Advanced: changing Vista motherboard drivers OUTSIDE THE OS

I'm going to buy a new motherboard and I really don't want to have to reinstall Vista all over again. You get a BSOD on boot if you keep the old OS on the new motherboard. On XP you could put the CD in and select "repair installation" and it would refresh all of its files and install the appropriate drivers in the process. Your documents and programs would remain intact. On Vista however, you can only do that if you're INSIDE the OS, and you can't get in if you're getting a BSOD on startup can you?

I'm looking for a way to change Vista's motherboard drivers from a command prompt which I can access off the Vista DVD. I need to know where the files are, change them, and register them. Does anyone know how it can be done?

 

You still boot off of the CD.

What good is a repair install if it only works when the OS is...working/booting?

 

XP could but not Vista.

Exactly what I said. So how can I change the drivers inside my Vista installation from within a command prompt?

 

I'm running Vista. You can boot off of the DVD to do a repair.

Exactly as I said.

 

Allow me to elaborate.

There is still a repair option, it is just not doing the exact same things as XP did. Of course, you dont need a complete file refresh for your issue anyway.

So, boot off the DVD. Select Repair my PC. It will scan for installations. If its not listed, you click load drivers to load the new motherboard controller drivers. If it does, you do to the next step and go to startup repair.

 

Per OEM versions, upgrading has been disabled, which if this is OEM, you arent allowed to upgrade the motherboard anyway, per EULA.

If you have a retail version, you can try choosing to install windows, enter the product key and see what your install options are.

--Upgrading is in that meu, but for me, as an OEM version, it is disabled. Is it enabled for a retail version?

If so, that is the EXACT same thing as a Windows XP Repair installation.

 

I'm posting these pics from Ult just as a point of reference Adryn. I've never changed the mobo so I can't comment.

 

Thanks augie. If you dont have OEM Ult., can you see if the upgrade option for you is greyed out?

Act as if you are installing Vista, put in the product key and see what options are available.

 

Last time I tried that it didn't fix anything... and no I don't have OEM.