Avoiding Windows 8.1 reinstallation after changing motherboard

[tanmayvij]

My previous motherboard was a Foxconn Napa which died so I'll be replacing it with a G31 motherboard Zebronics G31.

Other components remain the same: Core 2 Duo E8400, 2 GB DDR2 RAM. I'm running Windows 8.1. Unfortunately, I don't have a backup of my files inside C drive. Can I boot into Windows without having to reinstall the OS just to backup my files and reinstall Windows later? Or is it absolutely impossible to boot without reinstalling Windows?

 

[USAFRet]

There is no magical 'avoid'.
Either it boots up, or it does not.

Basically 3 outcomes:
1. It boots up, and 'just works'
2. It fails horribly, and completely fails to boot up
3. It boots up, but you have lingering issues later.

Since you've already changed your hardware, not many options.
1 possible way forward is to create a Linux LiveCD.
Connect your existing HDD and whatever drive you plan to backup to.
Boot from that Linux CD/USB, and copy your critical data off the existing boot drive.

Then, a clean install on that drive won't be so painful.

 

[tanmayvij]

There is no magical 'avoid'.
Either it boots up, or it does not.

Basically 3 outcomes:
1. It boots up, and 'just works'
2. It fails horribly, and completely fails to boot up
3. It boots up, but you have lingering issues later.

Since you've already changed your hardware, not many options.
1 possible way forward is to create a Linux LiveCD.
Connect your existing HDD and whatever drive you plan to backup to.
Boot from that Linux CD/USB, and copy your critical data off the existing boot drive.

Then, a clean install on that drive won't be so painful.

Will I be able to access the data on the Windows partition from a Linux OS?

 

[USAFRet]

There is no magical 'avoid'.
Either it boots up, or it does not.

Basically 3 outcomes:
1. It boots up, and 'just works'
2. It fails horribly, and completely fails to boot up
3. It boots up, but you have lingering issues later.

Since you've already changed your hardware, not many options.
1 possible way forward is to create a Linux LiveCD.
Connect your existing HDD and whatever drive you plan to backup to.
Boot from that Linux CD/USB, and copy your critical data off the existing boot drive.

Then, a clean install on that drive won't be so painful.

Will I be able to access the data on the Windows partition from a Linux OS?

Yes. Just be very, very careful what you try to copy.
You're looking for just your personal data. Doc/Music/Pics. Programs and applications would not work with the new OS anyway, so just leave those out of the mix.

 

[tanmayvij]

There is no magical 'avoid'.
Either it boots up, or it does not.

Basically 3 outcomes:
1. It boots up, and 'just works'
2. It fails horribly, and completely fails to boot up
3. It boots up, but you have lingering issues later.

Since you've already changed your hardware, not many options.
1 possible way forward is to create a Linux LiveCD.
Connect your existing HDD and whatever drive you plan to backup to.
Boot from that Linux CD/USB, and copy your critical data off the existing boot drive.

Then, a clean install on that drive won't be so painful.

Will I be able to access the data on the Windows partition from a Linux OS?

Yes. Just be very, very careful what you try to copy.
You're looking for just your personal data. Doc/Music/Pics. Programs and applications would not work with the new OS anyway, so just leave those out of the mix.

Yes, I only want personal data, no programs or applications. My only concern was, in the past when I live-booted Ubuntu from a USB, I was only able to access B: and D: drive partitions, not the C: drive. Just hoping this time I am able to access the C: drive while in Ubuntu to get important files off of it.

 

[USAFRet]

Give it a try. See what happens.