New motherboard - reconfiguring Windows
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
You might have some non-critical hardware differences that are causing the blue screens. You could also try doing a repair in XP (using the CD and selecting the repair option). If that isn't possible, and you need to preserve the Windows hard disk, you might try installing Windows on a spare hard drive in the machine, and then seeing what drivers it uses. This would give you an idea of what drivers to replace in the original, which you would then do in safe mode. David
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Assuming this is XP, do a repair install of Windows - always works for me! Insert the Windows CD, let it go to setup, press Enter when it asks whether you want to set up or use the recovery console, and then press R at the next screen to start the repair. (If the Repair option is not available, as in some cases, you're SOL, but I've never seen that.) It will look like Windows is being installed all over again, but when it's done, you should have a working installation with all the settings and programs intact! :-)
--Justin, Microsoft MVP, C#
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Same shit happens when I tried to enable RAID on my MOBO, now Vista in my case, needed the RAID textmode drivers to boot, but there is simply no way to install them but at the point you install Vista...
xacc.ide
The rule of three: "The first time you notice something that might repeat, don't generalize it. The second time the situation occurs, develop in a similar fashion -- possibly even copy/paste -- but don't generalize yet. On the third time, look to generalize the approach." -
The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
When I've switched out motherboards, I've always had to re-install windows (regardless of what version of Windows we're talking about). You can try to "repair" the install, but I'm not sure it would work unless emachines provided her with a real windows install disk as opposed to a system "restore" disk.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Can you remove drivers from safe mode? I've been told (but haven't tried) that if you yank the various mobo drivers and force windows back to generics you generally can keep the OS install.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Hi Marc, Driver issue for sure... Boot into safe mode and remove the Display driver and re-boot. Windows will pick up the new hardware on the restart. You may find however that you get more of the same with other devices so it might pay to remove other drivers like the Network, USB, Audio etc. Good luck!
TimmyFox
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
If the kernel type is the same (ACPI/non-ACPI/etc), you may be lucky removing ALL hardware in Device Manager while in Safe mode, and rebooting in normal mode. It will take a lot of time, but you should be able to boot safely.
Luca
The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance.
En Það Besta Sem Guð Hefur Skapað, Er Nýr Dagur. But the best thing God has created, is a New Day.
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Can you tell me the old MB versus the new MB model? Why did they say they could not replace with the original? (Remember who I work for....)
______________________________________ Computer programmers are like umpires. No one knows your name until you screw up.
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Can you remove drivers from safe mode? I've been told (but haven't tried) that if you yank the various mobo drivers and force windows back to generics you generally can keep the OS install.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
dan neely wrote:
I've been told (but haven't tried) that if you yank the various mobo drivers and force windows back to generics you generally can keep the OS install
That's what I've always done. Remove any board-specific drivers (chipset, graphics, sound, lan), turn it off, replace the MB and boot 'er back up. Works like a charm (at least the last three I've done that way have). Cheers, Drew.
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Marc Clifton wrote:
Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows?
Yes, I have done this many times at work. You may want to boot into vga mode. One problem you will have is activation as XP or better will not probably not activate on the new motherboard without calling Microsoft and explaining the issue.
Last modified: 1hr 14mins after originally posted --
John
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Can you tell me the old MB versus the new MB model? Why did they say they could not replace with the original? (Remember who I work for....)
______________________________________ Computer programmers are like umpires. No one knows your name until you screw up.
leckey wrote:
Can you tell me the old MB versus the new MB model? Why did they say they could not replace with the original?
The old MB is an N1996, Micro Star model MS-7184. The new MB doesn't have any distinguish info that I could see. I would have hoped that eMachines would have a database of the hardware configuration to match with the serial # or the PO, but no such luck. When I talked to eMachines, they only asked me about the CPU socket and RAM. Unfortunately, I didn't see the model # on the old MB until just NOW!!! The major differences are AGP thing and the old MB had a firewire connector to the front panel, plus audio in/out going to the front panel. Both are minor losses. Marc
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Marc Clifton wrote:
Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows?
Yes, I have done this many times at work. You may want to boot into vga mode. One problem you will have is activation as XP or better will not probably not activate on the new motherboard without calling Microsoft and explaining the issue.
