What to do after I upgrade my motherboard and cpu?
What to do after I upgrade my motherboard and cpu?
I’m still getting comfortable with Windows after not using it in a decade. I’m preparing an upgrade involving a new CPU, a more powerful motherboard, and an overclocked ASUS board. I’ve already saved my data to an external drive. Before making changes, I need to understand what I’ll have to do. I’m aware that reinstalling will require formatting all my drives, but I also have executable files, old games, and some DOS programs that only run in older versions. I’ve heard that during a restore from backup, everything might get lost. If that’s the case, how can people upgrade without having to replay their saved progress? Specifically, if game saves are wiped, how do they keep track of their progress? Also, is it possible to change hardware without a full reinstall, perhaps by adjusting registry settings?
Save everything you need on a separate storage device that isn’t being used for Windows installation. These files should still function after connecting the drive, though some problems might occur. Keeping installer executables ensures you can reinstall games even from sources like Abondware. For services such as Steam, it’s possible to specify where the game is stored and run it from another drive. Likewise, most updated game clients keep save data on a different drive, so you don’t need to restart everything.
Insert your existing drive into a Windows 7 system and start up. If issues arise, try Paragon Adaptive Restore, boot via USB, select "Adjust OS," and then restart.
these usually function properly, but sometimes additional components like C++ redistributables are required. collect those and you should be fine; the specifics might not be clear, so I can't offer much advice. game saves often end up in the "Documents" folder under your username on C-Users, rather than the game's directory. If that's the case, grab it there. Alternatively, some files are hidden in the AppData folder at the same location. When the game is installed in a new operating system, you can launch the .exe directly and everything should remain intact.
Your files, your system, and the risks involved are important to consider. I won’t try to convince you unless you’re ready. For Win 7, it works plug and play with Win 10, though a fresh install is still recommended.
Generally, it’s not wise to pack multiple motherboard drivers into one OS, as this can lead to complicated problems. My advice is to let Windows complete its updates (if any for Win 7), restart as needed, and install things one at a time—avoid simultaneous installations. ninite.com could be helpful in the process.