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View Full Version : Motherboard Upgrade Questions...


SmokeyDP
11-08-2005, 08:42 AM
Right now I have this motherboard:
ABIT KV8 Pro Socket 754 VIA K8T800 Pro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

I want to upgrade to this one so I can have the same Socket 754 and now have PCI-E for a new video card:
ASUS K8N4-E DELUXE Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce4 4X ATX

Can I do this without having to reformat my computer? My main concern is that I am booting off the onboard SATA on the ABIT card....

I am a pretty experienced system builder and computer repair dude, but I have not tried to do something such as this and want to hear other experiences. I know that in the past it can be a PIA to get a new motherboard to work with a different chipset without any reformatting.
zero2dash
11-08-2005, 08:51 AM
I wouldn't think there would be any problems, but then again I don't have any experience with swapping out mobos but keeping the same HD/OS. I would think that you'd just plug the new one in and your OS will automatically do all the configuring, but then again, like I said...I've never done this before myself. :)
SmokeyDP
11-08-2005, 08:53 AM
I wouldn't think there would be any problems, but then again I don't have any experience with swapping out mobos but keeping the same HD/OS. I would think that you'd just plug the new one in and your OS will automatically do all the configuring, but then again, like I said...I've never done this before myself. :)
Well the OS would need to have the SATA drivers loaded when it first boots up. That is my main concern.
zero2dash
11-08-2005, 08:58 AM
Well the OS would need to have the SATA drivers loaded when it first boots up. That is my main concern.

Ah...I see what you mean. Which OS are you running?

I would think that anything recent (ie XP sp2 or a recent iteration/distro of *nix) will already have the drivers loaded and be ok.
shocky123
11-08-2005, 09:04 AM
If you're using Windows, you will likely have to re-install your OS upon switching motherboards. Micro$oft likes to make you re-install/re-activate/etc whenver you make moderate hardware changes.
I've never not had to reinstall with this type of hardware change.

..but with regards to the drivers and such, you shouldnt have too many problems with getting it to run SATA. Unless you're using a controller card for your SATA, as opposed to an onboard port/slot.

~Kyle
LegendKiller
11-08-2005, 09:10 AM
I don't think you will have any problems. As long as the SATA controller is the same or similar and the chipset drivers are new and similar you should be OK. I would update all of the mobo/sata drivers before you do it just to make sure they are forwards compatible.
SmokeyDP
11-08-2005, 09:56 AM
I am running XP Pro so activation is not an issue. I am using the on board SATA also. I guess I will have to just try it and if it doesn't work reformat. I was just hoping to hear some hints I could use before I went ahead with this.
Hoser
11-08-2005, 11:24 AM
Activation is not an issue if you're running a corporate version of XP Pro.