Need some help, I might be changing over to an Intel processor from an AMD, which means I will have to reinstall windows but I have heard that you can lose files doing so. Is there a way I can reinstall without losing my files?
Any Tech People on Here?
- Thread starter Shep
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abecker
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Correct, when you reinstall windows you will lose any files on that hard drive. Best option is to copy all of your files to an external hard drive/flash drive. Also make sure you have any additional software you had installed available to install (CD's/Product keys/etc).
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tsouth
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You don't need to. Your os is not embedded in your chipset, it's all on your harddrive. This is a hardware change that should not effect your operating system. Should you reinstall? Doesn't hurt. Even if you were to re-install windows, there's an option to keep your files rather than discard them during the process. Google is your best friend here. I would highly advise finding a tutorial that's very similar to your situation and following that.
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twilliard
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How many drives you have other than your C drive? you can copy your whole C drive stuffs including my pictures, music, documents to your D drive or other drives and then reinstall the window. New or reinstallation of windows always takes out data from your C-drive or whatever drive you installed your windows in. It will not affect any other drives and your data will be safe.
ngvu1
Valuable Member
You can actually switch the CPU nowadays? 
(That just dis-qualify me as a tech person already LOL)
Back then when I was building PCs for fun, the Motherboards could only handle 1 type or even 1 socket type CPU. Many years ago, they started to have 1 mother board that can handle both AMD and Intel CPU. I guess now they can even auto-detect the CPUs and RAM types...
What windows are you using? I actually agree with the person above that you might not need to change the software for the OS. However, maybe the CPU nowadays has video and other function chips integrated into the CPU also then you might need to install those new drivers if the OS does not have them already.
Install the driver first before switching the CPU?????
(That just dis-qualify me as a tech person already LOL)Back then when I was building PCs for fun, the Motherboards could only handle 1 type or even 1 socket type CPU. Many years ago, they started to have 1 mother board that can handle both AMD and Intel CPU. I guess now they can even auto-detect the CPUs and RAM types...
What windows are you using? I actually agree with the person above that you might not need to change the software for the OS. However, maybe the CPU nowadays has video and other function chips integrated into the CPU also then you might need to install those new drivers if the OS does not have them already.
Install the driver first before switching the CPU?????
zoomonster
Valuable Member
Whether your replacing just the CPU or the motherboard Windows will detect a hardware change and just force you to re-authenticate your windows installation (make sure you have your windows key before the upgrade. If you don't know it there are utilities to extract it from registry). That's always been a anti piracy hassle to prevent cloning of HD's with windows installed. Assuming no issues booting you should probably just need to update and/or install some new drivers. No reason for a reinstall of windows.
ngvu1
Valuable Member
What windows version are you referring to? The newer windows might be smarter. The Windows 7 and older will often give you a blue screen of death if you switch other board.....
donnievaz
Well-Known Member
You can actually switch the CPU nowadays?
Back then when I was building PCs for fun, the Motherboards could only handle 1 type or even 1 socket type CPU. Many years ago, they started to have 1 mother board that can handle both AMD and Intel CPU. I guess now they can even auto-detect the CPUs and RAM types...
What windows are you using? I actually agree with the person above that you might not need to change the software for the OS. However, maybe the CPU nowadays has video and other function chips integrated into the CPU also then you might need to install those new drivers if the OS does not have them already.
Install the driver first before switching the CPU?????
He's swapping the MB too.
ngvu1
Valuable Member
Now that I have done in the old days even. There is a process I did before but it has been 10 years, so I am blurry now. Anyway, the question is not clear and without knowing the OS version, it is hard to speculate.....
OP
OP
I have Windows 8.1 as my OS and I will be going from an AMD processor to an Intel processor. This will also require a new MB as well
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All of the drivers you have currently on your hard drive are for the old board and processor. Once you swap, you will be lucky if you can even boot to the desktop due to the missing/incorrect drivers. IMO I would copy all of your important data over to a flash drive (my documents, pictures, music, favorites, PST files, etc.) and just copy them back over after windows has been reinstalled.
ReeferBob
Valuable Member
You will need the product key. If this is an OEM version, you may not be able to use it at all. I would simply put in the hard drive to the new computer first (what you are really doing is buying a new computer, you confused some people the way you wrote this in the OP) and see what happens. It is possible it will simply re-detect everything and just work. It isn't like the kernel is compiled for a different chipset like UNIX. If not, you can re-install over the top of the original one and not lose any data. You should backup anything important first as a precaution.
OP
OP
Im not buying a new computer, the GPU, power supply, HDD, RAM and everything else is not being changed. I am just going to install a new CPU and MB
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