[SOLVED] What are the steps or details I should keep in mind when swapping and installing new Motherboards?

[WhatIsAMobo]

Good day everyone!

I m currently looking to upgrade my PC, since my CPU ends up with high usage when running triple A titles and having the browser in the background, causing the browser to stop playing music (random freezes) or the PC running slow and freezy when the game is just booting up.
Because of that, I decided to upgrade to AM5 and buy a new CPU, with all the things that run with it (for example: Motherboard and new RAM). (The MSI PRO B650-P Wifi one to be precise https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B650-P-WIFI/Overview)

Is there anything in particular I should have in mind when swapping, installing and using a new motherboard? By now I know I may have to run a fresh install of Windows 10, but regardless of it, I m not sure what does a Motherboard require to install besides Chipset drivers and GPU drivers. Is there anything in particular that either the RAM, Motherboard, or CPU requires?

Current Build:
CPU: i7-9700 (8C/8T)
GPU: Zotac AMP White RTX 3060
RAM: Kingston FURY DDR4 32GB (2x16) 2666 MHZ CL16
Motherboard: TUF Gaming B365m Plus Gaming
OS Drive: Kingston A400 240 GB

(I ll be upgrading to a Western Digital SN550 500 GB to have as a boot drive.)

 

[USAFRet]

Full OS reinstall.
Then, drivers specific to the new hardware.

Then and only then, your applications.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

Besides the Chipset driver for the motherboard, is anything else the motherboard itself requires?
Also, any thoughts on the motherboard I listed?
Thanks for the linked thread, I will check it out.

 

[USAFRet]

Besides the Chipset driver for the motherboard, is anything else the motherboard itself requires?
Also, any thoughts on the motherboard I listed?
Thanks for the linked thread, I will check it out.

Possibly a BIOS upgrade, depending on your chosen CPU.

But also, LAN, audio, whatever else the manufacturer lists for drivers.

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

Possibly a BIOS upgrade, depending on your chosen CPU.

But also, LAN, audio, whatever else the manufacturer lists for drivers.

How does that work tho? I have never done this before. Is it installed while running Windows? Or should I download them, put em on a USB Stick, and then do it from the BIOS?
I m planning on getting the motherboard listed on the OP and getting a Ryzen 7 7700X

 

[USAFRet]

How does that work tho? I have never done this before. Is it installed while running Windows? Or should I download them, put em on a USB Stick, and then do it from the BIOS?
I m planning on getting the motherboard listed on the OP and getting a Ryzen 7 7700X

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B650-P-WIFI/support#cpu

From the CPU support page, there is only the one BIOS version. So you should be OK there.

All the others...download to a flash drive and install from there. After the OS is running.
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B650-P-WIFI/support#driver

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B650-P-WIFI/support#cpu

From the CPU support page, there is only the one BIOS version. So you should be OK there.

All the others...download to a flash drive and install from there. After the OS is running.
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B650-P-WIFI/support#driver

So OS running, then the MB stuff. Got it.
When you say "download the other Mobo drivers to a flash drive"... Is it with the flash drive that has Windows Media tool? Cant I just download it from the internet once I have the OS running? Because I was watching a YT video of a guy doing all these steps and he just went and downloaded the drivers from the internet and install them while running Windows. Sorry, I m confused.
Also, considering I ll be having a complete fresh installation of Windows, should I still use DDU to uninstall drivers from my current OS build or nah. (Pardon my ignorance, I m not sure if the GPU saves anything at all).

 

[USAFRet]

1. Yes, you can just download them after the OS is up and running. I prefer to already have them on a flash drive, especially the LAN driver.

2. DDU? No. There is nothing left of your old OS.
If you're installing this on a brand new drive, no old drivers or OS exist.
If you're installing this on a drive you already have, you WILL be deleting all existing partitions during the install process. Ergo, nothing left of the old thing.

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

1. Yes, you can just download them after the OS is up and running. I prefer to already have them on a flash drive, especially the LAN driver.

2. DDU? No. There is nothing left of your old OS.
If you're installing this on a brand new drive, no old drivers or OS exist.
If you're installing this on a drive you already have, you WILL be deleting all existing partitions during the install process. Ergo, nothing left of the old thing.

