Motherboard Swap Help

[TheMystic6]

I am going to be performing a motherboard swap sometime this week (hopefully if I can get to it) and wanted to get some insight from the community and make sure my plan is correct. I want to do this right the first time xD.

I will be swapping out these specs:

MOBO: ASRock FM2A68M-DG3+ ----> Gigabyte GA-AB350-Gaming
RAM: Team Dark 2x8 DDR3 (Unknown Speed) ----> Team T-Force Dark 2x8 DDR4 3000
CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 845 @3.5GHz 4C 4T ----> AMD Ryzen 5 1600 @3.2GHz 6C 12T
GPU: nVidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB ----> nVidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB (Same GPU)
PSU: 485W ----> 485W (Same PSU)
HDD: 2TB ----> 2TB (Same HDD)

Here is what my plan is to go about upgrading step-by-step:

1. Get Win10 Product ID and Key
2. Copy All C: Drive Files and Programs onto External
3. (Optional) Should I create a bootable USB flash drive?
4. Shut Down PC and perform Hardware Swap
5. Turn PC back on after hardware swap has been performed and enter BIOS
6. In BIOS, set the boot order so that the HDD is first.
7. Boot, let windows install/configure and enter my Product Key
8. Once the OS has loaded, pull my program files back off the external HDD and put them back on the internal HDD, all files excluding the WINDOWS folder.
9. Done... ?

I am not sure what to expect as far as driver issues, but are my predictions as to how this is going to work accurate?

[tacoshy]

Well skip the 2nd "7". The OS drive should always be first in boot order and the USB stick not even listed there. Hwoever in BIOS you can manually boot once from another drive (in this case the USB stick).

between "4" and "5" you might want to update your BIOS first. Espacially Ryzen had some vital updates that increased performance.

between "8" and "9" install all the drivers, you find those on the manufaturer site for your motherboard. Install Chipset and then GPU drivers first. After that stuff like sound driver, USB driver and so on. Dont let Windows do it for you!

Befor you swap your Steam folder back, install steam first and then copy the steamapps folder on your PC.

[TheMystic6]

Publicado originalmente por tacoshy:

Well skip the 2nd "7". The OS drive should always be first in boot order and the USB stick not even listed there. Hwoever in BIOS you can manually boot once from another drive (in this case the USB stick).

between "4" and "5" you might want to update your BIOS first. Espacially Ryzen had some vital updates that increased performance.

between "8" and "9" install all the drivers, you find those on the manufaturer site for your motherboard. Install Chipset and then GPU drivers first. After that stuff like sound driver, USB driver and so on. Dont let Windows do it for you!

Befor you swap your Steam folder back, install steam first and then copy the steamapps folder on your PC.

Ahh, good pointers, thankyou. So you are saying that windows will automatically reinstall thru the USB drive?? Also, sorry that I had 2 7s.. xD

One more thing, how do I update the BIOS when the computer is off? Or did you mean between 3 and 4?

[Omega]

Publicado originalmente por TheMystic6:

Publicado originalmente por tacoshy:

Well skip the 2nd "7". The OS drive should always be first in boot order and the USB stick not even listed there. Hwoever in BIOS you can manually boot once from another drive (in this case the USB stick).

between "4" and "5" you might want to update your BIOS first. Espacially Ryzen had some vital updates that increased performance.

between "8" and "9" install all the drivers, you find those on the manufaturer site for your motherboard. Install Chipset and then GPU drivers first. After that stuff like sound driver, USB driver and so on. Dont let Windows do it for you!

Befor you swap your Steam folder back, install steam first and then copy the steamapps folder on your PC.

Ahh, good pointers, thankyou. So you are saying that windows will automatically reinstall thru the USB drive?? Also, sorry that I had 2 7s.. xD

Not automatically. Just plug in the flash drive. Force the PC to boot from the flash drive using the boot overide via the BIOS. Then just follow the on-screen instructions.

Publicado originalmente por TheMystic6:

One more thing, how do I update the BIOS when the computer is off? Or did you mean between 3 and 4?

