845 pc133 to 845e board change,need to format?

I,m changing my D845WN Intel pc133 board to a AopenAXB4-533 motherbord with 256mb pc2100 Crucial CL2.5.

I ,m keeping all the same hardware do I still have to format and reinstall my win XP pro?

Also I was talked into doing all this, will I notice and differance with my P4 1.5 in game or 3d mark score or everyday use or anything after I switch.

I highly recommend doing a reformat and reinstall. But you probably won't have a choice. XP probably won't load after putting in the new board.

(Even though you're using the same cards and drives, there is a lot of hardware on the board, like your controllers, that won't work between boards.)

If all you are changing is the board and memory, I wouldn't expect a big increase in your benchmark scores, and at best only the slightest improvement in gameplay. But your rig will have the foundation it needs for future upgrades.

One note: If its not too late, the extra money you would pay for a faster DDR memory (Corsair XMS3200 CAS2 is great stuff) would be a smart investment.


BHD