# AMD to Intel - Preparing The Switch



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 22, 2014)

I'm in the middle of preparations to switch from my current AMD chip and AM3+ board to an Intel chip and Z87 board. I've decided to go with an i3-4160 due to budgetary circumstances, but will upgrade to an ulocked i5 in the future, hence the Z87 board. At anyway, I've been doing some googling and found some handy tutorials, but I'd like to get everyone's input here before doing anything else. 

The tutorials I've read use two different ways of preparing a PC for a motherboard upgrade - one uses a program called Paragon Active Restore, and the other method uses a built-in Windows tool called SYSPREP. Has anyone used either method here? Which one would be the safer and easier of the two? Are there any other things I need to do before swapping parts? I've already backed up things like my browser bookmarks, documents, etc., but I'm worried about things like my games, especially the ones I got as part of AMD's Gold Reward for getting a 280X. Will I have to download these again? Will I have to re-install other programs like ccleaner, etc. as well? 

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Jetster (Dec 22, 2014)

Best to just do a clean install. Download the games again and the programs reinstall. You can just uninstall the drivers and just plug the drive into the new board and then reinstall the Intel drivers but really its a pain and the clean install is just better all around

Why Z87? Why not Z97 and be ready for Broadwell


----------



## TRWOV (Dec 22, 2014)

If you want to move an HDD to another machine is best to sysprep it. It'll return the install to a fresh state (removes drivers and SIDs) while keeping the installed software.

Windows key > cmd > right click "Run as adminstrator" > cd sysprep > sysprep.exe

In sysprep dialog that opens, choose System Cleanup Action as Enter System Out-of-Box-Experience (OOBE), selectGeneralize, select Shutdown on "Shutdown Options" > click OK

After the PC turns off install the disk on the new PC.

Since your old user profile already exist, Windows won't accept your normal username, but instead you have to create a new temporary user. When the login screen appears, choose your old user account to login and delete the temporary account.

Take in mind that if you had an OEM install it will become inactivated as OEM installs are tied to the motherboard. Retail installs shouldn't have a problem. Even if you have an OEM install you should be able to activate using the automated phone tool. Also take into account that certain software (like Corel suites) tie activations to a hardware hash so they might freak out on the new PC.


Still a fresh install would be the preferred option but if you have tons of data and no immediate means to backup it, sysprep will do fine.


----------



## Jetster (Dec 22, 2014)

*TRWOV*
I've never used it but isn't Sysprep for new systems only?


----------



## GreiverBlade (Dec 22, 2014)

Jetster said:


> Why Z87? Why not Z97 and be ready for Broadwell


seconded if a Z87 can handle it a Z97 will be better and future proof, also you can find some good board at a decent price (ie: ASUS Z97-A, ASRock Z97 line or the MSI/Gigabyte gaming line)


----------



## RCoon (Dec 22, 2014)

Jetster said:


> *TRWOV*
> I've never used it but isn't Sysprep for new systems only?



Used to prepare a clean base image for any PC. Yes manufacturers use it to create fresh images for all workstations, but it's perfectly viable to do a "faux" fresh install. Downside is you have to put an awful lot of information in. We used it at work before WSUS and SCCM came about.


----------



## puma99dk| (Dec 22, 2014)

Jetster said:


> *TRWOV*
> I've never used it but isn't Sysprep for new systems only?



Jetster i used it reasonly switching from Z87 to Z97 chipset in Windows 8.1 bcs it wasn't really happy with just uninstall all chipset drivers and so on, it still had trouble shutting down properly, reboot worked fine and start up, but not shutting down.

So did a Sysprep bcs i was too lazy to reinstall and it works just fine, my main system at home runs smoothly no problems.


----------



## qubit (Dec 22, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> I'm in the middle of preparations to switch from my current AMD chip and AM3+ board to an Intel chip and Z87 board. I've decided to go with an i3-4160 due to budgetary circumstances, but will upgrade to an ulocked i5 in the future, hence the Z87 board. At anyway, I've been doing some googling and found some handy tutorials, but I'd like to get everyone's input here before doing anything else.
> 
> The tutorials I've read use two different ways of preparing a PC for a motherboard upgrade - one uses a program called Paragon Active Restore, and the other method uses a built-in Windows tool called SYSPREP. Has anyone used either method here? Which one would be the safer and easier of the two? Are there any other things I need to do before swapping parts? I've already backed up things like my browser bookmarks, documents, etc., but I'm worried about things like my games, especially the ones I got as part of AMD's Gold Reward for getting a 280X. Will I have to download these again? Will I have to re-install other programs like ccleaner, etc. as well?
> 
> Thanks in advance!


Windows 7 is remarkably well behaved with new hardware. I literally connected the HDD to the new mobo and turned it on, where it found all the new hardware and either installed the drivers itself or let me do it afterwards and no blue screens. I've done it more than once too, without any problems (watch out for IDE/AHCI mode switching). Yes, you're supposed to use something like sysprep for migration, but in practice for home use it doesn't matter.


----------



## Dent1 (Dec 22, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> I'm in the middle of preparations to switch from my current AMD chip and AM3+ board to an Intel chip and Z87 board. I've decided to go with an i3-4160 due to budgetary circumstances, but will upgrade to an ulocked i5 in the future, hence the Z87 board. At anyway, I've been doing some googling and found some handy tutorials, but I'd like to get everyone's input here before doing anything else.
> 
> The tutorials I've read use two different ways of preparing a PC for a motherboard upgrade - one uses a program called Paragon Active Restore, and the other method uses a built-in Windows tool called SYSPREP. Has anyone used either method here? Which one would be the safer and easier of the two? Are there any other things I need to do before swapping parts? I've already backed up things like my browser bookmarks, documents, etc., but I'm worried about things like my games, especially the ones I got as part of AMD's Gold Reward for getting a 280X. Will I have to download these again? Will I have to re-install other programs like ccleaner, etc. as well?
> 
> Thanks in advance!



By the sounds of it you've already made up your mind.

