Has anyone changed their mobo after upgrading to Win10?

Maineiac12

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Oct 27, 2013
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I upgraded my OEM copy of 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 and now I need to replace my motherboard. I was running a Z87 board but I can actually get a Z97 replacement board cheaper. I'm wondering if I'll be able to keep using my copy of Windows 10 or will it not activate? I'm used to calling the phone support when I upgrade parts but I'm afraid this will be different since there is no product key with these windows 10 upgrades.

Has anyone done any upgrades since getting Windows 10?
 
I had to replace my Asrock 990FX Extreme 4 since it was getting flaky. I installed a MSI 970 Gaming and I love it! However, I had to reinstall my Windows 8.1 Pro, activate it and then install the upgrade over the top of that. It was then activated, working and only took me a couple of hours on an SSD. I then installed a new 480GB SSD 4 days ago and installed Windows 10 Pro directly on it. It activated automatically without any issues.
 
I'm not sure about Windows 10, but in the past when I've had to change a mobo/cpu and windows said I needed reactivation I just called into the 1-800 number and did the auto activate thing. It's all computerized. When it asks you for how many computers this copy of windows is installed on, make sure you push 1. It's worked for me in the past. Anyway, if it doesn't work you can always do what ManofGod said.
 
I'm not sure about Windows 10, but in the past when I've had to change a mobo/cpu and windows said I needed reactivation I just called into the 1-800 number and did the auto activate thing. It's all computerized. When it asks you for how many computers this copy of windows is installed on, make sure you push 1. It's worked for me in the past. Anyway, if it doesn't work you can always do what ManofGod said.

It would probably only what the old way if you are using a retail copy of Windows 10. If not, you will get a key blocked error and that cannot be directly fixed.
 
MS have stated that OEM do not qualify for motherboard upgrades, that is the domain of Home and Pro versions.
But in the first "free" year, it may still be possible if you argue the case with them.

The way to go about it from what I have read is to install your old OS.
Upgrade the motherboard and get that validated, this will be where you may stumble and need to call MS.
If you succeed here, you should be ok to upgrade to Windows 10.

edit:
I somehow read you as having OEM but you are Pro, so you are good to go.

The process is the same as described above, install your old OS and upgrade again.

edit 2
Ah, you said "I upgraded my OEM copy of 8.1 Pro to Windows 10".
Is that a version?
 
Last edited:
MS have stated that OEM do not qualify for motherboard upgrades, that is the domain of Home and Pro versions.
But in the first "free" year, it may still be possible if you argue the case with them.

The way to go about it from what I have read is to install your old OS.
Upgrade the motherboard and get that validated, this will be where you may stumble and need to call MS.
If you succeed here, you should be ok to upgrade to Windows 10.

edit:
I somehow read you as having OEM but you are Pro, so you are good to go.

The process is the same as described above, install your old OS and upgrade again.

edit 2
Ah, you said "I upgraded my OEM copy of 8.1 Pro to Windows 10".
Is that a version?

Well, I have the $40 upgrade version of Windows 8 Pro that I bought in 2012. There is no need to argue, it just worked fine with what I did above. I just simply installed the Windows 8.1 Pro with a VMS key, vlsmgr -pk to install my Windows 8 Pro key which then activated. After that, I installed the upgrade of Windows 10 Pro and it worked great. (On an SSD so it only took 2 hours with a data backup.)

However, the HP, Dell and other OEM's would obviously not allow mainboard upgrades. Their keys are in the bios so that would not work. I think you will be fine though, enjoy the upgrade. :)
 
No wish to argue :)
If it works, all power to you.

He does say he is using OEM though which if true could be a problem.
 
My windows 8 copy is an OEM license that I purchased when I built the system. I've always used OEM copies and Microsoft's official policy has always been that upgrades aren't allowed but somehow it always works after I call the activation hotline.

