Changing the motherboard without reinstalling windows. Transferring Windows XP to new hardware (without reinstallation)

Provided that the mother card is out of order or a global PC upgrade is planned, you will need to change it. First you need to choose a suitable replacement for the old one motherboard. It is important to ensure that all computer components are compatible with the new board, including otherwise you will have to buy new components (primarily this applies to the cooler).

If you have a board that accepts all the main components from the PC (CPU, RAM, cooler, graphics adapter, hard drive), then you can begin installation. Otherwise, you will have to purchase replacements for incompatible components.

Replacing the motherboard will most likely lead to failures in the operating system, up to the latter refusing to start (a “blue screen of death” will appear).

So be sure to download Windows installer, even if you don’t plan to reinstall Windows, you may need it for correct installation new drivers. It is also advisable to make backup copies necessary files and documents if the system still needs to be reinstalled.

Stage 1: dismantling

It consists of removing all the old equipment from the motherboard and dismantling the board itself. The main thing is not to damage the most important components of the PC during dismantling - the CPU, RAM sticks, video card, etc. It is especially easy to damage the central processor, so it must be removed as carefully as possible.

Let's consider step by step instructions for dismantling the old motherboard:


Step 2: Installing a New Motherboard

At this stage, you need to install a new motherboard and connect all the necessary components to it.

  1. First, attach the motherboard itself to the case using bolts. There will be special holes for screws on the motherboard itself. There are also places inside the case where screws should be screwed in. Make sure that the holes in the motherboard coincide with the mounting points on the case. Attach the board carefully, because any damage can greatly impair its performance.
  2. Once you are sure that the motherboard is secure, begin installing the CPU. Carefully install the processor into the socket until you hear a barely audible click, then secure it using a special structure on the socket and apply thermal paste.
  3. Install the cooler on top of the processor using screws or special latches.
  4. Install the remaining components. They just need to be connected to special connectors and secured with latches. Some components (for example, hard disks) are not mounted on the motherboard itself, but are connected to it using buses or cables.
  5. As a final step, connect the power supply to the motherboard. Cables from the power supply must go to all elements that require connection to it (most often, a video card and a cooler).

Check if the board is connected successfully. To do this, connect your computer to the mains and try turning it on. If any image appears on the screen (even if it’s an error), then you have connected everything correctly.

Stage 3: Troubleshooting

If after changing the motherboard the OS no longer boots normally, then it is not necessary to completely reinstall it. Use a pre-prepared flash drive with Windows installed on it. In order for the OS to work normally again, you will have to make certain changes to the registry, so it is recommended to strictly follow the instructions below so as not to completely destroy the OS.

First, you need to make sure that the OS boots from a flash drive, and not from a hard drive. This is done using the BIOS according to the following instructions:


After rebooting, the computer will start booting from the flash drive where Windows is installed. With its help, you can either reinstall the OS or restore the current one. Let's look at step-by-step instructions for restoring the current OS version:


When replacing the motherboard, it is important to take into account not only the physical parameters of the case and its components, but also the system parameters, because After replacing the motherboard, the system stops booting in 90% of cases. You should also be prepared for the fact that after changing the motherboard, all drivers may be lost.

Is it possible to replace the motherboard without rewiring? Windows installations? It turns out - yes. But in order to replace the motherboard on a personal PC with a working operating system, while avoiding its reinstallation, you need to perform the following steps.

Sequence of operations to restore system operation


After a fairly lengthy operation of removing drivers, turn off the PC and proceed to replacing the computer’s motherboard. When you first boot Windows 7 with the new motherboard. The board installs pre-downloaded drivers for the motherboard.

If it is not possible to prepare the systems for an upgrade, or the old motherboard is faulty, after replacement the system may not boot, displaying a BSOD with error code 0x0000007B:

What does a controller driver failure mean? hard drive or its incompatibility with PC hardware.

To resolve the problem, perform the following steps:

  1. First of all, in the BIOS we try to change the operating mode of the hard drive controller from SATA to IDE, and try to boot;
  2. You need to reset the HDD controller driver, which will force the system to use the standard ATA/IDE driver. To solve the problem we need boot disk or flash drive and ERD Commander. You can download the ERD image from the link http://blog.fc-service.ru/downloads/erdc.htm, instructions for creating bootable flash drive well described here http://blog.fc-service.ru/soft/erd-commander-usb-download.htm.

After booting from a CD or bootable flash drive, select Erd Commander for Windows 7.

