# M/B replacement



## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

I need to replace the mother board on my Acer 5517 laptop.
I have ordered a new replacement (#PGY02.001).

Can i just drop the new board in or will I have to do a reinstall of Win7?:huh:


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

As long as the MB is the same, there is no reason to think it would need to be re-installed.
You should be fine.

DM


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

What DM says -
However, be prepared to do a reinstall, anyway.
"Stuff happens"! 

rossfingal


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Good point Ross..... it IS windows, after all. :laughing:

DM


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

DangerMouse said:


> Good point Ross..... it IS windows, after all. :laughing:
> 
> DM


You said it! -
I didn't! 
(He, he, he!)

If it was XP - the "OP" would probably, have to do a "reactivation".
I'm not, that familiar with Win 7.

"RM"


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for the comments! I searched MS support and if the machine came with an OEM OS they said that the OS is associated with a particular board, and new copy of Win7 must be purchased.
However, they did say that if the board is not upgraded and the new is identical to the old, it may be OK!
I suppose, I'll just have to try it and see!


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

Wildie said:


> Thanks for the comments! I searched MS support and if the machine came with an OEM OS they said that the OS is associated with a particular board, and new copy of Win7 must be purchased.
> However, they did say that if the board is not upgraded and the new is identical to the old, it may be OK!
> I suppose, I'll just have to try it and see!


Yeah, that's why I don't like to buy computers with the "OS"already installed.
Even if they come with recovery/"OS" discs!

If you can, go into the "BIOS" and copy all the settings - 
so that you can use those same settings for your new "MB".

If your new "MB" is identical to the old "MB" -
you should be OK!
Try to make sure that your memory "chips" - any, "add-on" cards - etc...
are in the identical "slots" - that they were in on your old "MB"!
Including your "drives"!
Watch your "cabling" - and "electro-static" discharge! 
Also, depending on your "Processor", use fresh, 'heat-sink" paste - between the processor and 
the cooling fan!
Good luck!!! 

rossfingal

(Let us know!)


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

I ditched Win 7 and have been running a Linux distro,never looked back.


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

rossfingal said:


> Yeah, that's why I don't like to buy computers with the "OS"already installed.
> Even if they come with recovery/"OS" discs!
> 
> If you can, go into the "BIOS" and copy all the settings -
> ...


 thanks Ross! It is a laptop and there's not much room for variations! Memory perhaps, but this memory lays one on top of the other so I'll just plug em in the same way.


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Ravenworks said:


> I ditched Win 7 and have been running a Linux distro,never looked back.


 My old desktop m/b died so I bought a new machine. Then. I bought a new m/b for my old machine. Hated to see the case and periferals junked, ut didn't want to buy another copy of Windows so installed Ubuntu 11.10.
I'm stll trying to figure it out, but so far I'm impressed!


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

Wildie said:


> My old desktop m/b died so I bought a new machine. Then. I bought a new m/b for my old machine. Hated to see the case and periferals junked, ut didn't want to buy another copy of Windows so installed Ubuntu 11.10.
> I'm stll trying to figure it out, but so far I'm impressed!


"Wildie"

Stick with "Ubuntu" - give it some time -
It's pretty, good - as far as I know!
rossfingal


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

I couldn't find a whole bunch of things in ubuntu I needed to use it. Even when looking on line to get help!

@!#@!#@!#@[email protected][email protected]^$#!%$#!$#@!

DM


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## NetTractorTalk (Mar 24, 2012)

for those looking for info on linux, here are a couple of links that I find invaluble:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ Lots of help there no matter what your question might be.

http://www.die.net/ online man pages / manual pages. Good info.

For the OP, be careful moving the processor from the old mobo to the new mobo. Like Ross said, use fresh heat sink paste or you could fry the processor in no time. Good luck.


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## Doorman54 (Feb 22, 2012)

I've dabbled in Ubuntu. 
It's fairly easy to use. My kids even used it for awhile as a test!!


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

Wildie said:


> Thanks for the comments! I searched MS support and if the machine came with an OEM OS they said that the OS is associated with a particular board, and new copy of Win7 must be purchased.
> However, they did say that if the board is not upgraded and the new is identical to the old, it may be OK!
> I suppose, I'll just have to try it and see!


