Is it possible to upgrade my motherboard

Again, upgrading motherboards is not seen as common as some of the easier upgrades you can do to a computer like a storage upgrade or a memory upgrade. The motherboard and the CPU are a two piece combo. They both have to be compatible with each other. If the socket of the your new CPU does not match that of the motherboard, then you will need to upgrade the motherboard.

It is worth noting that many times a motherboard socket is shared across CPU generations. Motherboard chipsets determine the primary characteristics of the motherboard. Among other things a chipset determines:. If you are an enthusiast and you want a motherboard that is capable of overclocking your CPU to great potential, then you may need to upgrade your motherboard. The chipset defines whether a motherboard can overclock or not.

Most modern motherboards allow you to specify which SATA drive is the boot drive. Since I installed the latest Intel motherboard drivers prior to taking out the old motherboard, this process went smoothly for me. You may get a warning to this effect. You can just bring up the system property sheet in the System control panel and look at the bottom. In my particular case, activating over the Internet worked fine. Bear in mind, however, that you may have to resort to contacting the Microsoft activation hotline via telephone if activation over the Internet is denied.

The process takes only a few minutes, and requires entering codes into fields. First, grab your Windows setup disc and your Windows CD key. Follow the normal instructions for installing Windows XP, but do not reformat or perform a clean install. Instead, follow the prompts for a repair install. What that will do is update the storage driver to one that Windows will recognize when it boots. Even if you think you might need to perform a reformat and a clean install, try running your existing Windows installation first.

On another note, if you're upgrading for the sake of gaming, save your money and upgrade your graphics card instead. The performance increase between iterations of RAM, however, isn't all that mind-blowing. If speed is the sole reason for the upgrade, rethink where you're spending your money. All of the above reasons are good, but in my opinion, this is the single greatest reason to upgrade your motherboard.

Games will run faster and with less lag, all while letting you increase the in-game settings to run at more graphically-intense levels than your previous card. Depending on when you last upgraded, that is. If you're not a gamer, and you're more of a casual internet user, the best bang for your buck is going to be a RAM or SSD upgrade, and you can skip GPU upgrades altogether.

Both are fast enough for simple file and data transfers, but the highest-end SSDs top out around 2Gbps in terms of transfer speed. Most don't even hit that mark. But the reality of the matter is that while both are fast enough for what you'll need them to do, neither will hit their max speeds. You'll probably have to upgrade your motherboard on an older system in order to use them.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows in upgrade land, however. Connect the Windows License and Microsoft Account. Purchasing a Digital License or Product Key. Identifying the Types of Sockets. They are OEM, retail, and volume. Therefore, it will install itself on the computer when you power it on. Still, if you are upgrading it to a newer motherboard, you will need to reinstall Windows You will be dealing with a fresh install and starting from scratch.

Retail A retail license is something that you purchase online. Volume Volume licenses are only issued to those who will utilize multiple computers using the Windows operating system. If you know how to build or take apart a computer, the process is simple enough. You can rely on a professional computer repair service near you to get the job done. Keep in mind, though, that this may be the most expensive option because of labor rates.

Also, additional charges may apply since they may be ordering a new motherboard and CPU for you. Otherwise, depending on the motherboard and CPU, you can install it easily by following these steps: 2. Disconnect the Parts All it takes is just simply disconnecting the parts without any special skills like soldering. You may not need to use the activation code at all but keep it nearby just in case it asks for it.