But consider that in some scenarios you may lose performance going from a an  FX 6100 to  i3-4160.   The financial cost of an  i3-4160 with a socket change seems bizarre if you can drop in an FX 8 core and you'll get more performance for your money, for less money. At least get the i5 if you want to change sockets.


----------



## newtekie1 (Dec 22, 2014)

Dent1 said:


> By the sounds of it you've already made up your mind.
> 
> But consider that in some scenarios you may lose performance going from a an  FX 6100 to  i3-4160.   The financial cost of an  i3-4160 with a socket change seems bizarre if you can drop in an FX 8 core and you'll get more performance for your money, for less money. At least get the i5 if you want to change sockets.



I agree, I'd just stick with the FX-6100 and save up until you have enough money for a decent z97 board and an i5-4690K.  Especially since z97 boards aren't really that expensive, a good one can get had for under $150.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 23, 2014)

@ GreiverBlade and Jetster: The reason I chose Z87 is because I don't really care about Broadwell or M.2 storage. I got my Z87 board for $99, on sale from $120, a Gigabyte G1 Sniper Z5S.  

@newteki1 and Dent1: Sorry to say, my 6100 blows compared to even a lowly i3-4160. And according to others who've helped me here on other questions I've had, the i3 still beats out an FX 8 core. Besides, the upgrade path on the AMD side is non-existent; AM3+ is virtually a dead socket now. At least there's an upgrade path with the Intel. The games I play demand stronger single threaded performance, which the AMD lacks, hence why I decided to switch platforms.  

To everyone else: It seems like using Sysprep is the way to go, then. Thank you for your help. I'd like to keep this thread open in case I come across any problems.


----------



## Dent1 (Dec 23, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> @ GreiverBlade and Jetster: The reason I chose Z87 is because I don't really care about Broadwell or M.2 storage. I got my Z87 board for $99, on sale from $120, a Gigabyte G1 Sniper Z5S.
> 
> @newteki1 and Dent1: Sorry to say, my 6100 blows compared to even a lowly i3-4160. And according to others who've helped me here on other questions I've had, the i3 still beats out an FX 8 core. Besides, the upgrade path on the AMD side is non-existent; AM3+ is virtually a dead socket now. At least there's an upgrade path with the Intel. The games I play demand stronger single threaded performance, which the AMD lacks, hence why I decided to switch platforms.
> 
> To everyone else: It seems like using Sysprep is the way to go, then. Thank you for your help. I'd like to keep this thread open in case I come across any problems.



The FX 6100 would outperform the i3-4160 in majority of tasks, with the exclusion of gaming. And even in gaming the deferential wouldn't be enough to justify spending $200+.

As far as the FX 8-core, the gaming portion would be virtually the same. Most games will get exactly the same frame rate,  with the odd 0-10 FPS swing in the direction of either processor on a specific game.  But considering the FX 8 core would destroy the i3-4160  more than convincingly in everything else makes its an unquestionable better choice.

Realistically you are paying $200+ for the privilege of the same FPS or up to  10 FPS  more or up to 10 FPS less on specific titles, whilst compromising performance on future games and as well as compromising on less general performance in all other areas non-gaming.

Knowing Intel, they will change sockets before your next upgrade anyways.


----------



## Norton (Dec 23, 2014)

@Gmr_Chick are you still using 2x5850's for your gaming? If so, then I would suggest upgrading there first- a single 7870/270X or a 660Ti will beat those cards at half the power usage.

Your other option is to move from a Bulldozer to a Vishera- Vishera really makes a difference that you can feel.

Either upgrade could cost you as low as $100 (depending on whether you look for used stuff) and you won't have to mess around with the OS swap.

My $0.02


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 23, 2014)

Norton said:


> @Gmr_Chick are you still using 2x5850's for your gaming? If so, then I would suggest upgrading there first- a single 7870/270X or a 660Ti will beat those cards at half the power usage.
> 
> Your other option is to move from a Bulldozer to a Vishera- Vishera really makes a difference that you can feel.
> 
> ...



Err...I don't have 2 5850 GPUs, Norton. You must have me confused with someone else.  I have a 7790 in my rig currently, but will be swapping it with a 280X when I make the CPU and mobo swap. It's been purchased for a while, but I wanted to wait to put it in once I have everything else; all that's left is the CPU.


----------



## Norton (Dec 23, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> Err...I don't have 2 5850 GPUs, Norton. You must have me confused with someone else.  I have a 7790 in my rig currently, but will be swapping it with a 280X when I make the CPU and mobo swap. It's been purchased for a while, but I wanted to wait to put it in once I have everything else; all that's left is the CPU.



My bad, was looking at someone else's system specs apparently  

Will stand on my other comment though- Piledriver/Vishera is definitely a better experience when compared to Bulldozer.

Good luck with your build!


----------



## Dent1 (Dec 23, 2014)

Norton said:


> Will stand on my other comment though- Piledriver/Vishera is definitely a better experience when compared to Bulldozer.



Think the OP is under the impression the i3 will beat the FX 8-core  convincingly enough to justify the platform change and spending $230+???

newtekie1, yourself and myself have said its a bad idea. The OP has already made up her mind. No amount of logic or fact will persuade her otherwise.


----------



## xvi (Dec 23, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> Sorry to say, my 6100 blows compared to even a lowly i3-4160. And according to others who've helped me here on other questions I've had, the i3 still beats out an FX 8 core.


The FX 6100 and i3-4160 are clocked about the same, but Intel will show you a decent bit better efficiency per clock (and therefore, like you mentioned, stronger single-threaded perf.)
If I try to bring logic in to the mix, I'd want to say that the relatively high price doesn't justify the change in performance and I'd probably try to rekindle your overclocking efforts for your extra performance. Also, that the FX-6100 will beat the i3 in anything even remotely multithreaded.
With all that said, in practice, I'm looking at a similar move myself. Mainly, I'm looking for stronger single-threaded performance. I'm happy with my FX-8350 at 4.8GHz. The FX does everything I ever ask of it quite nicely. There's absolutely no practical or logical reason why I'm looking at moving, just that I'm doing it more in a hobby perspective to see how things look when they're tinted with Intel blue. Also, want to move to nVidia, but that's only because my ambient backlight doesn't play well with AMD.

