If i upgrade the motherboard on my computer but keep the processor and add a new graphics card and such I will have to re install windows right?

I really dont want to format but if I have to I guess I will

and by re install windows I mean do a windows repair

so... that should work right?

just depends on if the new motherboard has a different chipset and such. usually a repair install works though.

Yeah same Processor, RAM and such

the only thing new is the graphics which really does not matter

You wont have to reinstall windows. I have done that twice. Somethings might not work properly and its cleaner to just reinstall windows because your going to need new drivers and everything, but it is do able.

Ok I got it hooked up but im running into a problem

As soon as i flip the switch in the back it turns on and starts going but nothing appears on the monitor and then i hear a click sound and the lights all turn off for a split second and it makes the sound like its starting up again and its stuck in this loop.

Any ideas?

I just replaced everything that had to do with my computer except harddrives and I didn't have to reinstall.

andrew - make sure everything is seated properly

ransom and archerzz - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. if you're going from an intel chipset to an intel it's usually fine. intel to via, nvidia, etc, doesn't always work.

Yea I should have added to my post the one time I did it I did have to reload, the second it worked flawlessly. All depends on the board and drivers.

For your current issue, does it POST, and can you get into the bios?

what you're describing sounds like the RAM or the 3d card is not seated so double check that like NoESC said.

Maybe could also be the processer? Not sure about that.

Yea Im gonna try the RAM

Im gettnig an error on the motherboard it has a little LCD thing thats saying C1 as the error... its a DFI mobo... so i looked it up last night and C1 from what I gathered could be RAM so that may be it... but Im not sure.... seems kinda weird for it to get stuck in a reboot loop over RAM

on a side note could it be the processor? I may need to add more of that heat sink jell ****

If the motherboard says it's a RAM error, it's a pretty safe bet that it's a RAM error.

Any displaced card / chipset / cable will do that. Including RAM.

well I called the mobo company's support line and they told me it could be the RAM, CPU or bios. I cleared the bios by moving a jumper and such but that was no good so I tried one stick of ram... still no good... tried another... still same thing... then i tried no ram STILL same crap

Its also bothering me that im not getting anything on my screen at all... my new graphics card is working but my monitor is not picking up a signal.... I figured that would be fixed once the motherboard stops throwing me an error

I also removed the CPU just for ****s and giggles and turned it on and the code changed to 88 which in the book says that the motherboard may need to be replaced but im guessing that's only because there was no CPU

Do you have another CPU you can try?

Try unseating and reseating everything. Make sure the connections are good and snug and not dirty.



Maybe it could show a message on the monitor... oh wait, there's no RAM and thus nowhere to load anything to.

[Edit: lol delete me]

I dont have another CPU except a Pentium III 1 ghz.... and I think its a different socket... tho they might be the same which would be kinda funny... and that computer is now giving me problems as in no video is coming up.... i swapped out the gfx cards on it and same thing so im guessing thats a mobo problem...

in a matter of days i went from 2 computers to none.... im now working on a laptop

Im going to see my old computer teacher from a few years ago tomorrow he said he could help me out... i really didnt want to go that route but looks like i have no chance
I think im going to try to hook **** up one more time tonight to see if anything changes

Well, an update

I met with my old teacher and he had no idea we both came to the conclusion that it could be the heat sink...

I worked on that today made sure it was on there tight and applied more thermal paste

I also added more screws to the mobo for grounding purposes

I tired just a basic start and still the same crap

its not even posting which is really blowing my mind....

I've had this happen a couple of times to me, and always it turned out to be a slightly dislodged IDE cable, or a PCI card just a little bit out of place, misplaced RAM (even though it looked like it was sitting in the right place! - make sure they all 'click' in place)

It could be the bios battery... did you check that?