How to replace Motherboard without needing to re-install Windows XP?

Can anyone please tell me the correct way to replace a MOBO in WinXP,so I don't have to format and reinstall WinXP??

 

XP is the most forgiving of the MS operating systems. It usually is a smooth process, and XP will find and install needed drivers on the first boot. Of course it doesn't always go this way.
Here's the procedure I follow:
Boot to safe mode, and go into device mangler.
Uninstall anything to do with your old motherboard, VIA chipset drivers, onboard devices of any sort.
Go into Add/Remove programs, and uninstall any/all hotfixes and patches from MS, except SP1 if you downloaded it.
Shutdown and swap the parts.
Restart.
You will have to download the MS stuff again, but I have had serious issues leaving the hotfixes and patches in place when doing a motherboard swap.

 

Perform an 'in place upgrade' (only) See either -->

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/other/motherboard/winxp.htm

or

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/other/motherboard/win2k.htm

(Both work very well especially if you have a latest service pack slipstreamed Win CD)

Good luck!
Top Dog

 

Thank's to Reboot and Top Dog for the info,worked fine.

 

Easier solution

WinXP is most certainly not very hardware friendly, at least as far as the hard disk controllers are concerned. It will not autodetect the controller without some help.
Microsoft publish a rather obscure solution at Knowledge Base Article - 314082. Intel also provide an insight at http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa/harddrive.htm. I have published a ready made solution at http://www.sageadvice.com.au/winxp-moving_to_a_new_motherboard.htm. Basically you must merge into the registry settings for all the controllers Windows supports natively and then provide the native driver files. I can't think why Microsoft would not bother to do this out of the box!