When the system requests a change to reassign drive letters, click “Yes.” Skip setting up network parameters and select the keyboard layout. In the selection list operating system choose the one we need copy of Windows, if there are several of them installed on the disk.

In the window that appears, select the menu item as shown in the figure below.

Choosing an editor Windows registry 7:

In the registry editor window, find the “MountedDevises” branch and delete:

Now you need to enable the use of standard IDE and SATA drivers. To do this, go to the registry branch HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services and edit the Start parameter

setting it to 0

This operation must be done for the services adp94xx, adpahci, adpu320, aic78xx, amdsbs, arc, arcsas, elxstor, HpSAMD, iaStorV, iirsp, LSI_FC, LSI_SAS, LSI_SAS2, LSI_SCSI, megasas, MegaSR, nfrd960, nvraid, nvstor, ql2300, ql40xx, SiSRaid2, SiSRaid4, vhdmp, vsmraid, aliide, cmdide, nvraid, viaide. Next, search for the Msahci parameter in the registry branch and set its value to 0.

After the completed operations, boot the system in normal mode and install the drivers. If, however, a BSOD occurs, then its cause is most likely a conflict with the built-in video card or another driver. By the way this algorithm can also be applied to running Windows 7 before upgrading.

To fix the problem, reboot in bladeless mode. You can enter the mode by pressing the F8 key when the system boots, and select from the list “ Safe mode" After downloading the seven, through the “Device Manager” we remove the equipment that is interfering with us from the system. If it is not possible to identify conflicting devices, you can delete the entire PCI bus, by the way, it’s best to do this right away and install all the motherboard drivers instead of the standard ones.

If instead of ERD Commander you have at hand Acronis disk True Image Home 2013 Plus Pack, then you can transfer the system by following these steps:

  • We create an image of the Acronis system on another partition; if there is only one partition, then the image must be created in a protected area previously prepared by Acronis.
  • We deploy the system to the same partition using Universal Restore, which is capable of deploying a system image without being tied to the hardware.

Using this guide, you will certainly be able to replace the motherboard without having to reinstall Windows 7, which in some cases is very convenient and will save you from having to reconfigure the system, applications, etc.

Using an operating system on your own computer can vary greatly from user to user. Some, having bought a new PC, mainly use the built-in Windows programs and tools, as well as default OS settings. Others - work with many third party applications and utilities, while customizing the system interface to your own taste.

And if in the first case, reinstalling the system and several applications is not a difficult task, then in the second, in addition to installing the OS, you will have to reinstall all necessary programs, Windows personalization and other settings. That is why many users are not eager to do this again. Moreover, it may not be at hand required applications or their settings were performed by a specialist, who will now have to be called again.

In general, there can be a lot of reasons not to touch a normally working operating system, but the time comes when internal components your computer is starting to become hopelessly outdated and replacing it with more productive hardware becomes an urgent need. And if installing a new power supply, RAM, separate processor or video card can be done relatively painlessly, that is, without reinstalling the operating system, then when replacing a hard drive or motherboard, everything is not so simple.

As you understand, everything Windows files are stored on the computer's hard drive, so replacing it leads to an inevitable re-installation of the system. Although, this can be avoided by first making a complete backup copy current OS into an image and saving it on an old HDD or some other storage medium. Then all you have to do is unpack the resulting system backup to new disk, and you can continue working in the same Windows, using all previously installed programs.

If you replace the motherboard on a PC with Windows result may depend on many different factors, but the main thing is the choice of the future hardware platform (for example, when changing Intel to AMD or vice versa, problems are almost inevitable) and the set system logic(chipset). In a word, the more differences the new motherboard has from the previously installed one, the less chance the old system will have to boot after it is replaced.

Despite the fact that Windows 7 has an impressive database of drivers in its arsenal, just change the motherboard and run it earlier installed system often it doesn't work out. This is especially true for those boards that were released much later than the release of the system itself. But they are now the majority, since more than three years have passed since that moment. So the question is how to replace the motherboard with personal computer with Windows without reinstalling it, is still relevant.

Why does replacing a motherboard so often result in reinstalling Windows? As a rule, the most common reason is the incompatibility of ATA/SATA controller drivers already installed in the system. hard drives with the one equipped with the new motherboard. In this case, after replacing the hardware, when loading the OS you will receive a blue screen of death (BSOD) with the STOP error: 0x0000007B.

The fact is that when loading, Windows simply does not have the ability to change the hard drive controller driver on its own. As a result, a hard drive with the installed OS connected to the new controller is simply not seen by the system, and its further launch becomes impossible.

