I'm pretty sure this has been asked before, but couldn't find it in the search box. I am thinking of changing motherboards, cause i want to put a core 2 duo cpu and compatible motherboard in this computer. If i do this, will XP hickup and ask me to call M$ ? Also, will there be anything in my XP that will have to be reset to other values, cause i will be running a faster chip and different motherboard? In other words, i'm hoping not to have to re-install XP from scratch.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/m... It's a good day when you learn something

If you are lucky, you might just have to do a repair install. If you aren't lucky, you might also have to re-activate. If you have bad luck, you might have to format, install and re-activate. XP can be kinda finicky about hardware changes. If this is the first hardware change that you've made since you activated the system, I would suspect that your chances are pretty good.

max00.... I just re-installed XP on this hard drive, about 6 months ago. So i guess that would qualify as not having changed any components. I ALWAYS keep my mirrored drive D: backed up, atleast once a week, using casperXP. So yes, i have backups. But i have a feeling that all the mirrored drive is going to do for me is give me access to data files ( pics, and email, etc ). It was my hope that i would not have to re-install windows again ( one of the reasons why i now do mirrored backups. Dan Penny.... That is quite a page you sent me to. Short of being a lawyer, i can see a person could get confused real fast. The ""Changing the motherboard on a computer currently running XP"" header seems like it probably will be what i would be doing. Am i correct in assuming that if i do the "upgrade", that it will write something to my drive C: And when i then change motherboards, and do as that page says in the bios, that when it then reboots, that it will see what was written to drive C: ? It said: ************************************* 20. Reboot 21. Allow upgrade to continue. Setup installs the HAL [Hardware Abstract Layer] The IDE controller drivers [Hard Drive] Other drivers that the new motherboard must have. *************************** I take it that THEN it would ( if i am lucky ), still would show everything that was previously installed with XP ???

I have used both these methods. But I prefer method ONE. Method Number One 1 - Extract 'Atapi.sys,' 'Intelide.sys,' 'Pciide.sys,' and 'Pciidex.sys' from 'C:\Windows\Driver Cache\i386\Driver.cab' (or SPx.CAB if it exists, where x is the latest service pack)(They can also all be found in the root of the i386 folder) 2 - Copy those four files to the following location: 'C:\Windows\System32\Drivers' (When prompted do not replace files already there)(Two of these files may already be there and They may be newer than the ones you are copying). 3 - Merge the registry file found below (copy the text to notepad and save as a .reg file). 4 - THAT'S IT! Move the HDD to a new system (or change the motherboard), and your system will start up. The system may freeze on a re-boot asking for drivers to be installed, if that should happen just manually re-boot. While installing new hardware it will ask for drivers, always cancel these and when it is all done finding new hardware install the new MOBO drivers, Video drivers Etc. Check the Device Manager for any problems. You will need to Re-Activate. HERE IS THE REGISTRY FILE (COPY IT INTO NOTEPAD, AND SAVE IT AS A .REG FILE. ********* START COPY AFTER THIS LINE ************* Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\primary_ide_channel] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="atapi" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\secondary_ide_channel] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="atapi" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\*pnp0600] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="atapi" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\*azt0502] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="atapi" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\gendisk] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="disk" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#cc_0101] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_0e11&dev_ae33] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1039&dev_0601] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1039&dev_5513] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-1!CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1042&dev_1000] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_105a&dev_4d33] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0640] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0646] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1097&dev_0038] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10ad&dev_0001] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10ad&dev_0150] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10b9&dev_5215] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10b9&dev_5219] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10b9&dev_5229] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="pciide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1106&dev_0571] "Service"="pciide" "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_1222] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_1230] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2411] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2421] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_7010] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_7111] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_7199] "ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}" "Service"="intelide" ;Add driver for Atapi (requires atapi.sys in drivers directory) [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\atapi] "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001 "Group"="SCSI miniport" "Start"=dword:00000000 "Tag"=dword:00000019 "Type"=dword:00000001 "DisplayName"="Standard IDE/ESDI Hard Disk Controller" "ImagePath"=hex(2):53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,44,00,\ 52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,70,00,69,00,2e,\ 00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00</FON> ;Add driver for intelide (requires intelide.sys in drivers directory) [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IntelIde] "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001 "Group"="System Bus Extender" "Start"=dword:00000000 "Tag"=dword:00000004 "Type"=dword:00000001 "ImagePath"=hex(2):53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,44,00,\ 52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,69,00,6e,00,74,00,65,00,6c,00,69,\ 00,64,00,65,00,2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00 ;Add driver for pciide (requires pciide.sys and pciidex.sys in drivers directory) [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\PCIIde] "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001 "Group"="System Bus Extender" "Start"=dword:00000000 "Tag"=dword:00000003 "Type"=dword:00000001 "ImagePath"=hex(2):53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,44,00,\ 52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,70,00,63,00,69,00,69,00,64,00,65,\ 00,2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00 ************ END COPY ABOVE THIS LINE *************** Method Number two. Use "Repair Install" to Change MOBO/CPU Before powering down to make any changes place the OS/CD in the CD/ROM Make sure the BIOS is set to boot from the CD/ROM as first boot. Change the MOBO/CPU. Power back on, make sure it boots from the cd and not the HDD Follow the instructions for the Repair Install. Load the new MOBO drivers Re-Activate. Note: No method guarantees a clean change-over to a new MOBO except a clean install. Repair Install 1=Set BIOS to boot from the CD/ROM as first boot device, With OS/CD in the drive restart the computer. 2=When the prompt to "Press any key to boot from CD/ROM appears (Do so now as you have only seconds).(Ignore when prompt appears on any reboot) 3=Windows setup, Loads files. 4=You will see Windows XP home or Pro setup. 5=To setup windows press "Enter." 6=Press F8 to accept license. 7=To repair selected Windows Installation press "R." 8=Copies files to the Hard drive. 9=Computer will Re-Boot 10=follow the on-screen instructions. 11=Enter the "product Key" 12=The computer may re-boot again during the install, but do not use "the press any key" command at the prompt or you get to do it all over again. 13=Follow on screen instructions.