Page 1 of Advice on upgrading motherboard

This is probably a weird request for help, but nevertheless, here goes :

My HP Pavilion Desktop is just over 2 years old and I was planning to upgrade the Intel CPU to one of those dual core jobbies. This of course means a motherboard change to a socket 775. I`ve done some research and I need a micro ATX mobo. So having got an idea what to buy, I contacted HP support to ask if the proposed board would be compatible with the tower case. This what HP support said
"When replacing a motherboard in an HP Pavilion computer you will need to use the Tattoo Utility to burn the serial number, product number, and model number into the ROM of the new motherboard.
Note: HP System Recovery may not work properly if the motherboard has
not been tattooed."

I wasn`t able to find out what this "Tattoo Utility" was, where I could get it, or how to use it. :/

Any ideas please folks ?

Thanks in advance.

JF

Its basically to identify the motherboard as a `valid` one so that the install disc they gave you (presumably with Windows XP etc.) will work. I`d be really really hesistant to use it on a new motherboard though.

I`ve never seen one used or have any idea where you`d get it from though.

Presumably you have a valid Windows XP key? In which case, borrow someone else`s XP disc and install using that, with your key. That`s the safest route.

Also - hold off for now on the motherboard, the revised 975 chipsets are coming out which will support the new Intel Core Duo 2 chips (something I found out 2 weeks after buying mine :(). It doesn`t mean you have to buy a Core Duo 2 chip, just gives you a little more future proofing.

HTH
Miles

Thanks Miles. Nothing in life is simple is it ? FYI, my Windows XP Home was pre-installed and is apparently licenced to an OEM something or other. The only Windows disc I have is an HP Recovery Disc which had to be copied from the installed software, presumably as a back up and also a disc containing PC Recovery Tools, again which had to be copied. I believe the actual recovery system resides on the hard drive, disk D. I didn`t realise how difficult it was to upgrade an off the shelf retail PC, well, for the motherboard that is. :(

JF

MilesR is correct. The recovery disc may not even work because your new motherboard is quite likely to use a different chipset.

Fitz - whilst you may have an OEM licence, there`s nothing really to stop you from re-installing on a new PC with the same key. As long as M$ don`t see that key used more than once then I don`t think they`d care. (I purchased my Windows licence from Overclockers - and its an OEM licence)

If you can`t find the product key, then you can use a program to extract it:
www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Then you`d just need to borrow a copy of WinXP Home from someone else to do the install.

Miles

think it would have to be another oem copy of windows to install it using an oem code.
Plus do you get a cd key for a recovery disc that will only work on a pc that comes with windows preinstalled anyways due to all the machine specific drivers installed?

Quote:
think it would have to be another oem copy of windows to install it using an oem code.
Not so sure about that one mate.

Quote:
Plus do you get a cd key for a recovery disc that will only work on a pc that comes with windows preinstalled anyways due to all the machine specific drivers installed?
Hence the need for the program to extract the key from the existing installation. Because they normally hard-code it somewhere into the installation on OEM installs so you can only re-install using the recovery CD. If you extract the key, (providing you don`t then re-use it on another machine at the same time) - then you can re-register with M$.

With my OEM copy, I installed and registered it (I built the machine myself).
I later rebuilt it after changing some hardware etc and re-registered again with no probs.
I re-installed a couple of months later (needed a cleanup) and it prompted me to call M$ to validate the licence. I called and explained I`d changed some hardware, and they said it wasn`t a problem at all, and gave me the unlocking code.
Then rebuilt my machine with completely new hardware and re-used the same code, no probs so far! :D

Miles

Thanks guys for all the advice. I think in this case, for me at least, it`s a case of "if it aint broke, don`t fix it". In other words, I think I`ll give the upgrade a miss, well the change of mobo at least. It leaves me with two other options really.

1. Build a completely new PC from scratch.

2. Save up my pennies and go for a new prebuilt unit.

:/

JF

build from scratch as it will give you a pc thats easier to upgrade e.g no micro atx boards

Well, I was wondering about going down that road. But I wonder if the economics of the project would pan out, i.e. does it really work out cheaper ? But set against that, I suppose the simple satisfaction of saying "I built it myself" would compensate.

JF