I ordered my new parts!

[MadMedic]

I guess it will be here between 3-7 days!  As long as they deliver it when my wife is at work it should go smooth.

Now here my question, When you change your MB, processor, videocard and memory, but I will use my same hard drive.  After installing all the new equipment.  Should I reboot in safe mode and run the XP repair??

I really don't want to reformat if I don't have too, I have all my games and pictures(at least 600 digital pics) plus windows updates ect.

I told my wife, the last time I played Gunner killed me 6 times and ran over me with a tank!!  She just looked at me like I need serious help!!    So help is on the way and Gunner you better hide!!!    <shooter>

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

Personally, I would reformat MM.  Just to be sure any remnants of drivers and the like didn't get carried over from the last setup.  Do you have a backup drive you can send your pics to?  Or burn them to cd/dvd?

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

In my very limited experience:
If you are lucky in choosing the MO and all the other stuff you can boot it up and just install the chipsets/new drivers. However (as Smooth said) it realy is better to have a clean install and put the chipssets in first.  A PC Guru friend of mine says you will have to do that eventually and if nothing else you can isolate a problem easier.

[Gunner{MEOW}]

I'm ready and waiting for you mad medic sure do miss killing you!!! hurry back 

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

Unless you have ghosted that Hard Drive, you will not have an operating system on that new MB.  As Smooth stated, you really want to start fresh, trust me. 
There are software that can image the drive (Ghost) which allows you to pretty much plug that drive in and restart with what you had - trouble is that this has more issues than Pearl does with his tpyign - SO I would do a clean install of windows. 
Re-install the New drivers for your hardware and so on as Smooth said above.  Old drivers cause 99.9% of computer hardware troubles.

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

To make sure that people understand things about back ups, here is a little help.
You only need to back up files, pictures, docs, save your application data and so on.  You do not need to back up programs like your games, applications that you installed with a disk and so on.  You should have those programs/applications available to re-install on a new operating system.
Pretty much the stuff you don’t want to loose is what you want to back up.  That kind of stuff that is important should be backed up and locked away.  Hard drives do fail, so with that said….
I think the file that gets missed most in a back up is the Application data file.  There is one for each computer user that logs in.  It can be found by going to your root drive (C:/) and find the folder Documents and settings.  In that folder you will see several folders.  Application data is the key personal settings to most of your applications.  Such as program settings, game login stuff, email accounts and personal settings for installed programs like Mozilla and so on. Save this and rename it old Application data for later on a CD.
Also your “My Documents” folder.  You may have stuff right there you do not want to loose.  Save it to disks – in my case a DVD – I have so much chit!
Favorites is another save that you may have wished you brought over.   The rest is not something I would bring over as most of the rest are current computer settings - That is stuff the computer will set up and is unique to that computer.
Anyhow, remember that each person that logs on to that computer will have a folder with that info in it.  You may want to save each.

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

I've had problems with graphics drivers staying behind from an old card before.  My new card was using files from two different driver sets, causing me alot of problems and performance hits.  Point being, alot goes unnoticed.  MM if you take near the amount of digital pictures that I do, you really should be backing them up.  All it takes is one nasty virus or bad error and it's gone.  I keep all mine on disk, and I also have an 80 gig usb hd that I use.  It's a pain to reformat, let alone reinstalling everything, but I can almost guarantee you will have problems if you don't.  Something I've learned to do is to condense all my programs down to as few disks as possible.  It will save time during the reinstall process.

[MadMedic]

Thanks I will reformat and start off clean!  Whats the best way to do that, clean the HD and after I install all the new equiment?  Just turn on and reinsatll windows??  I know I sound like Gunner!!        But on my last upgrade, never reformatted!  Which could be the cause of all my recent problems!! lol 

[Smooth*{MEOW}*]

When I built mine, it gave me an option to format before it installed windows.

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

When you insert the Windows CD and do the install, it will see an operating system already there unless you are using a new HD.  Which is not a bad idea, that way you can add your old HD and still have all your files later  If you are using the same HD from your old computer, you will need to delete that partition and then create a new.  If you do not delete that partition (which holds all the old operating and windows files) you will end up with a 2nd drive and the new install will now reside on the D:/   So I advise you to delete that partition and create a new.  Windows will partition all but 8mb of that hard as a buffer and cab file.  That is normal.

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

My guru tels me to reformatt it seperate. The reformatting from the windows disc is usualy all you need, but when we reformat we make the HD a slave on another computer and format is there first.  Someitmes you will get a message wanting you to choose which HD to boot from but that is noproblem.   

If we can afford it we get a completly new HD and wrap that one up in non static stuff and set it aside or use it as a slave.  You can delete al the exe windows files and load your stuff off it.    But be warned..there are a lot of potential problem swith trying that.  That of course depends on funds and how old your HD is, also ifyou leave your comp on all the time.  Eventualy it will wear out.

Should be okay to formatt from the XP install disc, its the easiest and safest way to do it.  Make sure it rids you of all the old stuff.  Someitmes windows will section off the already installed data. 

Nuttin better than a clean machine.

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

That is a good point Eve. That is why it is important to delete the current partition.  I should say that with a new build, get everything working properly BEFORE you add any other hardware such as a 2nd HD, sound card and so on.  Those should come later.  When I say later, I mean after Windows is installed and completely updated.   Otherwise, the margin of error increases and finding the error can be time consuming.  Install one item at a time, create a restore point if needed.

[MadMedic]

Just waiting!!  I got teased yesterday, the Big Brown truck pulled in front of my house, but went to my neighbors house!   

[Gunner{MEOW}]

hahahahahahahahahaha  <shooter>

[THEKATZ*{MEOW}*]

Boy, that nieghbor is going to have one hell of a nice computer.