Replacing mobo

I just had to replace a mobo and I am using a sata hard drive. After replacing mobo and attaching everything back to it I noticed that it recognized my hard drive and everything was still on it. I was always under the impression that you had to reinstall Windows and all your software after doing this. Am I mistaken?

 

Not always, i have done it 3 times, 2 out of the 3 it worked, flawlessly. The other, it required a re-install.

Is the operating system an OEM version or a retail copy?

 

Yeah I've have seen it a couple of times, I've also seen it so it appeared to be working but then wouldn't run certain things or couldn't get drivers intalled for other hardware etc.
Sounds like you lucked out, nice!

 

it is an oem version

 

Then you may be asked for a product activation, but this should go away by just entering your Verification code that is on the sticker on the side of the case, usually the right side.

 

well depends on the similarity of the hardware
if the mainboards have the same chipset you place the same cards then you may skip the activation process and not need to install drivers
some times thought it seems to reinstall the same things
getting the weird message finished installing?!?!?!?!? but what ony gates nowscause i have take hard drive worked with someoen else return the drive and got that message

 

So does this mean that you can take any hard drive and put it in another computer and have that computer totally read the hard drive with everything on it?

 

well if there is new chipset between mainboard then you will have the install of this devices if the mainboard have diferent features like firewire then you have to install drivers for that
but more or less you will make it boot to windows screen and if the vga is the same at a old saved resolution
soooooooooooo BEWARE when you moove hdd to another system with diferent monitor adjust the settign of resolution to support the new monitor or you will boot and see nothing and then you will need to reboot to safe mode to aadjust the sersolution and refresh

 

I have done this many times over the years and sometimes it just locks up as it starts other times it
throws a blue screen or sometimes it works and goes through it's found new hardware thing and
everything is sweet.
It's a try it and see thing but it's best to do a fresh reinstall really.

 

Why try and fix something that isn't broken?

 

I just prefer doing a clean install as things within the OS become bloated over time and it can be
faster to re-install than pick through the OS cleaning it.
Admittedly if regular maintenance and good house keeping are done it will keep it's freshly installed feel but most people just use them use them and use them a lot more until they slow to a crawl or
stop working properly.

This is just personal preference everyone has there own ideas on this, to clean or reinstall