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Replacing HP Desktop Motherboard with refurbished one- Help needed for Newbie

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  • Replacing HP Desktop Motherboard with refurbished one- Help needed for Newbie

    Hi
    Replacing the dead motherboard and PSU in my HP m7760n media centre computer. The HP website link took me to their suppliers of refurbished HP parts. Seems that while the socket and chipset is the same, the mobo I have was subsequently "tweeked". The integrated audio had an "S" added to the name. The other, 1 PCI was replaced by 1 PCIe 1.

    I know how to do the hardware installations making sure that the DVD, 2 HD's, Mobo, front panel electrical and front panel extensions like power button, LED's, USB, A/V, firewire and CPU and Case fan are hooked up of power and data. What I am clueless about is how to get this Vista Home Premium working once it is done. I do not have the OS discs to start from scratch. I would like to use what is on my current boot drive to work again with this replaced mobo. Can this be done? If not can I get Win 7 and load it rightaway? The HP site has Win 7 drivers.

    Can someone list by numbers what I must do? Never done anything like this before. This is my effort to learn. I am a senior, buy the $ 70 dollars will be well spent restoring a computer that meets my needs. I have a Thinkpad T61, Ideapad SE10e and a BB Playbook.
    My desktop is for the benefit of a 23' LCD which does not need reading glasses. I can scan, print and fax, and archive using an external 2T WD HD with USB 3.


    Most appreciative for this helping hand so that I do not mess up when it comes to software. Too old to kick myself and survive!

  • #2
    If the new motherboard is a minor evolution to the existing one there is a good change you can just plug in your old hard drive and just boot the machine.

    Once booted check Windows device manager to see what devices, if any, are missing drivers. If you did want to re-install the operating system, then using Win7 would make more sense than using Vista (assuming both options were the same cost).

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