I was really just looking to see if the process was still the same as before since this is the first time I will have done it in this new Windows 10, no product key world.
 
I was really just looking to see if the process was still the same as before since this is the first time I will have done it in this new Windows 10, no product key world.

Nope the process is not the same. "But I always just called a phone number" is out the window.

You now have the pleasure of dicking with multiple install processes just to get back to square one (first re-install 7 or 8, then downgrade to 10).
 
Nope the process is not the same. "But I always just called a phone number" is out the window.

You now have the pleasure of dicking with multiple install processes just to get back to square one (first re-install 7 or 8, then downgrade to 10).

yeah lol fucking people, hey i was thinking, i have this old walther match target pistol in .22 short and i think those bullets would bounce off someones forehead so i need a candidate to try it out, its FREE too, like windows 10!
 
yeah lol fucking people, hey i was thinking, i have this old walther match target pistol in .22 short and i think those bullets would bounce off someones forehead so i need a candidate to try it out, its FREE too, like windows 10!

Really? :rolleyes: So far, no issues on my end and a reinstall with a new motherboard took less than 2 hours. (That includes installing Windows 8.1, activating it and then upgrading Windows 10 over the top.) I work in IT and I deal with things as they are, not as someone wants them to be in "fantasy land".:D
 
Really? :rolleyes: So far, no issues on my end and a reinstall with a new motherboard took less than 2 hours. (That includes installing Windows 8.1, activating it and then upgrading Windows 10 over the top.) I work in IT and I deal with things as they are, not as someone wants them to be in "fantasy land".:D

What kind of license did you have for that Win 8.1?
 
ok basically they store something in the UEFI of the motherboard if you upgrade a copy once you need to use the iso and install from within an activated copy of windows 7 or windows 8.1 or windows 10 if there is an issue. I had to figure out how to upgrade my copies of win 8.1 pro that were bought with the installer copy of windows that you have to buy the licenses separately for as it only comes with one license. Once the keys are converted to windows 10 keys they no longer work period so just a warning you need the key linked to your account if you did the upgrade once you have a valid key linked to your ms account you can transfer it to any hardware just not sure if you can use it more than one at a time I'm simply upgrading old copies of windows 7 and windows 8 to be safe.
 
Really? :rolleyes: So far, no issues on my end and a reinstall with a new motherboard took less than 2 hours. (That includes installing Windows 8.1, activating it and then upgrading Windows 10 over the top.) I work in IT and I deal with things as they are, not as someone wants them to be in "fantasy land".:D

fantasy? nah, just the usual daydream that people have once in a while when they see how low the average is. fantasy would be like someone with mental issues that have to believe in fairy tales and invisible crap to be able to go through life, like one of those self-entitled "man of god" for example, heh.

*i didn't have you as one of the few users that annoys me so i didn't like answering to you this way but its friday night and i have business to attend, maybe im a little bored too :)
 
My computer was running Windows 7 until a month ago when it updated to Windows 10. I'm not sure if my product key was OEM or retail - it was gifted to me. I'm guessing OEM.

I just upgraded my computer (new motherboard) and was under the impression that I could just install Windows 10 and call to activate it. This is definitely not the case. I had to run Slui 4 to get the number, and I spent half an hour on the phone with the activation center. They told me I would have to purchase a new product key, but after I asked to speak to a supervisor I was told I could do a fresh install of Windows 7, activate that, then update to Windows 10. I'm guessing I will have to call to activate Windows 7.

It is a hassle. Too bad there isn't an option to de-activate your copy of Windows before you upgrade, then re-activate it on the new hardware. Maybe that would be too intuitive :D
 
It has been discussed a dozen times at least.

