Ensure your replacement motherboard fits into your case.
Replacing a motherboard does not mean you'll have to replace your operating system. Windows resides on the hard drive, not the motherboard. So if you are replacing a motherboard and retaining old drives, your operating system will still be installed. Though you may have to reactivate Windows for it to function on a different motherboard. If your computer came with Windows pre-installed, you may have to purchase a commercial copy for use with your new motherboard.
Instructions
Access Motherboard
1. Shut down your computer and unplug all the external wires.
2. Open your computer case. There will probably be screws at the back of the case that you'll have to loosen before removing the side panel.
3. Ground yourself electrically with an ESD wrist strap that attaches to an unpainted metal surface inside the computer.
4. Label every wire and connector that plugs into your motherboard, then unplug them from the motherboard. This will help you when you have to reconnect the wires into the new motherboard.
5. Remove the cards from all the expansion slots on the motherboard. You'll probably have to remove screws from the rear of the cards that secure them to the motherboard.
6. Remove optical drives, hard drives, and other components if they obstruct your access to the motherboard.
Replace Motherboard
7. Unscrew the screws that hold the motherboard in its case and lift the motherboard out of the computer.
8. Remove the computer I/O panel if its cutouts don't match ports on your replacement motherboard.
9. Install a CPU and heat sink on the replacement motherboard if they are not already installed. You'll have better access with the motherboard outside of the computer. You may also want to install RAM onto the motherboard before it is installed.
10. Place the replacement motherboard into the case and secure it with the screws that were removed from the old motherboard.
11. Install the I/O panel that came with the replacement motherboard, if necessary.
12. Line up the motherboard holes with the case standoffs, gently push the external ports through the I/O panel and install the screws that secure the motherboard in their standoffs.
13. Reinstall any components and add-on cards that were removed from the old motherboard. Also reconnect any power and data cables that need to connect to the motherboard.
14. Close the case and reconnect all external wires.
15. Restart the computer and enter the System BIOS at start-up to ensure that the BIOS is configured for the CPU on the replacement motherboard.
Tags: replacement motherboard, from motherboard, screws that, your computer, came with