Upgrading a DC5100 tower by using a DC7600 tower motherboard

[route66kool]

I have some Pentium 4 3.8hz 670 processors that I would like to use in my DC5100 tower PCs. I researched and found the DC7600 tower motherboard has the same connector ports, mounting holes and is compatible with 670 processor. It would also give me the option of using a Pentium D processor. I would also like to use a sata optical drive and the DC5700 power supply has all the correct connectors as well as the same mounting as the DC5100. Would I encounter any other problems?  Thank you!

[mdklassen · Accepted solution]

> Would I encounter any other problems?

If you remove the motherboard (and CPU and network card) from the DC5100 case, but keep the disk-drive, and the disk-drive contains an "activated" copy of Windows, and insert the DC5700 motherboard, then Windows may indicate that "too many" components have changed, such that you may be required to "reactivate" Windows.

I assume that the external I/O connectors on the DC7600 will fit with the faceplate that currently surrounds those connectors on the DC5100 motherboard.  Correct?  Or, will you be taking the faceplate from the DC5700, and using it in the DC5100 case?

[route66kool]

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes all the connectors and ports on both motherboards are the same with the DC7600 adding two more sata ports (which I want). I'll use the same case (DC5100) which I prefer. If I have to reactivate or reinstall windows wouldn't be a big problem since I have all my data backed up on dvd discs.