backing up and re-initializing windows

[Tact.X]

I have windows 7 on my system, I am about to take out my old motherboard, cpu and ram, replace them all and reinstall windows... If I backup windows, and restore it on the new system, will it work fine, just like before with nothing changed much?

I sound nooby but I do have pc experience, I ask because I've never done this before and I don't want to lose everything...
Thanks guys

[spoon_]

Will it work? Probably.

Will it really work? I don't think so...


Windows doesn't like very much if you change motherboards so it might vomit in blue a bit

[TheAnimus]

What are you going from / too?

Which version of windows are you using?

Windows can be quite robust when it comes to changing hardware, so long as you unistall all the specific drivers first, this is actually, rather easy to do, the hard part is stopping windows helpfully installing them all again for you!

[Ginger-Menace]

when you change important hardware such and mobo, it is always best to do a full clean install, this helps stop any driver incompatibility. you could always try it and if it doesnt work do the fresh install.

GM

[Tact.X]

I'm going from an xfx 790i Ultra sli to an Asus Sabertooth X79 (Windows 7 to windows 7)
I removed the nvidia folders from the backup hoping that would help...

I'll try it and see what happens
Thanks for the replies guys, I'll let you know what happens when I do it

[shaithis]

Best solution i have found for this is to set your SATA ports to IDE in the BIOS, start Windows, let it detect changes and sort out device manager.

Once it's settled, turn off, change motherboard, set to IDE and boot up.....make sure Windows is OK, then set the AHCI registry key and reboot to BIOS and change it to SATA or AHCI (depending on which you want)

It's been working well for me, even when going AMD <> Intel

[Tact.X]

So you're saying change my bios to ide mode?
I'm using an ssd in a rocket point raid card... so don't think that'll work

But if it does I'm too set ide, let it install drivers, change mobo, leave on ide?

[shaithis]

Oh, that could be tricky then.....IDE mode in BIOS isn't going to help if the boot volume is hanging off of a raid controller.

The only thing you can really do is cross your fingers! Even Windows backup restores fail quite a lot in these circumstances

Oh, and install the latest Intel drivers before shutting down the old system.....luckily they should install without a hitch as it's currently an intel board as well.

[Tact.X]

Its a nvidia chipset though... I will just try and hope for the best tbf
If not I'll have to spend a day or two getting everything back

Thanks for the quick replies! (Y)