Replacing a motherboard (?)

I have a soyo k7vem-pro mobo that is apparently on its way out. I want
to replace it without losing all the custom settings and installed
apps, etc on this computer. ( I use this machine for music recording
and have tons of tweaks to win xp, services turned off, everything
exactly as I like it).

Can I replace a mobo without the need to reinstall windows, reformat
the drive, etc?

My original thought was to find another mobo of the exact same model,
but they seem to be unavailable. Not even sure I can find another soyo
board with the same chipset, etc.

I really do not want to have to 'start over' with this machine. Other
than the mobo suffering from neglect and exposure - my fault - the rest
of the rig is exactly perfect!

Any other suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated.

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...xp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Michael 23" wrote:

| I have a soyo k7vem-pro mobo that is apparently on its way out. I want
| to replace it without losing all the custom settings and installed
| apps, etc on this computer. ( I use this machine for music recording
| and have tons of tweaks to win xp, services turned off, everything
| exactly as I like it).
|
| Can I replace a mobo without the need to reinstall windows, reformat
| the drive, etc?
|
| My original thought was to find another mobo of the exact same model,
| but they seem to be unavailable. Not even sure I can find another soyo
| board with the same chipset, etc.
|
| I really do not want to have to 'start over' with this machine. Other
| than the mobo suffering from neglect and exposure - my fault - the rest
| of the rig is exactly perfect!
|
| Any other suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated.

thanks for the links - this looks like the info I needed...

one question remains: If I did manage to find another mobo of the exact
same make and model, would I have to do anything at all?

I was assuming not, but maybe I am missing something?

thanks again

Replacing your motherboard with an exact model would
not cause any adverse affects to occur with your current
Windows XP installation....no "Repair Install" would be required.
Make sure the BIOS settings are the same.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...xp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Michael 23" wrote:

| thanks for the links - this looks like the info I needed...
|
| one question remains: If I did manage to find another mobo of the exact
| same make and model, would I have to do anything at all?
|
| I was assuming not, but maybe I am missing something?
|
| thanks again

thanks again Carey.
I did manage to find one here
http://castle.pricewatch.com/s/searc...soyo+k7vem-pro

and I think I will just go for it.
Your reminder to copy the BIOS settings before making the swap was much
needed, would have forgotten to check this.

I could rebuild the machine altogether, but I have been perfectly happy
with the rig just as it is... it is one of 4 and only used for music,
do not want to sink any more $$ in than I have to! Switching the mobo
out for an exact replacement seems the natural choice.

thanks again for the support.

Michael

In what way have you been told that your motherboard is 'on it's way out'?..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/User

"If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept
it all to themselves." - Lane Kirkland


"Michael 23" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a soyo k7vem-pro mobo that is apparently on its way out. I want
to replace it without losing all the custom settings and installed
apps, etc on this computer. ( I use this machine for music recording
and have tons of tweaks to win xp, services turned off, everything
exactly as I like it).

Can I replace a mobo without the need to reinstall windows, reformat
the drive, etc?

My original thought was to find another mobo of the exact same model,
but they seem to be unavailable. Not even sure I can find another soyo
board with the same chipset, etc.

I really do not want to have to 'start over' with this machine. Other
than the mobo suffering from neglect and exposure - my fault - the rest
of the rig is exactly perfect!

Any other suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated.

If/when you replace the M/B and find you still have the same problems -
"come on back" for additional assistance.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!


"Michael 23" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a soyo k7vem-pro mobo that is apparently on its way out. I want
to replace it without losing all the custom settings and installed
apps, etc on this computer. ( I use this machine for music recording
and have tons of tweaks to win xp, services turned off, everything
exactly as I like it).

Can I replace a mobo without the need to reinstall windows, reformat
the drive, etc?

My original thought was to find another mobo of the exact same model,
but they seem to be unavailable. Not even sure I can find another soyo
board with the same chipset, etc.

I really do not want to have to 'start over' with this machine. Other
than the mobo suffering from neglect and exposure - my fault - the rest
of the rig is exactly perfect!

Any other suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated.

MIKE In what way have you been told that your motherboard is 'on it's
way out'?..

I have decided myself... after a long string of replies to an earlier
thread (in another ng? can't remember)

anyway, I have lost all use of onboard LAN, and it does not turn on
easily - takes hundreds of clicks of the switch, or sometimes just
one... on shutdown, it does not turn off but just idles... lights
flickering, but nothing really 'running'

I neglected the heck out of this thing, leaving it in an uninsulated
garage all winter and during the coldest time is when I started having
troubles. It used to work great, then all this at once. Already
replaced the PSU with one I know is good... next step is swap out the
mobo.

thanks

yes...since all your windows and stuff is on the hard drive - that will
remain intact. Just pull the hard drive out, and keep it away from strong
magnetic fields!

"Michael 23" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a soyo k7vem-pro mobo that is apparently on its way out. I want
to replace it without losing all the custom settings and installed
apps, etc on this computer. ( I use this machine for music recording
and have tons of tweaks to win xp, services turned off, everything
exactly as I like it).

Can I replace a mobo without the need to reinstall windows, reformat
the drive, etc?

My original thought was to find another mobo of the exact same model,
but they seem to be unavailable. Not even sure I can find another soyo
board with the same chipset, etc.

I really do not want to have to 'start over' with this machine. Other
than the mobo suffering from neglect and exposure - my fault - the rest
of the rig is exactly perfect!

Any other suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated.

Hi, C-Media have nothing to do with crative technology, the drivers are
totally different, see here http://www.cmedia.com.tw/e_download_01.htm for
more information.
ChrisC
"Andrew Murray" wrote in message
...
yes...since all your windows and stuff is on the hard drive - that will
remain intact. Just pull the hard drive out, and keep it away from strong
magnetic fields!

"Michael 23" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a soyo k7vem-pro mobo that is apparently on its way out. I want
to replace it without losing all the custom settings and installed
apps, etc on this computer. ( I use this machine for music recording
and have tons of tweaks to win xp, services turned off, everything
exactly as I like it).

Can I replace a mobo without the need to reinstall windows, reformat
the drive, etc?

My original thought was to find another mobo of the exact same model,
but they seem to be unavailable. Not even sure I can find another soyo
board with the same chipset, etc.

I really do not want to have to 'start over' with this machine. Other
than the mobo suffering from neglect and exposure - my fault - the rest
of the rig is exactly perfect!

Any other suggestions on how to do this are greatly appreciated.