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Upgrading CPU - Will I need to reinstall Windows?


SRT-4me

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Way back when, when I upgraded from my Socket 754 board to a 939 board, there was not enough left of the old system apparently for windows to recognize it and I had to reinstall Windows. Later, when I went from my Winchester 3200 to my Opty 144 nad kept the same board, I didn't have to reinstall. Now I want to go from my Opty 144 to a A64 X2 3800+. Will I have to reinstall? What are the determining factors? I use this computer for home and working from home at times so I can't afford too much downtime at this point which is why I don't want to reinstall everything. Will I have to you think?

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Actually it depends on the chipset, you can swap from NF2 to NF2 and from NF4 to NF4, for example. I don't recommend doing that though, you're better off reinstalling.

 

Also when going from single core to dual core a clean install is recommended but not absolutely necessary.

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It's critical to re-install the OS when changing motherboards. For just a CPU change it isn't absolutely necessary, but many people do it to have a clean/fresh OS install.

 

except that you need to re-install Windows when going from a single core cpu to a multi-core cpu.

 

when you first install on a single core, windows puts everything on as a uniprocessor setup, and when you move to a multi-core cpu, windows still thinks it's a uniprocessor but also sees multiple processors...very confusing for windows.

 

Some say to just delete the uniprocessor pc part in the device manager and then reboot, but me, I don't take shortcuts.

 

I would back everything up and then re-install windows fresh with that dual core.

 

If you switch from a single core cpu to another single core cpu, no re-install is necessary.

 

If you switch from a dual-core cpu to another dual-core cpu, no re-install is necessary.

 

Switching from single-to-multi or multi-back-to-single, you definitely want to reinstall windows.

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Some say to just delete the uniprocessor pc part in the device manager and then reboot, but me, I don't take shortcuts.

... and your license allow multiple installs without registration. The only computer running Windows at the moment got a shortcut upgrade from single- to dual-core. Main reason? I'm sick and tired of calling MS, wait 30 minutes with the worst possible elevator-music in the background, shouting "what?" 20 times a minute because it's impossible to understand whether I by mistake was connected to some office in Dushanbe or they actually speak Swedish, and in view of that babbling some registrations code repeatedly before it gets right...

 

Hence I take my chances, and so far I haven't encountered any problems. BUT DON'T LISTEN TO ME SRT-4me! Fresh install is a safer choice.

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So two choices - to get from A to B you follow the well trodden ring-road OR you take the short cut through the suburbs and save yourself some time. If you get lost on the latter then you get back on the ring-road.

 

I say put in the chip, reset your BIOS, install the dual core patch. If it doesn't seem right then reinstall windows, all your software, games etc...

 

What have you got to lose - nothing.

What have you got to gain - all that reinstall and config time.

 

If it does fail then do the reinstall - you don't even have to tell us and you can insist you did it the proper long way and boohoo all of the short cut takers here (me included).

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I'll start backing up then. Thanks for the replies!

you needed a new back up anyways :D

 

So two choices - to get from A to B you follow the well trodden ring-road OR you take the short cut through the suburbs and save yourself some time. If you get lost on the latter then you get back on the ring-road.

 

I say put in the chip, reset your BIOS, install the dual core patch. If it doesn't seem right then reinstall windows, all your software, games etc...

 

What have you got to lose - nothing.

What have you got to gain - all that reinstall and config time.

 

If it does fail then do the reinstall - you don't even have to tell us and you can insist you did it the proper long way and boohoo all of the short cut takers here (me included).

Yeah its real easy to tell someone to do a new Install. When its not your 500GiG you got to back up. Then you have to reinstall everything.

And we all know when doing a backup you always lose something.

I didn't have any problem just swapping the CPU and let windows do it thing.

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