installation of windows)

That's a myth, I've swapped out lots of mobos without re-installing XP.

Granted I always recomend a fresh install when you swap mobos, but it isn't absolutely necessary. I've went from a CUSL-2 (Tulatin Celeron 1.4@1.68) to a K7N2-L (Barton 2500, speeds change a lot still) to a NF7-s rev2 (same Barton 2500, speeds still change a lot but they're quicker now) without re-installing and without major problems.

I went from an asus kt333 based motherboard to an nforce2, I had to reformat before I could get past blue screened memory errors.

 

[Tahir2]

One of the reasons a reformat is required is due to the way WinXP deals with IDE Drivers. Without the correct IDE drivers or a similar implementation in place a blue screen preventing you from accessing the OS through Safe Mode or Normal Mode is inevitable.

If you replace an old SiS board with a newer one you are fine... same with going from VIA to VIA or NVIDIA to NVIDIA... etc.

You can do a 'R'epair of Windows XP which is very handy and saves you from a full format.... this is not the same Repair as the ASR console.

If you find as Dig did that you did not have to format the OS going from one chipset to another it is possible that standard IDE Drivers were used in the previous installation and the new chipset can use them. However there is the possibility of instability etc and as Dig said, it is not recommended.