CPU Transplant

[Aux10]

Hello everyone! Some of you may remember how I was fuming about when my brother bought that speced out HP a while back. Well it seems he's coming to his senses and he's building (some what) a rig. The only real changes to the current setup are the Mobo and the case. There is one worry I have though, is it possible to transplant the I7 CPU from the HP to a new MSI Mobo? I know some PC manufactures like to sabotage their hardware so it will only work with it's original system. (cough cough apple cough cough) Think there'll be any problems? Now what about the OS? I know Microsoft likes to bind their copies of Windows to the Mobo of the PC it is first installed to. Any way to avoid that?

[Duke of Buckingham]

:p That seems bloody and complicated did you use some anesthesia. I am very worried about that traumatized computer. :(

http://steim.org/projectblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/img_6882.png

[Fire$torm]

Hello everyone! Some of you may remember how I was fuming about when my brother bought that speced out HP a while back. Well it seems he's coming to his senses and he's building (some what) a rig. The only real changes to the current setup are the Mobo and the case. There is one worry I have though, is it possible to transplant the I7 CPU from the HP to a new MSI Mobo? I know some PC manufactures like to sabotage their hardware so it will only work with it's original system. (cough cough apple cough cough) Think there'll be any problems? Now what about the OS? I know Microsoft likes to bind their copies of Windows to the Mobo of the PC it is first installed to. Any way to avoid that?

No need to worry on either account. With the CPU the only thing you have to worry about is bending the socket pins on the new MB but it is relatively easy to avoid. With Windows you may have to call M$ to validate the OS. This is only rarely necessary, especially if the product key has been dormant for a time.

Edit: If M$ asks about the original system just say it is dead and unrepairable :P

[John P. Myers]

Edit: If M$ asks about the original system just say it is dead and unrepairable :P
Or that it's the same system and you're just upgrading it :) And btw, Dell is much worse at making sure you can't upgrade (or even fix) their computers than Apple ever thought about :p

Anyway, if you replace the CPU, but not the mobo, Windows shouldn't have to be re-installed. As F$ said, it seems that M$ won't be on your case as long as your product key hasn't been used for awhile. I have actually gotten away with installing 4 copies of windows from the same disc, using the same key, AND having all 4 computers actually work all at the same time, all registered and all validated, without M$ saying a word. I dunno that i could get away with that twice, but it is at least possible

[Fire$torm]

Yeah Dell can be a pain. Anyone remember Schwinn Bicycles? They used the "Lock the customer in" marketing strategy until it put them under. Anyhoot, Dell is now more in line with industry standards except for things like front panel I/O & other headers. I think they got tired of all the law suits and losing....

[Aux10]

The transplant was a succes! Unfortunately Windows wouldn't even load on the new board. It would display the "Starting Windows" screen then it would suddenly stop flash a blue screen with text and restart. Must have been some sort of HP sabotage! Thank god for OEMs. I'll post some pics after we're done pimping it out.

[Fire$torm]

The transplant was a succes! Unfortunately Windows wouldn't even load on the new board. It would display the "Starting Windows" screen then it would suddenly stop flash a blue screen with text and restart. Must have been some sort of HP sabotage! Thank god for OEMs. I'll post some pics after we're done pimping it out.

Good news I think. Did you replace the motherboard? Or the RAM? I ask because that BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) sounds like a memory error unless you were using HP's install disk. Some companies, like Dell & HP, were for a time making Windows install disks that were tied to the systemboard or the CPU. These parts had special codes embedded in their firmware. In time it all can back to bite these morons in the @ss as customers started complaining, and then suing them. As an aside, IIRC Dell has more pending suites against it then any other tech company in the industry.

[Aux10]

Good news I think. Did you replace the motherboard? Or the RAM? I ask because that BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) sounds like a memory error unless you were using HP's install disk. Some companies, like Dell & HP, were for a time making Windows install disks that were tied to the systemboard or the CPU. These parts had special codes embedded in their firmware. In time it all can back to bite these morons in the @ss as customers started complaining, and then suing them. As an aside, IIRC Dell has more pending suites against it then any other tech company in the industry.

We replaced the mobo and graphics card, all other hardware was the same. Also the blue screen that flashed didn't look like any blue screen of death I've ever seen.

[Fire$torm]

We replaced the mobo and graphics card, all other hardware was the same. Also the blue screen that flashed didn't look like any blue screen of death I've ever seen.

Are you still getting it? If so you can tell Windows not to restart if it happens again. To do this, reboot and start tapping the F8 function key just before the first Windows startup logo appears. This will bring you to the Windows boot options screen. One of the options you can select is worded like "Do not restart on boot error" or something similar. This way when to blue screen appears, it will stay there so you can write down or photograph the error message.

[Aux10]

Are you still getting it? If so you can tell Windows not to restart if it happens again. To do this, reboot and start tapping the F8 function key just before the first Windows startup logo appears. This will bring you to the Windows boot options screen. One of the options you can select is worded like "Do not restart on boot error" or something similar. This way when to blue screen appears, it will stay there so you can write down or photograph the error message.

My brother already wiped the drive and installed an OEM copy on it. Not sure what that was though, my best guess was that HP made it so Windows was permanently bound to the board.

[DrPop]

My brother already wiped the drive and installed an OEM copy on it. Not sure what that was though, my best guess was that HP made it so Windows was permanently bound to the board.

Now, I love me a good conspiracy theory, and I don't want to burst yours, but honestly, HP didn't do anything there, and neither did Microsoft. What happened is very typical Windows behavior. You installed a new mobo and GPU, and then it wouldn't boot the [old] OS. This is very normal and usual behavior for Windows, regardless of the "maker" of the PC. This has to do with the drivers and the registry that Windows creates when you install it on any particular machine.

Providing there was nothing more severe going on, the computer works perfectly on a fresh install of Windows, right? ;)

[Aux10]

Now, I love me a good conspiracy theory, and I don't want to burst yours, but honestly, HP didn't do anything there, and neither did Microsoft. What happened is very typical Windows behavior. You installed a new mobo and GPU, and then it wouldn't boot the [old] OS. This is very normal and usual behavior for Windows, regardless of the "maker" of the PC. This has to do with the drivers and the registry that Windows creates when you install it on any particular machine.

Providing there was nothing more severe going on, the computer works perfectly on a fresh install of Windows, right? ;)

It works perfectly now but I wouldn't be surprised lol.

[Fire$torm]

Oh sorry, I was under the impression you had reinstalled Windows after setting up the new system not still using the previous installed OS. So yeah, DP is correct. That behavior happens because the Windows installer configures the OS for the system hardware. Windows is too stupid, because it is mostly bloatware, to know what to do, unlike Linux which can adapt itself to a major hardware change.