[marsay001]

hey, is there any way to install a new mother board with out having a windows xp installation disk, all i have is the back up disk wich re installs xp but not an actual; windows disc, mobo comes tomorow and i wanna get it in but not sure if i can

[Dave Hybrid]

Sometimes you won't need one, but it's luck of the draw.

[marsay001]

yer i was reading some guides on the net, some guides say just swap them round and windows will recognise changes etc, but it may not, so does that mean i will have to BUY xp, when i already have it? if so bill (deleted) gates can (deleted) lol is therenot another operating system i could use such as a linux one?

[serverguy]

Ubuntu?

[Carbon]

Call up MS and tell them what happened, they'll give you a new activation code.

[serverguy]

Originally Posted by Carbon Call up MS and tell them what happened, they'll give you a new activation code.

The problem is that he doesn't have a CD to reinstall it with. But yes, you would have to rind Microsoft to get a new key as well.

[cheesewheels99]

well why do you need to reinstall it should be fine without it

[serverguy]

Originally Posted by cheesewheels99 well why do you need to reinstall it should be fine without it

Have you ever tried doing this?

Because I tell you that 97% of the time Windows will refuse to boot. You will get errors / boot loader etc

And even if it does work it will only be sort of working and you will probably get errors eventually.

Reformatting is the way to go. (Unless you replace the motherboard with exactly the same board and take steps before you change it to make it work. And even then it might not like it.)