I think I said this in a previous thread, but if the move to Intel makes you happy, go with it. Happiness is the most important factor here.


----------



## RealNeil (Dec 23, 2014)

xvi said:


> I think I said this in a previous thread, but if the move to Intel makes you happy, go with it. Happiness is the most important factor here.



As Ricky Nelson said,..."You Know You Can't Please Everyone,..........So You Got To Please Yourself"


----------



## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Dec 23, 2014)

Norton said:


> My bad, was looking at someone else's system specs apparently
> 
> Will stand on my other comment though- Piledriver/Vishera is definitely a better experience when compared to Bulldozer.
> 
> Good luck with your build!


I will agree with Norton here. A cpu upgrade to a fx8350 would do wonders for you and you eill be glad you saved money and did it. I run a 8350 in my main rig and won't look back. It does all I need and then some. That 8350 with the 280x will give you the boost your looking for. Just make sure your PSu is strong enough.


----------



## RealNeil (Dec 23, 2014)

ThE_MaD_ShOt said:


> I will agree with Norton here. A cpu upgrade to a fx8350 would do wonders for you and you eill be glad you saved money and did it. I run a 8350 in my main rig and won't look back. It does all I need and then some. That 8350 with the 280x will give you the boost your looking for. Just make sure your PSu is strong enough.



I have the FX-8350 and it works fine. But I also got a i5-4690K recently, so the 8350 is going on the block. The i5 part is that much better. IDK about an i3 though.


----------



## xvi (Dec 23, 2014)

ThE_MaD_ShOt said:


> I will agree with Norton here. A cpu upgrade to a fx8350 would do wonders for you and you eill be glad you saved money and did it. I run a 8350 in my main rig and won't look back. It does all I need and then some. That 8350 with the 280x will give you the boost your looking for. Just make sure your PSu is strong enough.


That would be my recommendation too, but I think OP already has the Z87 board purchased and just waiting for a CPU. Also, OP expressed disinterest in overclocking in a different thread, which I think the FX lineup needs to remain competitive (although I agree a FX 83XX even at stock speeds would give better return on investment).
Well, I take the overclocking bit back. Stock vs stock, AMD has better performance per dollar (iirc). The ability to overclock even the lower end and midrange parts just sweetens the pot, imho.


RealNeil said:


> I have the FX-8350 and it works fine. But I also got a i5-4690K recently, so the 8350 is going on the block. The i5 part is that much better. IDK about an i3 though.


My Pentium G3258 reminds me of my first car. Perky and nimble for day to day driving, but slightly useless when trying to overtake on the freeway.
(Day to day = web, gaming and anything single-threaded, overtake on freeway = 7-zip and benchmarks)


----------



## RealNeil (Dec 23, 2014)

I bought a G3258 and never used it. It's with my next door neighbor happily plugging away.


----------



## Devon68 (Dec 23, 2014)

> . I've decided to go with an i3-4160 due to budgetary circumstances, but will upgrade to an unlocked i5 in the future


Why not wait a month or two and go straight for the i5, hell even if you wait 3-4 months and then get the i5 is better than this way, unless you plan to reuse the i3 later. BTW I don't think an i3 is better than a FX-6100 in multi-threaded performance, maybe in single -threaded performance.


----------



## GreiverBlade (Dec 23, 2014)

just in case there isn't muche a difference between 6300/8320/8350 in reality but they are not on par with a i3 but rather with a i5 4670 

i would recommend stretching a bit more the waiting time and get a i5 4690K (the best bang for bucks would be the 4670K also) 



Devon68 said:


> Why not wait a month or two and go straight for the i5, hell even if you wait 3-4 months and then get the i5 is better than this way, unless you plan to reuse the i3 later. BTW I don't think an i3 is better than a FX-6100 in multi-threaded performance, maybe in single -threaded performance.


exactly what many here said (i had a 6300 and now a i5 4690K)


----------



## Dent1 (Dec 23, 2014)

GreiverBlade said:


> just in case there isn't muche a difference between 6300/8320/8350 in reality but they are not on par with a i3 but rather with a i5 4670
> 
> i would recommend stretching a bit more the waiting time and get a i5 4690K (the best bang for bucks would be the 4670K also)
> 
> ...



Pretty overwhelming. Everyone has now advised against an i3 upgrade.  Only time will tell if she listens.

OP keep us updated.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 23, 2014)

Ok...there seems to be a bit of a disconnect here as to what I originally created this topic for. I don't mean to sound rude, but I specifically asked about what I needed to do in regards to my system before swapping out my CPU and motherboard, NOT why I should get X over Y CPU - my decision has already been made. I've already stated my reasons why I'm moving from AMD to Intel - I do nothing that involves multi-threaded performance like streaming or video encoding or the like. I need strong single threaded performance, and the AMD doesn't provide it, no matter how many cores it has. I have the intent to upgrade to a K CPU in the distant future. This discussion about getting X over Y is over, ok? 

That being said, if you guys have anything to add about things I need to do before making the parts swap, feel free to enlighten me.


----------



## TRWOV (Dec 24, 2014)

If you have any kind of professional software (Adobe or  Corel suites, Office 365) you might want to uninstall them before since some suites tie activations to a hardware hash (I know Corel does) so they might freak out or something if you make the swap that way.


----------



## McSteel (Dec 24, 2014)

With sysprep you will lose all user-specific settings. So if your goal is to avoid reinstalling everything because you'll lose your app settings (including, but not limited to, browser bookmarks, preferences, activation, savegames), _don't do it_! Also, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, etc. will perhaps remain with their contents intact, but they will no longer be tied to any active user account. You'll have to deal with gaining permissions for opening the folders, to get to the files, then move them over etc.

There are a number of programs that will either restore a backup image to a dissimilar hardware, or modify an existing system to allow booting on different hardware. I'm not sure if there are any free ones, though... If you can wait a bit I can research.

If you don't shy away from piracy (not that I encourage or suggest anything in particular...), Paragon Hard Disk Manager is probably the best one to use, with its "P2P adjust" option.

While we're on the subject of legality, if you have an OEM Windows licence, it is voided if you swap out the motherboard...


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 24, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> If you have any kind of professional software (Adobe or  Corel suites, Office 365) you might want to uninstall them before since some suites tie activations to a hardware hash (I know Corel does) so they might freak out or something if you make the swap that way.



The only ones I have are the usual Adobe Reader XI and Adobe Flash Player, but I don't think I had to pay for them, nor do I think I need a license for them. Basically, I think they were both free downloads. Would these types of programs count or do you mean things like Adobe Photoshop and related programs? Because I don't have any of those. I use GIMP, but it's free. 



McSteel said:


> With sysprep you will lose all user-specific settings. So if your goal is to avoid reinstalling everything because you'll lose your app settings (including, but not limited to, browser bookmarks, preferences, activation, savegames), _don't do it_! Also, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, etc. will perhaps remain with their contents intact, but they will no longer be tied to any active user account. You'll have to deal with gaining permissions for opening the folders, to get to the files, then move them over etc.
> 
> There are a number of programs that will either restore a backup image to a dissimilar hardware, or modify an existing system to allow booting on different hardware. I'm not sure if there are any free ones, though... If you can wait a bit I can research.
> 
> ...



McSteel, it's funny you mention Paragon because one of the tutorials I found (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/292068-make-windows-7-bootable-after-motherboard-swap.html) is for that specific program. The other one I found (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...lation-transfer-new-computer.html#post1161038) deals with using Sysprep. Unfortunately, in that one, it mentions creating a system image backup and saving it to something like an external HDD, which I lack. Other places I've been say that just doing a completely fresh install is the best way to avoid potential problems that may crop up with either the sysprep or Paragon methods. 

If you could help me out, I'd really appreciate it. I'm willing to wait to see what you come up with. Thank you. 

I'm well aware of the OEM Windows thing; supposedly 9 times out of 10, end users have been able to reactivate their copies of Windows 7 without a hitch, some even having to do absolutely nothing in regards to reactivating it. I guess I will find out...


----------



## GreiverBlade (Dec 24, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> This discussion about getting X over Y is over, ok?


no. but if you feel so ... then yes (i did the same way as you did ... ) but you are just defying the logic (as i did ... so i don't mind ... but i also don't care about waiting and loosing money doing tests  )
yet i can't see what single core performance software you might use to justify a weakling like a i3 4160 when a Pentium G3258 cost less and deliver more (when clocked right) so yet X over Y is not over since there is a better option and cheaper (and Z87 compatible afaik)

so then back to the topic, i use 2 win 7 pro 64 OEM over and over since i bought my pc's most of the time i could do a Dirty swap and just remove the old driver before swapping. but sometime i had to re install and activate via phone (and yes OEM so the License Voided is just a paper tiger to scare average user)

when i changed from Z77+E3-1275v2 to a FM2A88X + Athlon X4 760K/A10-7700K i cloned my HDD on a SSD then from that one i went on a 990X+FX6300: dirty swap, then went on a Z97+i5-4690K: dirty swap + phone activation



Gmr_Chick said:


> The only ones I have are the usual Adobe Reader XI and Adobe Flash Player, but I don't think I had to pay for them, nor do I think I need a license for them


indeed ... no license no fees for those two 

also for the programs i never had to re-install since my games and software are on a separate HDD and win on a SSD just re enter the credential on some "user account linked" soft like steam origine Raptr and such

i even dirty swapped a PATA 160gb drive with 7 from a dual Opteron server to my c2d E8400 setup no sweat just old motherboard and graphic driver cleaning before


----------



## Jetster (Dec 24, 2014)

So Is the 4160 a Haswell Refresh? Might want to get a non refresh with a Z87


----------



## rtwjunkie (Dec 24, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> Ok...there seems to be a bit of a disconnect here as to what I originally created this topic for. I don't mean to sound rude, but I specifically asked about what I needed to do in regards to my system before swapping out my CPU and motherboard, NOT why I should get X over Y CPU - my decision has already been made. I've already stated my reasons why I'm moving from AMD to Intel - I do nothing that involves multi-threaded performance like streaming or video encoding or the like. I need strong single threaded performance, and the AMD doesn't provide it, no matter how many cores it has. I have the intent to upgrade to a K CPU in the distant future. This discussion about getting X over Y is over, ok?
> 
> That being said, if you guys have anything to add about things I need to do before making the parts swap, feel free to enlighten me.


 
I was wondering how long you'd let the advice go on before reminding everyone that you specifically want single-thread gaming performance!  I can certainly understand that, with as much as I play Total War games.  It's also good that you are planning ahead to be able to upgrade that CPU in the future, since it is very likely that you'll have more and more need for multi-threaded.

As for advice, just because you CAN switch out the innards and still keep your OS without reinstall, I will always advise to do a fresh install.  Yes, it's a little more time-consuming, but the peace of mind versus the little problems that manifest themselves here or there, indicating that all is not 100% well underneath the hood, is definately worth it.  I've done it both ways, and fresh install is the way to go. 

Good Luck!


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Dec 24, 2014)

If i may make a suggestion.....

Since its single threaded performance youre after and you dont do any media encoding or use any heavily multi-threaded apps and since youre on a budget. I recommend going with the Intel Pentium G3258. It is a Dual Core CPU with no hyper threading but the multi is unlocked. Many reviewers have managed to overclock it close to 4.8Ghz, At that speed it will totally blow the i3-4160 out of the water

::EDIT::

Heres a little conclusion from a review


----------



## newtekie1 (Dec 24, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> @newteki1 and Dent1: Sorry to say, my 6100 blows compared to even a lowly i3-4160. And according to others who've helped me here on other questions I've had, the i3 still beats out an FX 8 core. Besides, the upgrade path on the AMD side is non-existent; AM3+ is virtually a dead socket now. At least there's an upgrade path with the Intel. The games I play demand stronger single threaded performance, which the AMD lacks, hence why I decided to switch platforms.



Yes, the i3 will give you better single-threaded performance.  However, like I said, I'd wait until you can afford a z97 and an i5-4690k.  Even if you play games that require heavy single threaded performance, the 6100 should handle them just fine.  I play plenty of games that are heavily single threaded, and my 8320 does just fine.

And sure, AM3+ isn't getting anything new in the foreseeable future, but the fact is we don't know if it will get updates.  Everyone is assuming it is dead, while AMD has stated they won't release anything on the high end market until DDR4 is more mainstream then they will release AM4.  They could very well make the AM4 processors compatible with AM3+ just like they made the AM3 processors compatible with AM2+.  But even if they don't, Z87 is more dead than AM3+ at this point, Intel has already confirmed there will be nothing new for it.  Broadwell will be z97 only, heck they already tried to cut z87 out by claiming only z97 support with the Haswell Refresh CPUs, but eventually backed down and confirmed support of z87.  

So, no, there isn't an upgrade path with your current choice of parts.  Which is why I said, wait until you can afford z97.  At the very least, shift the money slightly to get a decent z97 motherboard and go with the G3258.  

At least then you can overclock right away and get the G3258 up to decent performance levels.  And if single threaded performance is your main concern loosing hyperthreading by dropping from an i3 to the G3258 won't matter.


----------



## Blue-Knight (Dec 24, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> AMD to Intel - Preparing The Switch


I can imagine how this switch would look like... 



Spoiler: Viewer discretion is advised!


----------



## Dent1 (Dec 24, 2014)

FreedomEclipse said:


> If i may make a suggestion.....
> 
> Since its single threaded performance youre after and you dont do any media encoding or use any heavily multi-threaded apps and since youre on a budget. I recommend going with the Intel Pentium G3258. It is a Dual Core CPU with no hyper threading but the multi is unlocked. Many reviewers have managed to overclock it close to 4.8Ghz, At that speed it will totally blow the i3-4160 out of the water
> 
> ...



Or she can overclock the existing fx 6100 and get single threaded performance of the i3-4160 for free.


----------



## xvi (Dec 24, 2014)

To all, OP is dead set on the move to Intel, already has the motherboard purchased. Let's stay on track.

I'd also recommend a fresh install. Windows licenses will usually let you activate a few times before they make you call in to have someone ask you how many computers you have that copy of Windows installed on. (The correct answer is "Right now, zero!" by the way.)


FreedomEclipse said:


> Many reviewers have managed to overclock it close to 4.8Ghz


Mine runs at 4.8 fairly comfortably on a low end AIO with questionable contact between CPU and waterblock, albeit at a few more volts than I'd prefer. Still, OP has previously expressed disinterest in overclocking.


Dent1 said:


> Or she can overclock the existing fx 6100 and get single threaded performance of the i3-4160 for free.


While I agree, OP has already tried that and was uncomfortable with the experience.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 24, 2014)

Jetster said:


> So Is the 4160 a Haswell Refresh? Might want to get a non refresh with a Z87



According to my motherboard's manual, it comes with something called QFlash, which lets you update the BIOS via a flash drive, kinda like what my current AM3+ ASUS board has. I went ahead and downloaded Gigabyte's F2 BIOS for my specific board and saved it on my flash drive. So I should be OK. 



rtwjunkie said:


> I was wondering how long you'd let the advice go on before reminding everyone that you specifically want single-thread gaming performance!  I can certainly understand that, with as much as I play Total War games.  It's also good that you are planning ahead to be able to upgrade that CPU in the future, since it is very likely that you'll have more and more need for multi-threaded.
> 
> As for advice, just because you CAN switch out the innards and still keep your OS without reinstall, I will always advise to do a fresh install.  Yes, it's a little more time-consuming, but the peace of mind versus the little problems that manifest themselves here or there, indicating that all is not 100% well underneath the hood, is definately worth it.  I've done it both ways, and fresh install is the way to go.
> 
> Good Luck!



I was thinking of a fresh install as well. This would require the use of sysprep, right? To be honest, I wouldn't mind having to re-install my programs/games over if that's what it takes to avoid as many headaches as possible. I don't have a boatload of programs on my rig anyway, mostly games which I backed up all the important stuff for anyway. Plus I backed up all my firefox book marks, passwords, documents, etc. Good thing I recently got a 32 GB flash drive - it's quite handy right now!


----------



## xvi (Dec 24, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> I was thinking of a fresh install as well. This would require the use of sysprep, right?


Nope. Sysprep basically prepares the machine for imaging. It strips out a lot of unique identifiers and it all up next time the machine boots. The idea is that you get one machine ready, run sysprep, image the drive, then deploy the image on multiple computers. When they all boot back up, they look for new hardware and generate new unique IDs. If not, you'd have a bunch of machines with, for example, the same network name.
If you're doing a fresh install, you just need to make sure you back up any files you want to keep, then format the disk (from setup) and install Windows.


Gmr_Chick said:


> To be honest, I wouldn't mind having to re-install my programs/games over if that's what it takes to avoid as many headaches as possible. I don't have a boatload of programs on my rig anyway, mostly games which I backed up all the important stuff for anyway.


Check out ninite.com. It'll automate a lot of the installs for normal programs. Makes things kind of nice. As an added bonus, if you keep the Ninite installer, you can run it again at a later date and it'll check for updated versions of the things you've asked it to install. Should help simplify and speed up the reinstall process. 


Gmr_Chick said:


> Plus I backed up all my firefox book marks, passwords, documents, etc. Good thing I recently got a 32 GB flash drive - it's quite handy right now!


Sounds like you're pretty much all set!


----------



## TRWOV (Dec 24, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> I was thinking of a fresh install as well. This would require the use of sysprep, right?



No. Sysprep is just for when you want to move an HDD with Windows already on it. If you're going to do a fresh install you don't need to, in fact it would be useless to sysprep a drive for a fresh install.



McSteel said:


> With sysprep you will lose all user-specific settings. So if your goal is to avoid reinstalling everything because you'll lose your app settings (including, but not limited to, browser bookmarks, preferences, activation, savegames), _don't do it_! Also, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, etc. will perhaps remain with their contents intact, but they will no longer be tied to any active user account. You'll have to deal with gaining permissions for opening the folders, to get to the files, then move them over etc.



Not you say you're 100% mistaken but I've migrated with sysprep a couple of times and I know from experience that you don't need to deal with permissions since you log into your old admin account:



TRWOV said:


> Since your old user profile already exist, Windows won't accept your normal username, but instead you have to create a new temporary user. When the login screen appears,* choose your old user account to login *and delete the temporary account.



I haven't lost bookmarks or any other user settings on third party programs. The only issue I've had is that Corel VideoStudio X5 freaked out with the hardware change and said that my copy was unregistered; that merited a chat with Corel support. Steam had a problem too but I just ran the installer again and all was peachy.

Still, as always, your mileage may vary. I'm confident enough to say that user generated files (docs, music, etc) won't be deleted or anything.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 25, 2014)

xvi said:


> If you're doing a fresh install, you just need to make sure you back up any files you want to keep, then format the disk (from setup) and install Windows.
> 
> Check out ninite.com. It'll automate a lot of the installs for normal programs. Makes things kind of nice. As an added bonus, if you keep the Ninite installer, you can run it again at a later date and it'll check for updated versions of the things you've asked it to install. Should help simplify and speed up the reinstall process.



Yep, I made sure to back up everything of importance, so I'm all good there. So, basically, with a fresh install, all I do is leave my HDD drive alone, keep everything on my rig as-is (no driver uninstalling), swap my parts, turn the PC back on, and then just insert the Windows disc, format the HDD and that's it? 

That Ninite tool looks really handy, by the way! Thanks for that. I just use that after I do a fresh Windows install, right?


----------



## Devon68 (Dec 25, 2014)

> That Ninite tool looks really handy, by the way! Thanks for that. I just use that after I do a fresh Windows install, right?


After you reinstall windows just open ninite.com chose what you need (I think cccleaner is there as well) and it will automatically install it on your pc. Since i heard about this site I use it all the time (no need for me to search for every software individually, I just stay away from the anti virus software because they are probably just trial versions)


----------



## xvi (Dec 26, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> Yep, I made sure to back up everything of importance, so I'm all good there. So, basically, with a fresh install, all I do is leave my HDD drive alone, keep everything on my rig as-is (no driver uninstalling), swap my parts, turn the PC back on, and then just insert the Windows disc, format the HDD and that's it?
> 
> That Ninite tool looks really handy, by the way! Thanks for that. I just use that after I do a fresh Windows install, right?


Correct. We don't particularly care what's on the drive since the first thing you'll be doing with it in the new rig is wiping it clean. If the new machine tries to boot off the hard drive, there's a pretty good chance it'll just BSOD. The order of operations I do is install Windows, grab all updates from Windows Update, grab Ninite and let it install, then grab any other applications that Ninite didn't have. From there, pull all stuff from your backup and you should be done.



Devon68 said:


> After you reinstall windows just open ninite.com chose what you need (I think cccleaner is there as well) and it will automatically install it on your pc. Since i heard about this site I use it all the time (no need for me to search for every software individually, I just stay away from the anti virus software because they are probably just trial versions)


Most of the ones on Ninite aren't trial, iirc. Modern Windows has some anti-malware stuff built in, but if something more than that is desired, I usually recommend Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 30, 2014)

Well folks, I've officially got my "new" rig up and running...with one major exception: I'm dependent on the HD 4400 graphics on the CPU at the moment. Will get to that in a moment, though. To avoid any problems with Windows, I just did a completely clean, fresh install of Windows 7, and other than the one issue I'm having with my newly installed ( and custom painted *gulp*) 280x, my rig is running just great; the sound on this motherboard compared to my last one is unbelievably good, but the BIOS aren't as good as the ones found on my ASUS board. At any rate, on to my problem. 

When connecting my monitor to the back of my GPU and then turning on the system, I get one continuous beep and then three shorter beeps; the computer boots, but the screen stays black, lights on my keyboard and mouse light up, etc. The computer itself seems to be on, but again, I get no display. I suspect that the card isn't getting enough power, either because I don't have enough wattage, or the fact that I'm only using one 6 pin power connecter when the damn thing requires two 8 pin connectors (I only got one; don't ask why I'm not using it, since I know I probably should be) It's currently late here, but tomorrow would it be worth it to test the card using the 8 pin connector, or both the 8 AND 6 pin connectors and see what happens, or would I just be safer getting an 850W PSU, or even going back to my old card until said bigger PSU is acquired? 

Other than this little hiccup, my rig is all good.


----------



## GreiverBlade (Dec 30, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> It's currently late here, but tomorrow would it be worth it to test the card using the 8 pin connector, or both the 8 AND 6 pin connectors and see what happens, or would I just be safer getting an 850W PSU, or even going back to my old card until said bigger PSU is acquired?



technically there is no way a 280X + the rest of your rig will use or need  850w (look at my main rig in my sys specs i use a 650w and i have a OC'ed 4690K + a quite good OC R9 290) but indeed your 560w might be a bit too tight also normally good PSU have 6+2 pin (mine has 2x 6+2 actually) and you should never run a card without all the connector plugged : it will not even boot afaik, most of the time the card come packed with power adapter ie: 2x 4xmolex to 1x 6/8pin 

nah... power usage of a reference rig like yours 
*Minimum PSU Wattage:354 W*
*Recommended 
 PSU Wattage:* *














even a 560w is enough moreover a seasonic gold ... unless old, no need to spend money there on a 850w (even if i go 290 CFX i will not need more than a 750w for my side) tho most of the 600w and more have a combination of 1/2x6.2 or 1x6+2/1x 6



btw your system if you CFX
*Minimum PSU Wattage:534 W*
*Recommended 
 PSU Wattage:* *














and your system with a CFX+  4790K non OC 
*Minimum PSU Wattage:561 W*
*Recommended 
 PSU Wattage:* *














slight OC (4.8)

*Minimum PSU Wattage:587 W*
*Recommended 
 PSU Wattage:* *














and then with a G3258 with a 4.5 OC in account
*Minimum PSU Wattage:555 W*
*Recommended 
 PSU Wattage:* *














ofc it's theoretic but that web app never failed me, and the recommended is a bit above the reality (safe side if i can say so)


----------



## rtwjunkie (Dec 30, 2014)

Without those power pins, your card is neither getting enough watts or amps.  All plugs need to be in that beast.  If all you have is one 6+2, then yes, I would say go back to your old GPU until you acquire a new PSU (with more connectors!), but I don't think you need 850w either.


----------



## Devon68 (Dec 30, 2014)

What do you mean by that?


> ( and custom painted *gulp*) 280x


----------



## xvi (Dec 30, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> Well folks, I've officially got my "new" rig up and running...with one major exception: I'm dependent on the HD 4400 graphics on the CPU at the moment. Will get to that in a moment, though. To avoid any problems with Windows, I just did a completely clean, fresh install of Windows 7, and other than the one issue I'm having with my newly installed ( and custom painted *gulp*) 280x, my rig is running just great; the sound on this motherboard compared to my last one is unbelievably good, but the BIOS aren't as good as the ones found on my ASUS board. At any rate, on to my problem.
> 
> When connecting my monitor to the back of my GPU and then turning on the system, I get one continuous beep and then three shorter beeps; the computer boots, but the screen stays black, lights on my keyboard and mouse light up, etc. The computer itself seems to be on, but again, I get no display. I suspect that the card isn't getting enough power, either because I don't have enough wattage, or the fact that I'm only using one 6 pin power connecter when the damn thing requires two 8 pin connectors (I only got one; don't ask why I'm not using it, since I know I probably should be) It's currently late here, but tomorrow would it be worth it to test the card using the 8 pin connector, or both the 8 AND 6 pin connectors and see what happens, or would I just be safer getting an 850W PSU, or even going back to my old card until said bigger PSU is acquired?
> 
> Other than this little hiccup, my rig is all good.





rtwjunkie said:


> Without those power pins, your card is neither getting enough watts or amps.  All plugs need to be in that beast.  If all you have is one 6+2, then yes, I would say go back to your old PSU until you acquire a new PSU (with more connectors!), but I don't think you need 850w either.


Exactly this. Each 6-pin provides an ATX standard of 75w (and I think 8-pins are 150w, plus another 75w from the PCIe socket). The GPU can pull more than that, but not without violating ATX specs. The card will look at what's plugged in for power and won't boot up unless it has all the power it needs. If not, it fails POST and the BIOS will give you a beep code.
I think there are some cards that will boot with a 6-pin plug in an 8-pin socket (albeit at slower clock speeds to save power), but I don't think that's too terribly common.


Devon68 said:


> What do you mean by that?


I've rattlecanned a part or two, although I'm curious as well. You DID take it apart first, right?


----------



## TRWOV (Dec 30, 2014)

That Seasonic X-560 power supply has 2 x 2 PCIe 6+2 cables (it's the same one I have on my HTPC). Even if you got  yours used and didn't get the whole cable set you should be able to connect the 280x without problem (I have a 7950 connected to a single x2 PCIe 6+2 cable), why would you be using only one? 





560w is more than enough for your system.


----------



## rtwjunkie (Dec 30, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> That Seasonic X-560 power supply has 2 x 2 PCIe 6+2 cables (it's the same one I have on my HTPC). Even if you got  yours used and didn't get the whole cable set you should be able to connect the 280x without problem (I have a 7950 connected to a single x2 PCIe 6+2 cable), why would you be using only one?
> 
> View attachment 61220
> 
> 560w is more than enough for your system.


 
This is a good point too! I hope she comes back to tell us what happened to her other cable.


----------



## 64K (Dec 30, 2014)

If your PSU came missing one 6+2 cable then contact Seasonic and they will most likely send you another one for free. It's been a few years but I remember someone posting at Tom's that they did that and Seasonic sent them another without charge.


----------



## rtwjunkie (Dec 30, 2014)

64K said:


> If your PSU came missing one 6+2 cable then contact Seasonic and they will most likely send you another one for free. It's been a few years but I remember someone posting at Tom's that they did that and Seasonic sent them another without charge.


 

I seem to recall here too, about two months ago someone mentioned in a thread that Seasonic was real good about that with them.


----------



## TRWOV (Dec 30, 2014)

even if she has a single cable she should stll be able to connect the 280x since each cable has two 6+2 connectors.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 31, 2014)

xvi said:


> I've rattlecanned a part or two, although I'm curious as well. You DID take it apart first, right?



Of course, silly. Took the shroud apart (the orange/gold piece with the 3 holes for the fans is one big piece of plastic, which we painted a lime color not unlike the rest of my rig. The black aluminum (?) covering the orange plastic was actually two pieces, one for each side. I took a picture of the card painted before I put it in my rig. Will post it and some other pics in the "Your PC ATM" thread. 



TRWOV said:


> you should be able to connect the 280x without problem (I have a 7950 connected to a single x2 PCIe 6+2 cable), why would you be using only one?



You want to know the real reason, as embarrassing as it is? Back when my father was sleeving the cables, he decided to turn one of the 6+2 connectors into just a 6 pin connector because he didn't want the two leftover connectors (my 7790 has only one 6 pin connector) to just be hanging there in the case. So, now that I have a beefier card, I'm effectively left with a 6 pin connector and a still-intact 6+2 connector. I guess he figured I'd never be upgrading the damn PC much. So, there you go.  

At any rate, if not an 850W, would something like a 750 or 650 be more appropriate?


----------



## Norton (Dec 31, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> You want to know the real reason, as embarrassing as it is? Back when my father was sleeving the cables, he decided to turn one of the 6+2 connectors into just a 6 pin connector because he didn't want the two leftover connectors



You should be able to add that connector back then- frozencpu sells cable ends for only a few $$$
http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g51...rs-Connector_Pins-ATXPCI-EEPS_Pins-Page1.html

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g51...8_Pin_Connectors-62_Pin_VGA_Female-Page1.html

EDIT- or just pick up one of these:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...CI-E_Adapter_Cable_AK-CB052.html?tl=g2c38s427


----------



## 64K (Dec 31, 2014)

If you don't want to splice the connector then you could just buy a 6+2 pin cable. 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A45JA52/?tag=tec06d-20

might be cheaper elsewhere.


----------



## Toothless (Dec 31, 2014)

(Sorry if I'm on the late train) 

As for dealing with files when you reinstall the OS. I had my HDD from my AMD rig and booted it in my Intel rig. Everything was there but the OS was a bit buggy. Reinstalled the OS (7 > 8.1) and every single file was still there. Not sure why the mass amount of programs recommended is needed as OP said reinstalling programs and games isn't an issue. 

Just boot your HDD up, plop in the disk/ISO and run the install.


----------



## TRWOV (Dec 31, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> At any rate, if not an 850W, would something like a 750 or 650 be more appropriate?



Your PSU is plenty. No need to spend more than required but if you really want a new PSU after all I would go for the Seasonic 660w Platinum.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 31, 2014)

Ok. Thanks you guys. I appreciate it


----------



## GreiverBlade (Dec 31, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> At any rate, if not an 850W, would something like a 750 or 650 be more appropriate?



read my post and you have your appropriate wattage for your configuration with a range of cpu going from i3-4160 to i7-4790K passing by a G3258 and in single+crossfireX configuration  



TRWOV said:


> Your PSU is plenty. No need to spend more than required but if you really want a new PSU after all I would go for the Seasonic 660w Platinum.


and it's also what i said originally  (1 page before  )


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Dec 31, 2014)

Well, I got a new PSU. It's a Seasonic M12 II EVO 850W, fully modular, 80 Plus Bronze certified. Cables from the X560 work with it as well; will have to re sleeve the 8 pin motherboard connector and the two 6+2 pin connectors (it actually came with four) at some point, but everything booted up just fine and now my graphics card works without a hitch. I can finally game on this thing now!


----------



## Norton (Dec 31, 2014)

Gmr_Chick said:


> Well, I got a new PSU. It's a Seasonic M12 II EVO 850W, fully modular, 80 Plus Bronze certified. Cables from the X560 work with it as well; will have to re sleeve the 8 pin motherboard connector and the two 6+2 pin connectors (it actually came with four) at some point, but everything booted up just fine and now my graphics card works without a hitch. I can finally game on this thing now!



Nice choice! 

I have that ones little brother, an M12 II EVO 750. Great unit and runs very cool while crunching and folding at full load (was using an overclocked 2500k and 7970 with it).

*note- the first one I got died after 2 or 3 weeks but the replacement has been rock solid running 24/7 for extended periods of time!


----------



## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Dec 31, 2014)

TRWOV said:


> If you want to move an HDD to another machine is best to sysprep it. It'll return the install to a fresh state (removes drivers and SIDs) while keeping the installed software.
> 
> Windows key > cmd > right click "Run as adminstrator" > cd sysprep > sysprep.exe
> 
> ...


That seems more of a pain in the ass than just doing a fresh install and then creating an image once you have everything setup the way you want.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Jan 1, 2015)

Norton said:


> Nice choice!
> 
> I have that ones little brother, an M12 II EVO 750. Great unit and runs very cool while crunching and folding at full load (was using an overclocked 2500k and 7970 with it).
> 
> *note- the first one I got died after 2 or 3 weeks but the replacement has been rock solid running 24/7 for extended periods of time!



Sounds like I made a good decision then! Got the unit at my local shop. They had 4 X series PSUs, but they were both 1050 and 1250, which is way more overkill than what I got, plus they were close to 2 bills. They also had quite a few Platinum series units of varying wattages, the 760 of which was also close to 2 bills. And I didn't necessarily wanto get a unit off newegg so I just chose the M12 II EVO. It may only be 80 Plus Bronze, but it's still a Seasonic AND it's fully modular so it's all good.


----------



## xvi (Jan 1, 2015)

Gmr_Chick said:


> And I didn't necessarily wanto get a unit off newegg


Seems like shipping would be quick, given your location. Any particular reason why you don't like Newegg?


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Jan 2, 2015)

xvi said:


> Seems like shipping would be quick, given your location. Any particular reason why you don't like Newegg?



No, no. Newegg is great. Just that I didn't necessarily want to wait, or pay up the nose for a faster shipping method.


----------



## xvi (Jan 3, 2015)

Gmr_Chick said:


> No, no. Newegg is great. Just that I didn't necessarily want to wait, or pay up the nose for a faster shipping method.









Kidding! Kidding! I've never really minded waiting for things myself, but I know a few people who order just about everything with overnight shipping, even if it nearly doubles the cost. Comes down to personal preference, I suppose.



Gmr_Chick said:


> I took a picture of the card painted before I put it in my rig. Will post it and some other pics in the "Your PC ATM" thread.



Still curious to see the results of this.


----------



## Gmr_Chick (Jan 3, 2015)

xvi said:


> Kidding! Kidding! I've never really minded waiting for things myself, but I know a few people who order just about everything with overnight shipping, even if it nearly doubles the cost. Comes down to personal preference, I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> Still curious to see the results of this.



Ok, I put up pics of the card and my rig in the "Your PC ATM" thread if you or anyone would like to see!


----------

