Hey Guys, upgrading my CPU very soon, and wondering if I will have to reinstall anything (OS, Games, other software?) for those programs to take full advantage of the new CPU. I have had a look on Google for this but didn't find a definite answer. Any feedback would be appreciated.
The unwritten rule is that if you change a motherboard or CPU you reinstall the OS.
if you stay on the same platform for example intel from an i3 to an i5 for example, that doesn´t need a fresh os install, how ever if you change platform, from intel to amd for example, then there is a big chance that you will get a bsod. you could try do uninstall all drivers related stuf, if you change platform.
so more information is needed.
As Gamebase said it is recommended.
Sure you could probably do without it with minimal or no performance loss. Though you might have to reactivate your OS if you are using windows. Since Ms will see it as having been installed on another computer.
In order to finish faster just make a checklist of what you need to do and you will finish with a complete reinstall in an hour or two.
If you are using steam and have the games installed on a secondary drive it is really easy to get the games back, no need to download everything, Steam will detect the files and just make the necessary registry keys.
If you have installed games on your boot drive, well now is a good time to change that. Atleast put them on another partition.
Ok thanks guys. Even though as Mistery Angel said, if I'm staying on the same platform (Just moving form a Phenom II x4 965 BE to a FX-8350, which are both AM3+, so I wouldn't have to change my mobo) I may be able to pull off not reinstalling the OS. However, I think I may do an OS reinstall anyway. I have my games on a 500gb HDD, my Documents and other media on a 300gb HDD, and only my OS and a few other programs on my 60gb SSD, so I think it's worth it.
yes about windows activation, could also be a point, if you have an OEM license. and change platform.. if you have a full license, then it does not matter.
well thats totaly no problem, you can just change the cpu, if you current motherboard bios is updated for the Vishera support. there is no need for a new OS install.
what is your current motherboard?
Ok thanks man, but most of the games I have are not on Steam, I have quite a few games on Origin though, but I'm guessing it will do the same as Steam as far as adapting the registry to the new changes. My question is, on the games that I don't have on Steam or Origin, will I have to change some registry edits to get the games to use/recognise the new CPU more effectively?
I've got a ASUS M5A78L-M/USB3 board. I've already checked their website for Vishera support and it seems the board should have no problem as long as I update it with the compatibility patch after the install.
Before you change the cpu, download the latest bios version, from the asus website and update your bios, via asus suite. just to be sure, you have vishera support. ☺ im not sure if its supported out of the box, but you can find that at cpu support list on the asus website. most of the thime you will see FX8350 suppot since bios version 1101 or something like that.
p.s just a tip: don´t overclock on that particular motherboard.
Yeah I can see it is supported since the 1401 update, and I already installed an update superior to that one some time ago, but I'll update anyway. Could you elaborate on why the board isn't great for overclocking, and do you think I could still achive a mild overclock like 4.2 - 4.3ghz. (I do realise it isn't a top of the line mobo though I get it)
Because that particular board does only have a 4+1 powerphase design, and no heatsinks or what ever to dispace the heat from the power delivery pars on the motherboard vrm´s powerphases mosfets.. there is no heat sink that coffers all of it. only the northbridge chip contains an heatsink. so the board will run hot with an FX8350 even on stock. FX8350 allready does a 4.1 GHZ on stock wenn cool n quiet is disabled.
So updating the motherboard to a decent 990FX like the asus M5A99FX pro R2.0 some day would be something to concider.
Thanks for explaining that to me. Read it a couple times on some forums but never really looked into it. I was originally going to change my mobo because I was going for an i7 4770K, and that would have been a decent board overclocking. However I decided to go with the FX-8350 just because of the better price:performance ratio I would get. I guess I'll refrain from OC'ing untill I get a new mobo, but by that time I'll try to fit in a new GPU as well, because, well, Star Citizen obviously :3 Time to start saving...