Via the BIOS.

https://youtu.be/-TRWfYCiO6M
This video is very in-depth the actual process will only take minutes.

[TheMystic6]

Publicado originalmente por Omega:

Publicado originalmente por TheMystic6:

Ahh, good pointers, thankyou. So you are saying that windows will automatically reinstall thru the USB drive?? Also, sorry that I had 2 7s.. xD

Not automatically. Just plug in the flash drive. Force the PC to boot from the flash drive using the boot overide via the BIOS. Then just follow the on-screen instructions.

Ohh ok thanks, i forgot about boot override.

[Omega]

Publicado originalmente por TheMystic6:

Publicado originalmente por Omega:

Not automatically. Just plug in the flash drive. Force the PC to boot from the flash drive using the boot overide via the BIOS. Then just follow the on-screen instructions.

Ohh ok thanks, i forgot about boot override.

Usually you can enter the boot override screen by spamming F8 during POST. But it might differ per motherboard. Or just enter the BIOS and do it from there.

[Supafly]

You can update bios before point 1 if you want.

Goto motherboard manufacturers website. Navigate to drivers and download latest bios. Quite easy to just type motherboard a bios update into a internet search and go directly to the right page in the first link you get.

Depending on the manufacturer and board the update process will be different. Again manufacturers website will tell you how to do it. If not check out youtube or ask back here. If you ask here though post you motherboard details.

[TheMystic6]

Publicado originalmente por Suicidal Monkey:

You can update bios before point 1 if you want.

Goto motherboard manufacturers website. Navigate to drivers and download latest bios. Quite easy to just type motherboard a bios update into a internet search and go directly to the right page in the first link you get.

Depending on the manufacturer and board the update process will be different. Again manufacturers website will tell you how to do it. If not check out youtube or ask back here. If you ask here though post you motherboard details.

You mean download the bios update for the new motherboard that isn't installed on the PC yet? Will windows just automatically pick those bios files off of the HDD or something during install?

Or can I just do the bios update after I've completed the whole motherboard swap?

[Supafly]

Publicado originalmente por TheMystic6:

Publicado originalmente por Suicidal Monkey:

You can update bios before point 1 if you want.

Goto motherboard manufacturers website. Navigate to drivers and download latest bios. Quite easy to just type motherboard a bios update into a internet search and go directly to the right page in the first link you get.

Depending on the manufacturer and board the update process will be different. Again manufacturers website will tell you how to do it. If not check out youtube or ask back here. If you ask here though post you motherboard details.

You mean download the bios update for the new motherboard that isn't installed on the PC yet? Will windows just automatically pick those bios files off of the HDD or something during install?

Or can I just do the bios update after I've completed the whole motherboard swap?

Can download them now.

Once windows 10 media creation tool has formated and set up your USB so its ready to install win 10 just create a folder on it, call it Drivers or something. Now download all the latest drivers for the new motherboard along with Bios updates.

This way you can update the Bios before making any other changes. If you make changes to the bios first they will get wiped when you do a Bios update.

Other bonus of having the latest drivers downloaded means you can install the latest straight away. Instead of generic windows drivers or outdated ones on the CD that comes with the motherboard only to replace them shortly afterwards.

[TheMystic6]

Publicado originalmente por Suicidal Monkey:

Oh sweet, thanks! So just download the drivers for all of the components that are going into the new rig and put them on the USB drive? How do you install the drivers though before booting the PC?

[Supafly]

Publicado originalmente por TheMystic6:

Publicado originalmente por Suicidal Monkey:

Oh sweet, thanks! So just download the drivers for all of the components that are going into the new rig and put them on the USB drive? How do you install the drivers though before booting the PC?

You don't install before. Just nice to have them all ready and in one place and saves you from installing old drivers first only to replace them shortly afterwards

Once built power on and press the Delete key to enter bios, might be a different key but when you see the splash screen it will tell you what key to enter bios.
Update the bios as described on website.
Change bios boot settings if needed then save and exit.
Boot from USB and install win10.
Once Win10 is installed go about installing all your drivers.