To avoid this situation, there is a fairly simple solution. Even before replacing the motherboard, start Windows, go to device Manager, there, by clicking on the arrow, expand the item IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers and remove all installed devices from it.

To do this, right-click on all controllers in turn and in the opened context menu select Delete. If after this a window appears Device removal confirmation, check the box Remove driver programs for this device and click OK.

In some cases, to complete the controller removal operation, the system will require a reboot. You shouldn't do this until you've gone through the entire list. Then simply turn off your computer and proceed to replace the motherboard. If you do restart your PC, you will have to do the entire procedure again, since Windows will restore all previously deleted devices at startup.

And yet, it is not uncommon for this method won't help you. For example, if the system logic set (chipset) on the new motherboard will be very technologically different from the previous one. In this case, in order to avoid problems with loading the system, you need to completely get rid of all drivers that can cause them. But how to do that?

IN Windows system there is one very useful utility, which not everyone knows about, even advanced users. It's called Sysprep and allows you to delete system data from the operating system, including information about installed equipment, as well as drivers installed by the user.

Thus, in order to ensure successful booting of Windows on new hardware, it is necessary to clean the OS from old system information using this utility even before replacing components! Also, before running Sysprep, it is better to remove all installed antivirus programs or disable self-defense in them. This is especially true for Kaspersky Lab products. Otherwise, when you start the OS with new hardware, you risk receiving the message: “Windows was unable to complete system setup. To resume setup, please reboot." But no reboot will help you. You will have to return the old equipment to its place and do everything again.

So, to launch the Sysprep utility, press the key combination Win + R and in the window that opens Execute enter the full path to executable file: "%windir%\System32\sysprep\sysprep". For those who don't know, "%windir%" is a variable containing the path to the folder where the system is installed, most often "C:\Windows". And we use it because the location of the system folder and its name on different computers may be different.

In the system preparation program window that opens, in the option System cleaning action paragraph Go to the system welcome window (OOBE) we leave it unchanged. Next, put a checkmark next to the parameter Preparation for use.

In the drop down menu Shutdown Options select a team Shutdown. This is done so that immediately after cleaning the system the computer does not reboot, because if it is not stopped in time, the primary process will start Windows settings and you'll have to do it all over again!

Having completed all these simple settings, press the OK button to start the system cleaning procedure. This process is completely automatic and after it is completed, the computer should turn off on its own. Now you can start replacing the system board.

During the first Windows startup With the new equipment, the necessary device drivers will be installed and the corresponding entries will be made in the operating system registry. You will also have to re-enter regional standards and settings account.

Please note that when the OS asks for a username, you cannot enter the old account name because it already exists. There is no need to be particularly upset about this. Enter any name, and after logging in for the first time, new account you can remove and use the old one.

The only inconvenience that can await you after booting the system with new components is repeated Windows activation. The fact is that a number of versions of this OS are tied to the installed hardware. In particular, the most common legal Windows version 7 OEM, which is installed on new desktops and laptops. In this case, activation will most likely have to be carried out over the phone, since this will no longer be possible to do via the Internet due to the fact that the system will mistake your operation for installing Windows on another computer, which in this version is prohibited by the terms of the license agreement.

Strictly speaking, it was initially designed to create a customized Windows image with the purpose of reuse. That is, simply put, Sysprep is a utility for cloning a prepared OS onto other computers. Most often, installing Windows from a pre-generated image is carried out in organizations where the set of basic work applications among employees, for the most part, may be the same.

True, in our time there are often situations when there is not one computer at home, but several at once. For example, one desktop PC is used as a multimedia center, another is in the child's room for studying, and a laptop is a business tool for parents. Despite the different purposes of each device, they may well have common software: operating system, office suite, web browser, archiving tool, recording program optical disks, all kinds of auxiliary utilities and much more.

In such a situation, it is convenient to have a “standby” OS image, from which, if necessary, you can always install the system with all the main applications. To create it, you just need to install Windows and all the necessary programs once on any computer, then use the Sysprep utility to delete system data using the method described above. Next, you will need to burn the image of the prepared system onto a separate medium: a Blu-Ray disk (there is simply not enough space on a DVD), an external HDD or flash drive.

The key point here is that the computer must be booted from an optical disc or USB drive to be imaged, but never from the hard drive on which it is installed. If this happens, the process of initial OS setup will start and the entire procedure will have to be repeated again.

