Processor Change out?

[hercules_upw]

I have recently picked up the following parts at a sweet discount:

Intel 820D Dual core processor - $0 - Got it from work for free
Windows XP Pro Full - $0.01 - Yes, one penny! - Discounted from work
Windows 2003 Office Pro - $19.95 - Another work discount program

Any way, i'm going to build a new computer. A freakish beast of a computer with a 6800 Extreme, 8800GTX, blah blah blah...

My question is, can i switch the 6800 and the 820D without reloading windows? It is my understanding that once you load windows XP your kind of stuck. No formating the hard drive and reloading XP at will. Is this true?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Nukem]

The CPU, you can switch as long as the mobo supports it and you will not have to worry about reloading. changing the HDD would require that, but not a chip switch...

 

[hmammen]

yep....just pop out your old one, wipe off all the old thermal, and replace it with the new proc and replace thermal paste.....and your computer will be fast....
lemme know how you like the 6800extreme

 

[NosBoost300]

sell the 820d for sure... lol, buy a new mobo.. because if you don't have a newer one.. a x6800 won't work.. just because its lga 775.. don't mean its complient

 

[hercules_upw]

sell the 820d for sure... lol, buy a new mobo.. because if you don't have a newer one.. a x6800 won't work.. just because its lga 775.. don't mean its complient

I will definately get a new mobo, right now i run an AMD socket 939, but it's kind of old. (3500+ single core)

I see a lot of recommendations for the ASUS mobos, but what do you guys think of MSI or Intel boards? All three are under serious consideration.