[TheMystic6]

I am currently copying 350GB worth of files/programs from my C: drive to my external HDD. I already have my product keys, the USB stick has been formatted to install windows, and I am now about to put those drivers onto my USB.

The motherboard I am going to install is Gigabyte, and on the manufacturers website, it says it comes with an app that you can use to update your bios.. Not sure where to download the drivers/bios updates from without using the app. For my GPU, I can use GeForce experience, so do I really need those drivers as well?

I found this page for AMD, remember my specs i will be swapping to are up at the top. Which of these do I download? AMD Chipset Drivers[support.amd.com]

EDIT: Nvm, the first one is the one for CPU/Chipset
Also I have a Realtek 802.11n wireless lan card, and idk where to find the drivers..

What should I download here? https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-AB350-Gaming-rev-1x#support-dl

Ok I have been doing some more precautionary things to make sure this goes smoothly.

-I have copied all the C Drive Files onto an external drive as a backup and as a reference to all the programs that I had installed.
-I have created a bootable flash drive using the Media Creation Tool
-I have downloaded multiple driver files and put them into a folder on the flash drive called "Drivers"
-The driver files on the USB drive include: the BIOS update, AMD Chipset drivers (from AMD website), MB Realtek LAN, MB Realtek Audio, AMD Chipset drivers that include USB drivers (from the Motherboard's website) and my GPU driver installer. Do I need SATA RAID driver as well? And am I missing any?

[tacoshy]

no but eb aware to flash the BIOS you need to downlaod the drievrs which comes as zip file. you need to unzip it and palce the content directly into the USB drive (no folder) so that NIOS can recognize it. you then later select that file to boot from to commence the bios update.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Just backup any personal files from C Drive. The rest is a waste to backup.
You will want to fully format that C Drive if that is going to be reused again.
You can't save the OS and Apps. Those must be installed fresh again.

To get a screenshot of your installed apps for reference purposes, run CCleaner (then click Tools > Uninstall > Save to TXT) to output a list of installed apps.

To backup your OS Product Key, you need the actual key, the "ID" is meaningless to a user, that is only helpful when dealing with Microsoft Support. To reveal and see your key openly, run SPECCY and wait for the system summary to load fully, then click Operating System. You can highlight that key manually and then copy and paste it to a safe place to backup purposes. SPECCY will in no out output your key via snapshots or things of that sort, for security purposes.

Download all App and Driver installers once you're up and running on the new Motherboard and OS has been clean installed.

Use GameSaveManager to backup game saves. Then restore them once you are back up and running again.

You may require a new OS key after a Motherboard swap. But you are free to use Win10 without one anyways, except for the Windows Store portion of Win10.

Yes you need to make your own USB Flash Drive w/ Win10, download it from Microsoft.

Get a decent B350M Motherboard and GSkill TridentZ DDR4 3000
the "A" series Motherboards are all junk, don't waste your money there, and even more picky with RAM you use.

Get an SSD to install the OS & Apps onto. Use the 2TB for mass storage of your Games, loose personal files, downloads, etc.

When you boot, you will boot from your Win10 usb flash drive, so you can install the OS.
After the OS installer reboots the first time, then remove the usb flash drive and change the boot order in BIOS to reflect the SSD/HDD that now has the OS on it. The OS installer will continue on and finish after this point, from that SSD/HDD.

[TheMystic6]

Publicado originalmente por Bad_Motha:

I will not be changing the motherboard, or the ram, as i've already bought it. I already have my product key. The files I backed up were all of my steam games so I dont have to redownload them all because my internet is slow. I may eventually buy an SSD, but for now I do not need one. I've already created the USB flash drive.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Also go to the Motherboard site and download the latest BIOS, extract this to your Win10 usb flash drive. Then when booted up, go into the BIOS with the flash drive connected to a rear usb 2.0 port, and update the bios.