Replacing motherboard (advice needed)

Current specs

HP Pavilion m7560n
NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE (mobo)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ / 2.2 GHz
4 gb ddr2 sdram pc2-4200
Thermaltake TR2-450w psu
ATI Radeon HD 4350 1gb ddr2 600mhz
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Seagate 320 gb hd

Keep in mind, the operating system came with the computer. I don't have an install cd. All I have is 3 recovery disks and I'm not betting they'll work with a new mb. My goal is to reuse all hardware if possible. Links in next post.

frist, only has two ram slots, not 9.6 x 9.6, will it still fit?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157202

second, same as above.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157187

third, almost seems to good to be true. Only shipped with motherboard. No software.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ASRock-ALIVENF6...524373096?pt=Motherboards&hash=item4cf4c9b068

Any suggestions.

You don't need software with a motherboard, because the software is usually outdated by the time you buy the board. Always get the drivers from the manufacturers support website, or by Windows Update. The EBay board is not shipped with an I/O shield. That is the silver metal panel that the keyboard and mouse ports poke through. No cables either, just the board. The $40 Newegg board will work fine. No need to spend more money

Thanks for the help Tmagic. I decided to go with the ebay motherboard, (Primarily because it comes with 4 ram slots). Trying to play games with only 2 gigs of ram doesn't seem appealing. Although the ram is important, the i/o shield isn't that big of a deal to me and I already have cables from my old motherboard. I'll update once I get it and plug it in.

One quick question. Whats the possibility that this is plug and play? Or will I have to buy a new OS?

Plug and Play?
--- UNLESS THE BOARDS ARE THE SAME ---
then nil!

Your current OS installation (on your hard-drive) is set up for your old motherboard.
All the drivers are likely to be wrong.

TMagic has more experience here than I,
and may have a different suggestion, but...

I would recommend getting a new drive, and doing a clean OS installation,
then use your old drive as a data drive.
Your data will still be there for you.

Another possibility MIGHT be to try to boot to safe mode,
(this will use minimal and more "generic" drivers" - so, in theory, less chance of a Blue Screen)
and then update all drivers in safe mode,
but I have not tried this.

If you have a valid XP install disc, you can use it on the new motherboard. Just call Microsoft if the on-line activation fails and tell the robot that you have XP installed on one computer only

That's the problem. I only have restore/recovery disks from the previous motherboard/system.

Do you still have the key? You could borrow an XP installation disc off someone and use your own key, that should work.

Chipset

Doesn't matter what Motherboard you have in the computer, you can still use your install disk to reinstall windows. You will have to go to the motherboard site and download the correct Chipset drivers though. If that is the only hardware you are changing out, then you should be fine. I always reload the drivers from the manufacture of the computer (ie: Dell, HP, Compaq) Usually Windows update will find the other drivers if need be.

Good Luck!

My Computer Lady

Yes I have the product key. It's the product key thats on the back of the case. I read somewhere that the case key and cd key where two completely different entities (meaning, only the cd key would work with the cd and the case key is just proof of purchase). Don't know. ??

Update
Got the motherboard in today. Came with an I/O shield (woot). Hooked everything up to the best of my knowlegde. In fact, I'm 99% sure everything is correct. But I'm still having the same problem. I even tried booting with the moniter connected to the onboard gpu. Computer sounds like it starts up correctly. But I'm sure it's not loading into windows. I'm sure you guys would know more about that than me. No beeps and the fans are running. Here's the catch, I'm using the same moniters and cables on a different computer right now. I'm officially stumped. Any ideas?

So how did you install Windows? You can't depend on transferring a hard drive loaded with Windows from another motherboard, to a new different motherboard really working correctly. I've had limited success with 2 motherboards having the same brand chip set. Your current troubles are the same as the old. You have to install Windows fresh, using the correct drivers for the new motherboard

Maybe I need to bring this up in the other thread I created. I've installed the new motherboard. I haven't re-installed windows. I'm still having monitor issues. The whole reason for me getting a new motherboard was to fix the monitor issue. Can't get the monitors to receive a signal. I tried hooking the monitors up to the gpu, nothing. Tried hooking one of them up to the onboard gpu, nothing. I've got both of them running on another computer with the same cables. Not really sure what the deal is.

Maybe 2 bad motherboards... Or the motherboard is shorted to the case in some way. Try removing the motherboard and place it outside the case and temporarily connecting it. You don't need to connect the hard drive, just CPU and memory. You should see the beginning of the post screen. if you don't see anything, try a video card. If you still get no video the motherboard is bad

Took the motherboard out and the monitor fired right up. Looks like it was the case the whole time. So do I need to find the short or should I just scrap the case and get another one?

I don't have any standoffs or fibre washers. I never thought that would be the case because HP didn't assemble the system with those components.

dirtymailman,
just pay close attention to the areas around the motherboard's mounting holes. There are probably raised "mounds" of metal where the motherboard mounting screws go into. If one of these "mounds" is in a place where there is no screw hole in the motherboard, place a piece of cardboard between the motherboard and the case. You get the idea now... Right? You don't need to use all the mounting screws

@ Leaky
I don't know. But when I pulled it out, there were no spacers or standoffs. Your guess is as good as mine.

I will say one thing. I have a sneaky suspicion that the other motherboard is still operational. I never tried pulling it out of the case and testing the system.

@ Tmagic
There are mounds on the case. What I don't have is fibre spacers between the screws and the motherboard.