Upgrading motherboard, need some help

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Pck21

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My parents have a pre-built Gateway 827GM mini tower desktop. My dad wants to play some of the newer games like Fallout 3 and the like so we upgraded the CPU to a dual core, added some ram, and upgraded the GPU to a 9800GT. Games keep freezing and acting funny and my mom is using iTunes more and more. My dad figured that we should do some more upgrading to accommodate for all the stress on the system. Here's my question though...

If I upgrade the motherboard, will the pre-installed copy of Windows XP still run and work? We are upgrading the mobo, CPU, ram, and PSU, but I need to know that their copy of Windows will be ok to use on a new motherboard. Thanks!
 
It's very likely the current pre-installed copy of Windows XP will run into problems when you swap out the motherboard. Problems as minor as longer boot up/shut down time, entire computer running slower (even after upgrading the hardware), to problems as major as blue screen of deaths, and frequent freezes/reboots. The best way is to do a complete fresh install of the Windows XP when upgrading the motherboard to get your new components to run at their optimal capabilities. So start backing your stuff up.

Oh, you might also run into problems installing the Gateway-provided copy of Windows XP (I'm assuming it's a copy of a CD/DVD that may be called system restore disc), because these manufacturer discs contain drivers for their original computer hardware. So if you're to replace the hardware with your new ones, you will likely run into random problems during installations of Windows XP from the Gateway disc. So that's another thing to consider, perhaps try to find another copy of Windows XP (OEM) and use your existing serial number that is stickered on your Gateway case.
 
[quote name='SOSTrooper']It's very likely the current pre-installed copy of Windows XP will run into problems when you swap out the motherboard. Problems as minor as longer boot up/shut down time, entire computer running slower (even after upgrading the hardware), to problems as major as blue screen of deaths, and frequent freezes/reboots. The best way is to do a complete fresh install of the Windows XP when upgrading the motherboard to get your new components to run at their optimal capabilities. So start backing your stuff up.

Oh, you might also run into problems installing the Gateway-provided copy of Windows XP (I'm assuming it's a copy of a CD/DVD that may be called system restore disc), because these manufacturer discs contain drivers for their original computer hardware. So if you're to replace the hardware with your new ones, you will likely run into random problems during installations of Windows XP from the Gateway disc. So that's another thing to consider, perhaps try to find another copy of Windows XP (OEM) and use your existing serial number that is stickered on your Gateway case.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply!

That's what I've been hearing from different people as well, which is disappointing to say the least. Could I do a repair installation using a retail of XP, but putting in the serial number that came with the computer? I have a retail version of the same OS as my parents so that might work...I think. I guess I'll have to back up everything, including all of the iTunes media that has been downloaded over the years. Yikes. I should be receiving the stuff today, so should I just send it back at this point? It seems like a huge hassle for something that is not truly needed. Thanks for the information!

[quote name='Hydro2Oxide']I don't think swapping out the MoBo is necessary so long as your current one supports enough RAM and has a PCI-E slot.[/QUOTE]

Well their current set up is a socket 939, which is obsolete. I currently have an AM2 5000+ dual core that is not being used, along with the fan for it as well. I wanted to upgrade them to an AM2 socket along with DDR2 ram and a new PSU in order to fully push them into the "next gen" of comuters, which of course is now last gen with AM3 lol.
 
Well it's really hard to say. What computer parts did you order? Repairing your Windows XP 'might' work, it's not guaranteed. The problem you encounter will be very random and nobody right now can tell you exactly how your Windows will act when you swap out your motherboards. Some lucky people will not have problems and their Windows will recognize the new hardware and all they have to do is install the drivers. The rest of the people will run into all sorts of problems, minor and major. You're still recommended to backup all your stuff before you attempt to do anything to your computer. It is a huge hassle, but you're going to have to do this sooner or later. So since you already bought your computer parts, you might as well go thru with it. You'll spend a day or two on it, just like me when I upgraded my computer; I spent a night backing my stuff up, the next putting together my new parts, and then the night after that to install Windows and everything else back.
 
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