CPU/Motherboard change without OS re-install?

Some people will say it is possible, and it might be, but your best decision is to do a clean install.
Why? The old install doesnt have the correct drivers for the new motherboard. It will save future problems due to any other old unneeded, outdated stuff that you dont need.
Now if you didnt backup or have important stuff on another drive/partition then youll have more work ahead of you.

I think you folks are missing the point and/or don't understand how applications install and the entire registry concept -- especially when it comes to licensed applications/tools.

It doesn't matter where I load my license encrypted software (as in on another drive where the OS is not installed i.e. D) the license software can and does install special registry entries and/or other hidden license files that could or could not be buried in WindowsSystem dir or some other hidden dir. So putting applications and data on a D drive will not help in anyway in terms of re-install for this licensed encrypted software.

Technically this should be possible since XP does have to start from somewhere when the OS is first installed. I know Windows 2000 Server could deal with CPU/motherboard change so long as the BIOS was capable of locating the hard drives and the controller could operate under a generic Win2K boot device.

Since XP was built on this HAL, I would think it should have some means to revert to a generic driver set (similar to how it boots into Safe Mode). If you guys don't know the answer, that is cool, but please don't tell me it can't be done unless you absolutely no for sure it can't be done and have some references to indicate the technical impossibility under WinXP.

I've changed CPU's before and all WinXP has done is asked me to re-activate with my product key -- which is easy enough to do.

Thanks, Rob.

A cpu change by itself is okay.

Not cpu AND mobo, where almost everything is different that compiles the hardware hash.

Controller, mobo brand, graphics, cpu serial#, nic if it's integrated.

I have done it many times. I have gone from an AMD Duron to Athalon XP and now a AMD 64 all without a reinstall. I do the repair and then install all new drivers for what I am upgrading in hardware. I then go back and remove any old drivers that are no longer needed. Here is a link on how to do this.

How to do a Repair Install

http://forums.winxpcentral.com/showthread.php?t=4102

Removing unused drivers from WinXP.

http://www.winxpcentral.com/windowsxp/xpremovedev.php

How To Move WinXp SP2 to Another Motherboard

A full automated prcedure to move winxp from one hardware to another can be found at this link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/18172527/WinMBoardMig.zip

It works ONLY on WINXP sp2;

The soft takes care of things as hal detecting and change; also takes care of adding critical drivers and modify the system registry hive to prepare windows to found all hardware on next boot;

you can sysprep prior to run this util;

then you can deploy with one image for any motherboard

You must run winpe or bart pe on target motherboard with the target disk (with old os on it) installed in the motherboard

I don't know how but I did this: I typed on the computer to Get New Product Code. It gave me a number about 50 numbers long in groups of 5. I mistyped this number deliberately while on the automated Microsuck phone system. I got transferred to an impatient Indian man who had me read him the numbers. He gave me some new numbers to go in the boxes A B C D E F G. The darn thing logged right onto windows! This is with new motherboard and CPU!