Hey guys, my old Mobo bit the dust a few days ago, so i went out a bought a new one. Matches everything just fine.

I need some guidance on how to get windows to boot again. I am using my old HDD from my old computer so i know there will be issues on booting (having a diff mobo)
When i turn it on it goes to the screen-due to recent hardware change, windows didnt start correctly-Safe mode, last known config, start windows normally Etc. then just restarts.

If any of you guys have any tips or even step by step instructions it would be very helpful. Thanks!!!

Considering you're getting Windows at all suggests your BIOS is set up to find the harddrive and such.

I know XP hated hardware changes, and you always had to "re-activate" the stupid thing if you changed mobo or to much other stuff. Kinda thinking it could be that issue. But I never had a problem with it myself.

Try selecting something in Safe Mode, other than "last known". Because your last known is the problem, since it assumes you had the old mobo.

Your only hope now (without reinstalling) is to boot the system with XP CD (XP SP2 would be best) and select the repair installation from the menu. You will need to reapply all the updates to windows and probably reactivate the installation. If this does not work you will need to reinstall.

So, what should I do if I dont have the xp cd to repair? And I dont want to lose any info on this HDD. Are there alternate things I can do?

I do have a ERD Commander 2005 CD that is a bootable disk, where i can make changes to my drivers and such... any ideas there?

If your concern is with data on your HDD, get another one, install Windows and use it to boot your system with your current drive as a secondary drive.
You should be able to read your old drive then.

^Agreed. Also do you have back ups of your files? If you do you can just do a fresh install.

This actually is my parents computer. I have built about 5 computers in my life (18 years old) but i have always built them from all fresh new parts. apparently the HDD is wanting to boot from the old Mobo that is no longer. This computer isnt worth much, and they dont want to spend much money. is there a way to get it to boot with just what i have without doing a fresh install? And no, my rents havent backed anything up... :s
thanks

i know u said the screen comes up with the boot options but did u try booting to safe mode? if it boots to safe mode, uninstall the old chipset drivers and insatall the new ones. if it won't boot to safe mode, u have to do a repair install as mentioned previously.

If this is an OEM copy of XP even when you get it going MS won't activate it with a motherboard change. When the MB goes to the dump so dose OEM XP.

Don't you just love m$

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Micros [...] rd_upgrade

I agree with coldneutron, boot into safe mode and uninstall all your drivers. It's a somewhat tedious going this route but atleast it'll get the results that you want.

Also, as of yesterday MS dosen't sell XP anymore, so get a new copy quick before the vendors run out!

^Agreed! (Lucky me I have a MSDN/Coparate copies of XP x64 )