Prepare a boot disk and save Windows image V in the right place possible using special applications, for example Acronis True Image Home, a paid program, but it has a visual GUI and all the necessary tools. There are also free alternatives, for example, ImageX included Windows shell P.E. However, in this case, get ready to work with the command line.

Unpacking the image to the desired (target) computer is similar to removing it using the same programs.

If the system motherboard has been replaced, your operating system may not boot normally. On the monitor screen you will see critical error as " blue screen death" (BSoD). The usual practice for solving this problem is to reinstall Windows. Many may be surprised, but replacing the motherboard without reinstalling Windows- the problem is solvable and detailed instructions we will offer further in this article.

The appearance of such a screen means incompatibility of the equipment (controller driver), because the old equipment had a different kind of controller. In this case, you can solve the problem as follows: change the controller driver to the built-in one in Windows. After such a replacement, the system will boot and you can install the driver that comes with the new board.

Instructions for replacing the board for Windows XP

First way

If the board being replaced is intact and it is possible to boot from Windows XP, then in this case it is necessary to install standard drivers for motherboard controllers. Select the required controller, in the properties go to the tab “ Driver"and click on the Update button….

We refuse to search for a driver on the Internet, click Next >, select “Install from a specified location”, check the radio button next to “Do not search. I'll choose myself required driver" and click Next > . According to the list of drivers, you must select “ Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller» and click Next > .

After the installation is complete standard driver, you need to turn off the computer and make a replacement outdated equipment for something new. After complete Windows boot We install the necessary driver from the supplied disk drive for the new equipment.

Second way

If your motherboard for some reason has stopped functioning and there is no way to log into the system from it, then you need to perform more complex operations. For this method you need installation disk Windows XP.

In order for Windows XP to boot after installing a new motherboard, you need to do some steps:

  • install new hardware (motherboard);
  • do bootstrap from the Windows XP installation disk drive, press Enter to begin the XP installation process.

To restore an installed OS, you need to select it and press R. The recovery process is very similar to the Windows XP installation process.

After the recovery process it is necessary install the required drivers For new board, the rest of the software and personal data of the user will be untouched.

How to change the motherboard for Windows 7

There are several factors that influence a smooth change of the main board in a Windows 7 computer. Important factors are:

  • motherboard model (differences between motherboards);
  • the need to change the platform (Intel to AMD).

Preparation stage

Before starting any manipulations with the computer, it is advisable to do old OS image. This operation is simple and can save a lot of time and nerves in the future. The image is created by the following programs:

  • Paragon Backup & Recovery Free;
  • Norton Ghost;
  • DriveImage XML;
  • Acronis True Image.

Why does changing the board entail reinstalling the operating system? The most common reason is that the motherboard drivers are not suitable. The most capricious ATA/SATA controller drivers, they do not work with new equipment. To avoid these problems, you simply need to get rid of old drivers that may cause a conflict by removing them from the system.

Removing old drivers

Using the program sysprep, we remove information from Windows along with drivers. It is for this reason that it was necessary to make an image of the system. This utility will not affect user settings and other programs. The program runs before connecting the hard drive with the system to the new motherboard.

To run the program, press the Win + R key combination to open the Run window and enter: C:\windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe. Then click OK.

A utility window will appear on the screen, as shown in the picture, which also shows the necessary settings.

Then click OK and system cleaning will begin. After the program finishes, the computer will shut down.

Board replacement process

After the computer is completely turned off, you need to completely disconnect it from the power supply and change the motherboard or connect a hard drive with Windows 7 OS processed by the utility sysprep.

When you boot the system for the first time, you will need to install drivers, so prepare a disk with software. You will also need to reconfigure regional settings, as they are deleted by the utility.

When Windows starts, it will ask for a username. It is better to enter a new name and then delete it - this will prevent unnecessary entries in the profile. After the first launch, you will be able to log in with the same settings.

The system will also ask you to make some more settings, which are usually done after reinstalling the OS. After entering them, the new user’s desktop will load, after which you can delete it and log in under the old name the next time you boot.

Program sysprep helps replace the motherboard without reinstalling Windows. The only inconvenience is that the activation of the seven will need to be done again. The reason is that the OS binds to the hardware.

Using the registry (video)


A motherboard or Motherboard is one of the main elements of a system unit, the capabilities and characteristics of which determine the choice of other components for a computer. Many novice users are faced with the following problem: tens of thousands of rubles have been spent and a complete set of components has been purchased, but they do not fit together.