I'm pretty sure they are wrong. The issue is that if the hardware configuration changes to a certain degree, Windows will require you to re-authenticate the installed copy either online or over the phone.

Changing the motherboard alone is enough to trigger the need for reauthing, but you can do it with any copy of Windows, be it OEM or retail. It's simply a way for Microsoft to make sure you don't install one registered copy on multiple machines. I have OEM copies of both WinXP and Win7 running on machines that I routinely upgrade with new components, including motherboards and processors, and reauthing is an easy process.

That, said, the motherboard on a laptop these days includes pretty much everything...processor, sound, graphics, wireless, so it may behave a little different. I have not tried it with a laptop but I'm going to assume that reauthing is the same.


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

Ironlight said:


> I'm pretty sure they are wrong. The issue is that if the hardware configuration changes to a certain degree, Windows will require you to re-authenticate the installed copy either online or over the phone.
> 
> Changing the motherboard alone is enough to trigger the need for reauthing, but you can do it with any copy of Windows, be it OEM or retail. It's simply a way for Microsoft to make sure you don't install one registered copy on multiple machines. I have OEM copies of both WinXP and Win7 running on machines that I routinely upgrade with new components, including motherboards and processors, and reauthing is an easy process.
> 
> That, said, the motherboard on a laptop these days includes pretty much everything...processor, sound, graphics, wireless, so it may behave a little different. I have not tried it with a laptop but I'm going to assume that reauthing is the same.


You are 100% correct ,just put the board in and go,nothing to it.


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## Okami (Jul 18, 2011)

You dont need it install a motherboard so the answer is no. Maybe you would have to install other software such as fan temp programs and stuff but thats it.


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Just an update! The project is on hold as the new m/b is dead. 

I'm royally bumed off! Took me 3 hours to change the board out and then its NDG!

@#$%^&*


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

Okami said:


> You dont need it install a motherboard so the answer is no. Maybe you would have to install other software such as fan temp programs and stuff but thats it.


So you're saying that the main logic board on a laptop is a less considerable change than the motherboard on a laptop, and Windows won't consider it enough of a change to require reactivation of the OS?


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Wildie said:


> Just an update! The project is on hold as the new m/b is dead.
> 
> I'm royally bumed off! Took me 3 hours to change the board out and then its NDG!
> 
> @#$%^&*


 Am now making a eBay claim to eBay. as the m/b supplier will not respond to my emails or phone calls!


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Brand new, shrinkwrapped in the box? If so, they're just going to blame it on you. They'll just claim ESD.
I'd never buy electronics for computers online. Buy from a shop locally that accepts returns. If possible, have them test the "whatever" first.

DM


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

Wildie said:


> Am now making a eBay claim to eBay. as the m/b supplier will not respond to my emails or phone calls!


Did you pay through paypal?
Contact them too if so,very buyer friendly.
Seller,not so much!


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

sublime2 said:


> Did you pay through paypal?
> Contact them too if so,very buyer friendly.
> Seller,not so much!


 Yes, I did use Paypal, i'll contact them, also!


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

Btw,
The OS installs the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) based on the motherboard so changing it out will most likely make it blue screen. You can swap it out and then boot into a Windows repair and that should fix it.
You need to boot to the OS disk to run the repair.


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## Evstarr (Nov 15, 2011)

I have replaced two boards on acer lappys. Both needed to re activate. One worked online, one needed a phone call. I told them that the processor was replaced. They gave me the activation.


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Evstarr said:


> I have replaced two boards on acer lappys. Both needed to re activate. One worked online, one needed a phone call. I told them that the processor was replaced. They gave me the activation.


 The activation process seems to depend on which way the wind blows.

My desktop (Win7 Pro-32bit) needed a new m/b. I bought a Biostar m/b (64). I didn't have the Win7 Pro-64, so I down-loaded a copy from MS.
I fully expected to go through the activation process.
When I installed Win7-64, I used the key code that came with my 32 bit DVD.
With a new m/b and an upgrade to 64 bit, I was sure that I would at least have to activate by phone, but it activated without a problem, online!


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