The Win10 license is tied to your hardware and hash is stored on the activation server. New M/B invalidates the old hash. The only way to get Win10 on a new M/B is
1) Install old Win7/8 and upgrade again to Win 10. Only available until Aug 2016.
2) Buy retail Win10, install as many times as needed.
 
ok basically they store something in the UEFI of the motherboard if you upgrade a copy once you need to use the iso and install from within an activated copy of windows 7 or windows 8.1 or windows 10

Two, no three, problems with this statement:

1. What if you have a system with only the old BIOS and not the newer UEFI?
2. Everything that has been written about the activation system says that MS stores a hash of your system hardware on their servers.
3. What if you have multiple Win 7/8 installs on the same system, all of which qualify for the upgrade?
 
Two, no three, problems with this statement:

1.
2.
3. What if you have multiple Win 7/8 installs on the same system, all of which qualify for the upgrade?

Ooooh I like this one .... :)
 
I've had Windows 10 installed and activated for a month now and today I replaced both my motherboard and cpu. I got the typical message of "Connect to the internet to activate windows" upon start up of windows but soon after, my copy was activated. Very odd but that was my experience. I didn't need to reinstall windows.
 
Anyone know if you can do a clean install of Windows 10 following the Windows 7-update-to-Windows-10 process after moving to new hardware?

If you swap out your motherboard, you have to install Windows 7/8 before updating to Windows 10. Once you do that however, is your licence then tied to the new hardware allowing for a clean install of Windows 10?
 
Anyone know if you can do a clean install of Windows 10 following the Windows 7-update-to-Windows-10 process after moving to new hardware?

If you swap out your motherboard, you have to install Windows 7/8 before updating to Windows 10. Once you do that however, is your licence then tied to the new hardware allowing for a clean install of Windows 10?

When you mean hardware, do you mean motherboard? If you have a retail license, you can move it as often as you want. If you have an OEM one, you will have to reinstall the previous OS, activate it and then install the Windows 10 upgrade over the top. Once that is done, you can then do a clean install on the new machine.
 
When you mean hardware, do you mean motherboard? If you have a retail license, you can move it as often as you want. If you have an OEM one, you will have to reinstall the previous OS, activate it and then install the Windows 10 upgrade over the top. Once that is done, you can then do a clean install on the new machine.

That's what I was asking, thanks.

Despite installing Windows 10 over a clean version of WIndows 7, I've run into a bug where I can't turn Windows Defender on and Windows tells me daily that I should do that. Sounds like it's related to upgrading from Windows 7, so it's looking like I have to install everything over again :(
 
When you mean hardware, do you mean motherboard? If you have a retail license, you can move it as often as you want. If you have an OEM one, you will have to reinstall the previous OS, activate it and then install the Windows 10 upgrade over the top. Once that is done, you can then do a clean install on the new machine.
Those OEM rules apply to a "retail" upgrade such as Windows 7 Home.
You must start from the original OS when you change hardware if you upgraded to 10.
 
Those OEM rules apply to a "retail" upgrade such as Windows 7 Home.
You must start from the original OS when you change hardware if you upgraded to 10.
This sounds like my problem. I get the windows 10 pop-up on my current PC, but I'm building another completely new PC. On the current PC, I went from Vista Business (retail) to Win7 pro (upgrade). I want Win 10 pro on the new PC. I'm guessing I should just buy win10 pro at retail.
 
black_b[ ]x;1041904911 said:
This sounds like my problem. I get the windows 10 pop-up on my current PC, but I'm building another completely new PC. On the current PC, I went from Vista Business (retail) to Win7 pro (upgrade). I want Win 10 pro on the new PC. I'm guessing I should just buy win10 pro at retail.

I only buy retail license. This way MSFT can't argue with me with all the gaming rig changes. Safer this way. I think a lot of enthusiasts will encounter problems with the "free" W10 upgrade license after next year, as most of us proceed with HW upgrades after upgrades.
 
I installed a new motherboard and then did a clean install of windows 10 from a usb stick. It showed as not activated, so I connected online with Microsoft customer support. He did ask for my windows 7 key, remotely connected to my pc, and activated it.
 
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