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Planning on upgrading my MAME pc/Cabinet
dax:
I used a regular monitor to configure my PC before I install the AVGA. If you get a new motherboard, make sure it has the proper interface, which I believe is an AGP. Some of the new MBs have PCI-E, which I don't think will work with the AVGA, but correct me if I'm wrong.
krick:
You can swap a motherboard on a 2000/XP machine without re-installing. My primary machine running Windows 2000 is on its third motherboard without a re-install.
There's a pretty decent thread about how to do it here...
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/77909774/m/1400925745
In order to do this though, you'll need to install a "normal" video card instead of the ArcadeVGA and connect it to a normal monitor.
I recommend picking up a really cheap Nvidia based AGP card (under $20) and avoid ATI based cards so you don't have driver conflict problems later with the ArcadeVGA (which is based on an ATI Radeon chip).
Havok:
You should be able to do a mobo and hd swap - look into an application called Sysprep by Microsoft. It is included on the XP CD.