Thank you Russ and others-- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Russ Poffenberger" <[log in to unmask]> If done very carefully, you may be able to upgrade easier than you think. I have upgraded computers several times, and Win 2K/XP does a pretty good job of detecting and re-configuring the new hardware. HOWEVER, where the process can go terribly wrong is the one hardware piece it simply cannot deal with, and that is the disk controller. It needs to load the disk controller driver and switch from the basic low level disk access very early on in the boot process. If the proper disk driver is not loaded, then you get the infamous "Inaccessible boot device" stop code. This is the one thing that usually is different between motherboards too. One technique that has worked well for me in the past is to just before shutting down for the last time on the old motherboard, is to un-install the motherboard/chipset specific disk controller, and install a generic IDE disk controller from Microsoft. ----------end original-------------------- I may have almost forgotten about the motherboard/chipset drivers until opening the new motherboard box, but your suggestion is very good. I don't suppose it would be a good idea to run the new board's driver disk setup routine before swapping the parts (with no restart, of course)? or would that make the changeover equally likely to gag? Paul A. Shippert Library Media Specialist Margaret Brent Middle School ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "Far more creativity, today, goes into the marketing of products than into the products themselves, athletic shoes or feature films." William Gibson ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The NOSPIN Group has added a new feature on our website, web based bulletinboard for questions and answers: Visit our sister website at http://nospin.com