Upgrading Motherboard Same OS and HDD

Hey guys, newbie here on the forum with a motherboard question:

A_X44^&= wrote: Hey guys, newbie here on the forum with a motherboard question: I know it's a bad idea to move your boot drive from one motherboard to another, but what about when you have two related boards in the same series from the same manufacturer? For example, moving from a ASRock Extreme6 X79 motherboard to a ASRock Extreme4 X79 motherboard Here's a link comparing the two: http://motherboards.specout.com/compare/410-433/Asrock-X79-Extreme6-vs-Asrock-X79- EXTREME4-M Is this a bad idea? How likely will I be able to boot without problems? I'd like to avoid reinstalling my OS.

I always tell people that ask this question in general to do a fresh installation.

But in your case, switching from the X79 Extreme6 to the X79 Extreme4, is about as close as you can get to changing to a different model board with very few differences. You have a good chance of getting away with it IMO, and if it does fail you can always start over.

Here's why I think it could work:

The main problem when changing mother boards and using the previous OS installation is the differences in the various support chips on the two boards, and all the details associated with that, like Windows Registry entries. But these two boards are almost identical in that respect.

The only difference between the two boards is the X79 Extreme6 has a TI USB 3.0 chip for the USB 3.0 ports on the IO panel. The X79 Extreme4 uses the ASMedia 1042 chip for the IO panel USB 3.0 ports.

It's possible if you try to use your current OS installation on the Extreme4 board, that at first your USB 3.0 ports might not work right. Hopefully that will get sorted out by installing the ASMedia USB 3.0 driver again, and removing the TI USB 3.0 driver.

The biggest pain you may have is needing to activate Windows again. Windows will (should) detect the change is mother boards, and let you know you must activate Windows (again.) Your current key won't work, but if you just call the MS 800 number that will appear on the activation screen, which is an automated call (not a real person) you can reactivate Windows in a few minutes. I've done that many times.

What is your situation now? Is the older board broken or still working?