Upgrading WHS, new motherboard....?

[hinduluv]

Hello everyone. Thanks in advance for any help.

I want to upgrade my WHS so I can install more hard drives. If I remove the main WHS hard drive and set it as master in a new case/motherboard, will i have any problems?

Or do I have to redo the entire installation?

thanks

hluv.

 

[ViRGE]

You'll have to redo the entire installation, specifically a "Server Reinstallation."

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: hinduluv
Hello everyone. Thanks in advance for any help.

I want to upgrade my WHS so I can install more hard drives. If I remove the main WHS hard drive and set it as master in a new case/motherboard, will i have any problems?

Or do I have to redo the entire installation?

thanks

hluv.

If the HAL and hard drive controllers are the same (or compatible) you'll not have any problems. If the HAL isn't the same, you'll need to reinstall. If the hard drive drivers aren't the same (or compatible) you can preinstall them prior to moving the hard drive.

Most people just reinstall; for the simplicity of WHS I'd probably just reinstall rather than bother with the rest.

I just virtualize it (using ESXi) so I don't need to worry about this stuff anymore. Getting a new machine just means copying a few large hard drive files from the old drive to the new, and then plugging in a USB stick.

 

[RebateMonger]

It's probably best to be aware that Windows Home Server is OEM software, which Microsoft states cannot be transferred to a new motherboard unless that motherboard is a replacement for a failed board. The MS license for WHS is, apparently, printed in the OEM disk package.

My main point here not to argue MS' OEM licensing, but to point out that it's possible that online Activation of WHS on a new motherboard MIGHT fail and that a phone call to Microsoft to ask for re-Activation might be necessary. I have no idea how strict Microsoft is nowadays on moving OEM operating systems to a new computer. For OEM versions of XP, some report that Microsoft only asks if the license is being used on more than one computer at once.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
It's probably best to be aware that Windows Home Server is OEM software, which Microsoft states cannot be transferred to a new motherboard unless that motherboard is a replacement for a failed board. The MS license for WHS is, apparently, printed in the OEM disk package.

My main point here not to argue MS' OEM licensing, but to point out that it's possible that online Activation of WHS on a new motherboard MIGHT fail and that a phone call to Microsoft to ask for re-Activation might be necessary. I have no idea how strict Microsoft is nowadays on moving OEM operating systems to a new computer. For OEM versions of XP, some report that Microsoft only asks if the license is being used on more than one computer at once.

I have recently transferred mu whs for the 2nd and hopefully last time(finally on a decent machine) and the one line activation worked without any problems.

 

[gpgofast]

My old Abit/AMD FX55 motherboard just died and ate two of my Hardrives. Replaced with a new Gigabyte P43-UD3L/E5200 Pentium. Activated no problem. I actually was able to install the E5200/Asus P5Q without reinstalling. WHS recognized everything. I thought I had a bad MB with the ASUS(it was an open box) so returned to Fry's and bought the Gigabyte. Did a clean install and reactivated WHS no problems.