So how can you choose the right motherboard for your future system unit or replace the motherboard?


How to choose a motherboard

When selecting a motherboard, it is very important to consider the type of supported video cards. All modern models connect to the PCI-Express connector, however, on older models it is possible to use AGP video adapters. Basically, these are motherboards based on socket 478. If at the selection stage you correctly determine the type of all components that you are going to use, then in the future you can completely eliminate unjustified spending and save yourself from the need to exchange purchases in the store.

Processor sockets

The first thing you need to consider when buying a motherboard is the socket. The type and power of the processor used on the PC depends on it. Today the following types are actively used: Socket 478, Socket 775, Socket 1155 or 1156 and Socket 1366 for processors from Intel and AM2 or AM2+ for processors from AMD.

Processor Socket 478

Accepts legacy processors such as Intel Pentium 4, Intel Pentium D, Intel Celeron, Intel Celeron M410, M420 and M430. Despite the fact that this technology is already very outdated, many organizations and individuals still have computers equipped with motherboards based on socket 478.


Processor Socket 775

Used for the following processors Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core 2 Quad, as well as some modifications of Intel Pentium D and Intel Celeron. Today, motherboards based on socket 775 are the most common. This is due to the fact that for quite a long time developers and manufacturers of processors concentrated their efforts to increase power and performance on these models. Most computers in various organizations and individuals are equipped with motherboards based on socket 775.

Processor sockets 1155 or 1156

Designed for the latest processors from Intel such as Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7. This is a line of the latest processors that allows you to achieve much greater performance compared to its predecessors. Today, sales of the i-series are increasing significantly, which allows us to confidently say that in the near future they will completely replace the popular Socket 775.

Processor Socket 1366

Allows the use of the most powerful Intel processors Core i7. The main advantage of these processors is maximum performance. Computers for processing graphics applications, performing complex engineering calculations, or for modern games are equipped with these processors. The only drawback of the i7 is that it is too high price, which prevents their widespread use on home computers.

Processor Socket AM2

For AMD processors such as Athlon and Phenom. Despite enough attractive prices Compared to its main competitor, AMD has not been able to achieve the same widespread adoption of its products. This is due to the inherently lower performance and tendency of these processors to overheat.

Types of RAM in PC

In addition to the socket, you should pay attention to the type of supported RAM chips. On this moment Three types of RAM are widely used in desktop computer: DDR1, DDR2 and DDR3.

Memory type DDR1

It is an outdated type of RAM chip, and is used mainly on motherboards that have long been discontinued. Despite the fact that this type of RAM is very outdated, you can still find computers equipped with these particular chips. This type of RAM is already difficult to find, and it will be expensive. If your computer breaks down due to the failure of such RAM, then it is more profitable to purchase a new one than to buy old memory from the same old PC.

Memory type DDR2

Mainly used on socket 775 motherboards. This is currently the most common type of RAM. But it has long been replaced by motherboards with DDR3. Most manufacturers have already stopped mass-producing motherboards with DDR2 RAM, which will most likely lead to a shortage of such motherboards in the future.

Memory type DDR3

Used on new motherboards equipped with 1155, 1156 or 1366 socket. At the moment, motherboards of this type have maximum performance at relatively low prices.


Replacing the motherboard

Unfortunately, like any high-tech device, the motherboard sooner or later becomes unusable. The first question that many users ask in this situation is what to do: repair the old motherboard or replace the motherboard with a new one?

We can answer unequivocally that if we are talking about an outdated model that has been discontinued or is not very widespread in Russia, then it is not advisable to repair the device, since the cost of repair can be many times higher than the price of a new model with better characteristics.

The main difficulty when replacing or installing a new motherboard is connecting it to the computer's power supply. Despite the fact that this process is described in sufficient detail in the instructions, connecting the motherboard can be extremely difficult for novice users.

How to connect the motherboard

The process of connecting a motherboard includes many sequential steps. First of all, you need to install the processor and RAM into the motherboard itself. If there is a separate sound card, it should also be enabled when connecting the motherboard. Next, you need to correctly connect the special connectors that are responsible for correct operation: the computer on/off buttons, the reset button.

After this, you need to connect power to the hard drives and DVD-RW drives, and power to the video card. On some system units There is a separate connector for connecting the backlight of the case itself. In addition to connecting the power supply, you must correctly install and connect additional USB ports and an audio input on the front panel of the computer. All stages are not difficult, and with some effort you should succeed. If you have any technical questions, we will try to answer them!

Internet