Upgrade questions/advice

[daddystabz]

I am massively going to be upgrading my computer in about a week. I am going to be replacing my current motherboard, RAM, CPU and, video card. My current system is a Pentium 4 2.6 GHZ Hyper Threaded with 2 GB DDR 400mhz PC3200 memory, Asus P4C 800 Deluxe motherboard, ATI X1600 Pro. I am going to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4 GHZ with 1066 mhz bus, 2 GB Corsair 800mhz PC6400 RAM, Asus Striker Extreme motherboard with SLI support and, Nvidia 8800 GTS graphics card. I am purchasing a Ninja 2 Heatsink with a nice fan for this new system as well.

I have the following questions though:

1) I currently run Windows XP Home Edition upgrade version on my computer. I have 4 hard drives installed on my current system. The XP is on my C Drive. Will I have to reinstall Windows XP when I do my massive upgrade? I'm pretty sure i will. If so, will the hardware signature feature of Windows XP prevent me from being able to install the operating system? I am speaking about Microsoft's anti-piracy system that records your hardware setup digitally and makes you register a key with M$ so that it fingerprints it with your system. Will this prevent me from completing my upgrade? How can you get around this annoyance (besides changing over to Linux...LOL).

2) Will I likely need to flash the BIOS so that it has the newest BIOs version? If so, do I just install the software with the board, the OS, etc. and boot for its post and then once everything is installed and ready just insert a floppy with it and flash?

Thanks all1 you guys are fantastic!!

 

[daddystabz]

Any ideas?

 

[daddystabz]

Wow, no advice?

heh

On the good side I called M$ and they said as long as I call the phone number and tell them of my upgrades when I go to reinstall the OS I should be ok. Is it absolutely necessary to reinstall the OS if I change motherboard, processor, RAM and, video card? I just want to make sure because if not, I won't!

 

[daddystabz]

I am also VERY interested in the possibility of a dual boot system. Any suggestions on what I need to do to set it up with Win XP and Win Vista on the same hard drive so I can boot into either?

 

[Tedster]

Please post once. People will respond if they wish. Bumping does not work here. Read the installing ram guide and other guides in the guides forum.

Don't flash BIOS unless you have issues. If ain't broke, don't fix it.
Massive upgrades require a windows reinstall.

I don't recommend dual boot systems - but that's your call.

 

[daddystabz]

Thanks for the feedback.