Last modified: 1hr 14mins after originally posted --
John
Yeah, on the plus side(?) though, the phone system is computerized not outsourced. With a system builder license I just had to enter my serial and say that the old board was doa, and I wasn't being bad and installing on multiple boxes.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
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leckey wrote:
Can you tell me the old MB versus the new MB model? Why did they say they could not replace with the original?
The old MB is an N1996, Micro Star model MS-7184. The new MB doesn't have any distinguish info that I could see. I would have hoped that eMachines would have a database of the hardware configuration to match with the serial # or the PO, but no such luck. When I talked to eMachines, they only asked me about the CPU socket and RAM. Unfortunately, I didn't see the model # on the old MB until just NOW!!! The major differences are AGP thing and the old MB had a firewire connector to the front panel, plus audio in/out going to the front panel. Both are minor losses. Marc
Okay, so he probably has one of the following models: H6412 T6412 H6524 J6448 T6524 Here is the deal...there is NO substitution for that motherboard. Have him call back the number and tell him the Gateway part number for the MB is 104571.
______________________________________ Computer programmers are like umpires. No one knows your name until you screw up.
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Yeah, on the plus side(?) though, the phone system is computerized not outsourced. With a system builder license I just had to enter my serial and say that the old board was doa, and I wasn't being bad and installing on multiple boxes.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
I have had the dead board problem once with a friend so I had to call. At work we have a corporate version of XP and other site licenses that do not have activation although we do make sure our license count is at least as many as we are using.
John
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Marc Clifton wrote:
Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows?
Yes, I have done this many times at work. You may want to boot into vga mode. One problem you will have is activation as XP or better will not probably not activate on the new motherboard without calling Microsoft and explaining the issue.
Last modified: 1hr 14mins after originally posted --
John
John M. Drescher wrote:
One problem you will have is activation as XP or better will not probably not activate on the new motherboard without calling Microsoft and explaining the issue.
I have called MS so many times they have me on their database. ;) Honestly, the same copy of XP has been upgraded in hardware so many times it is insane. I explain the situation, brag about my upgrade a tad to make them think I am one of those update-every-week-geeks, and then no problem. I could probably say I am a tech, which is closer to the truth. :) But MS has never given me any problems over the hardware upgrades.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
One trick that has sometimes worked for me is to go into device manager in safe mode and remove all the drivers letting windows re-detect everything on the next boot.
This blanket smells like ham
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The history: My neighbor's MB was wiped out with a lightning strike that came in through her phone line. I replaced the MB, but the company (e-machines) didn't send an identical MB (which, apparently is pretty impossible). Windows boots up in Safe mode, but in normal boot, it blue screens, undoubtedly because of differences in the MB, like there's no AGP on this MB. The question: Can Windows be "retrained" as to the new and different MB hardware, or do I need to reinstall Windows? Marc
Do you really want to fix/repair/reinstall to a HD which has "survived" a lightning strike? Think about that for a moment.
Todd Smith
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Do you really want to fix/repair/reinstall to a HD which has "survived" a lightning strike? Think about that for a moment.
Todd Smith
Todd Smith wrote:
Do you really want to fix/repair/reinstall to a HD which has "survived" a lightning strike? Think about that for a moment.
The drive, CPU and memory all appear to be functional. Marc
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Okay, so he probably has one of the following models: H6412 T6412 H6524 J6448 T6524 Here is the deal...there is NO substitution for that motherboard. Have him call back the number and tell him the Gateway part number for the MB is 104571.
______________________________________ Computer programmers are like umpires. No one knows your name until you screw up.
leckey wrote:
there is NO substitution for that motherboard
So I noticed. :) I've found a company in the UK that sells the exact MB , so that'll be the way I'm going to go. Marc
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Okay, so he probably has one of the following models: H6412 T6412 H6524 J6448 T6524 Here is the deal...there is NO substitution for that motherboard. Have him call back the number and tell him the Gateway part number for the MB is 104571.
______________________________________ Computer programmers are like umpires. No one knows your name until you screw up.
hmmmm. emachines won't allow anything else to be used as a substitute and send the wrong board by mistake? Or, there's nothing on the market that is an exact substitute?
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