Number 1 got it. Thanks.
Number 2 got it too. I currently use the WD SN550 NVME drive for games, but I plan on buying a Crucial P5 Plus 1TB NVME as well, and I will transfer the games from the old one to this new drive, and leave the WD drive empty for a fresh OS install.
Do you think thats a good idea?

 

[USAFRet]

Number 1 got it. Thanks.
Number 2 got it too. I currently use the WD SN550 NVME drive for games, but I plan on buying a Crucial P5 Plus 1TB NVME as well, and I will transfer the games from the old one to this new drive, and leave the WD drive empty for a fresh OS install.
Do you think thats a good idea?

#2....in what order do you plan on doing this?
Step by step, please.

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

#2....in what order do you plan on doing this?
Step by step, please.

1. I will plug the Crucial drive to my current mobo.
2. Then transfer all the files from the WD drive to the Crucial.
3. Then wipe the WD drive, and start the whole swapping process (downloading media tool to flash stick, doing basic backups, etc)

Actually... Now that I think more of it, I have no games that I could not reinstall since all of them are bought (I only have MW 2019 and GTA V in that drive, both bought fair and square with an account). Should I just wipe the WD drive?

I was also wondering whether I should use the WD NVME drive for the OS or the Crucial newer one. Honestly, this might be an ignorant assumption, but I ve seen how much I ve game on this WD drive and its still at 100% state according to Crystal disk.
But I remember, back when I had a smaller SATA drive, its state/integrity was lowering rather quickly and stopped doing it once I stopped using it as a OS drive (Now I have Tarkov, R6S and other things in it).
Thing is, I dont reallly want my new Crucial P5 Plus drive to die off quickly, since I plan using it for games, but since its PCIe 4.0 (compared to the WD NVME drive, which is PCIe 3.0), idk if I should feast on the speed that the newer drive could bring to my OS, instead of using my WD NVME.

 

[USAFRet]

In this context, 3.0 vs 4.0 isn't really an issue. Yes, in benchmarks. But in actual use, not. Especially in a game machine.

What files currently exist on the WD?
Games from what platform(s)?

 

[punkncat]

Before you take the old machine down go to MS page/"your" account and be sure that the current computer is registered to your user profile. It should show it as whatever its network name is. When you put your PC back together and install it may not readily activate since there is new system hardware. Just did this a few days ago and in my case, it went pretty easily just selecting the changed hardware link.

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

In this context, 3.0 vs 4.0 isn't really an issue. Yes, in benchmarks. But in actual use, not. Especially in a game machine.

What files currently exist on the WD?
Games from what platform(s)?

GTA V from EpicGames
Modern Warfare 2019 from Battlenet
So I will keep the WD NVME as an OS. Thx for your insight on that one

Before you take the old machine down go to MS page/"your" account and be sure that the current computer is registered to your user profile. It should show it as whatever its network name is. When you put your PC back together and install it may not readily activate since there is new system hardware. Just did this a few days ago and in my case, it went pretty easily just selecting the changed hardware link.

I think in that regard I m kinda screwed up. For reasons I dont want to discuss, I deleted the first MS account I logged in when I first activated my Windows 10 Home key. Currently I have a new one, but oddly enough, the system still recognizes the old MS email whenever I go into settings, so Idk if I can associate the key anymore with this new account I got.

 

[USAFRet]

So I will keep the WD NVME as an OS. Thx for your insight on that one

It will STILL need that full wipe and reinstall.

 

[punkncat]

I think in that regard I m kinda screwed up. For reasons I dont want to discuss, I deleted the first MS account I logged in when I first activated my Windows 10 Home key. Currently I have a new one, but oddly enough, the system still recognizes the old MS email whenever I go into settings, so Idk if I can associate the key anymore with this new account I got.

That sounds very mysterious. Be sure to consider the cost of new license. If you are currently going to stick with W10 you can run with boring theme and a watermark.

 

[WhatIsAMobo]

It will STILL need that full wipe and reinstall.

Oh, pardon my wording. I meant I will use this drive for the new OS install. Currently is just a drive with games, so I will need to wipe it. My OS drive is the one I mentioned in my OP.