excessive cpu usage and new parts?

I'm sure some of you will remember a few weeks ago the many posts made about my cpu's processor maxing out and freezing up when bringing up 3 or 4 charts plus MBTrading. Here is the latest to solve this problem: IBM is sending me a new motherboard and P4 chip. Since I replaced the defective hard drive two weeks ago, my question is this: With a new hard drive, motherboard and P4, is this a totally new computer? Or will any other parts remain inside the box that could cause a problem? The problem has occurred with several different video cards, so that is not a concern. Thanks.

Alan

 

what operating system are you using?

 

I'm using XP Home.

 

Unless your new MB and BIOS are EXACTLY the same, do not presume your HD will work properly. Fdisk, format... from scratch. If you don't, this may cause subtle problems which will be hard to pin down. (Happened to me once.... problem eventually traced to a different version of BIOS.)

 

Gnome:

What do you mean, MB and BIOS the same? The BIOS is in the MB, is it not? Thanks.

Alan

 

It's stored in a chip on the MB. Not all BIOS instructions are exactly the same. The BIOS is instrumental in preparing the fomat and storage of data on the HD. A slight difference (as may have been provided from the BIOS of your old MB) can cause real head scratcher problems. If I were you, I would automatically reinstall everything from scratch as though you were preparing new system on a new HD. I would say as a general rule, you can't take a HD from one computer and expect it to run "as is" on any other computer.

Added... Maybe go ahead and plug the HD into the new system. Try to read, write, copy, etc. If it doesn't all work perfectly, plan for a fresh install. It's likely you'll need to do that, but maybe you'll luck out and not have to.

 

Gnome:

Sounds like a good idea. I'll reinstall from the ground up. Getting back to my original question, there's nothing left inside the box after replacing HD, MB and P4 I don't know about that could still cause a problem, is there? Thanks.

Alan

 

Well, I don't know. Maybe a short? Maybe some weirdness with a modem/CD/driver? You just have to eliminate things until the problem is isolated. Odds fairly good your new MB will be the trick.