I'm switching my motherboard and CPU from Intel's 12th generation to AMD's 9000 series, but I plan to keep using the same drive. Will I need to do a fresh installation of Windows to make this transition work properly?
3 Answers
I'd suggest trying it without a fresh install first. I've swapped parts for 20 years without needing a fresh install, and I've never had driver conflicts. Even mixing AMD and Nvidia components, I've had smooth upgrades. If it doesn't work right, only then would I consider a reinstallation.
It's usually best to do a fresh install. While it might work okay without it, you could face performance issues and other hiccups down the line.
In short, yes—definitely do a fresh install whenever you change chipsets, even if it's just within Intel. You can refresh drivers without reinstalling Windows, but some issues might still crop up unexpectedly.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload