answer:Depends on what you don’t want to wipe out. I’ll suggest copy all your “data” (pictures, docs, non-windows app install files) to the 500GB drive and plan to re-install Windows fresh onto the SSD, and re-install all your apps fresh following all the service pack installs that Windows will want when it first wakes up. It’s pretty true that you could expect some trouble if you simply swap out the mobo and turn it on. Several of your drivers could be incompatible with the new hardware On the other hand, personally I’d try it, just for the heck of it. Plug and play. Of course before either approach, back up ALL important stuff.