Can I upgrade my CPU without reloading windows?

D

Deadjasper

2[H]4U
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Oct 28, 2001
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MB = Gigabyte GA M57SLI S4 (Don't know the Ver. # and can't find it on the board)

Current CPU = AMD Athlon 64 6000+

OS = Vista 64bit

I want to replace the current CPU with a 9950 quad core. Can I do this without reloading the OS? Will I have to reactivate Vista? Is this upgrade even worth the effort?

TIA
 
It might work, but I would think you would defiantly have to reactivate Vista. Windows has never been very good with those kinds of upgrades. So it may be touch and go.
 
Vista is much more tolerant of major platform changes than XP. The biggest issue is making sure your boot drive controller at least has a mode supported by the base Vista drivers.

IE, set your SATA controller to IDE mode in the BIOS on the new MB until you get hardware specific drivers for your controller loaded.

If that's the case, you'll have to do 4 or 5 reboots to get all the hardware detected, and you'll need to reactivate. But you should be OK
 
I just replaced the cpu only last week and I had to re-activate. I went from a E6400 to a Q9550.
 
ServiceInteract said:
I don't recall having to reactivate when going from e6400 to e7300
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Dual core to dual core. However, if you go dual core to quad, then you'll probably need to reactive because the number of processors changed.

Also, if you have any protected media content, be aware that it will not play until you reacquire a new license. For example, if you stream netflix videos, your browser will crash every time it starts to play.
 
I've had to reactivate for just changing the ram so there is a good chance you will with a cpu too. No need to reinstall just for a cpu change though.
 
As long as your activations are far enough apart you won't have to call. I've had to call when it was just a few months since the last activation. They're short temepered people with an accent I could hardly understand. I've yet to have someone on the other end not get pissed at me because I couldn't understand them.
 
defuseme2k said:
As long as your activations are far enough apart you won't have to call. I've had to call when it was just a few months since the last activation. They're short temepered people with an accent I could hardly understand. I've yet to have someone on the other end not get pissed at me because I couldn't understand them.
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People from India have accents? Uh, go figure :rolleyes: def, maybe you should replace your phone. If you listen carfully their english isn't that bad. Are you sure the problem wasn't on your end?

A week after I changed my cpu I then changed out my mb and had to reactivate again. The service I received was excellent every single time. When I changed out the cpu into my old mb there were issues. I was on the phone with the second level help for two hours. The next day I was on the phone with third level help for three hours. The service was excellent, and their english wasn't too bad. All you have to do is listen carefully and just accept that english isn't their native language. It's not their fault companies moved to places like India.
 
Changing a mb is completely different matter and if I am changing the mb I don't even bother to try and save my OS install. I just format the HDD and reinstall the OS. With the 2 hours you spent on the phone with tech support phone you could have done a clean install and been up and running again in half that time.

I've had issues trying to understand Indian tech support before so it is not just him.
 
Klob said:
Changing a mb is completely different matter and if I am changing the mb I don't even bother to try and save my OS install. I just format the HDD and reinstall the OS. With the 2 hours you spent on the phone with tech support phone you could have done a clean install and been up and running again in half that time.

I've had issues trying to understand Indian tech support before so it is not just him.
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It was a clean install. Ended up being the mb didn't like the Q9550 very much.
 
Oh, didn't fully understand you then. Still, Microsoft tech support is usually a big waste of time and it is easier to figure it out yourself.
 
Klob said:
Oh, didn't fully understand you then. Still, Microsoft tech support is usually a big waste of time and it is easier to figure it out yourself.
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QFT. 5 mins on google will likely point you in a better direction than their tech support.
 
Although it was on windows 7 beta, I just swapped out a x2 4600+ for a x4 940BE, just made sure to set all my clocks back to auto (no forced overclocking) in the mobo before dropping it in, windows worked just fine.
 
RogueTrip said:
Although it was on windows 7 beta, I just swapped out a x2 4600+ for a x4 940BE, just made sure to set all my clocks back to auto (no forced overclocking) in the mobo before dropping it in, windows worked just fine.
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Glad to hear that worked. I was thinking that simply swapping the CPU should be no problem for the OS, since you're keeping the same motherboard. Glad to know that the Windows7 beta could do it that simply, especially with all the hardware validation/authentication crap-ola.
 
Klob said:
Oh, didn't fully understand you then. Still, Microsoft tech support is usually a big waste of time and it is easier to figure it out yourself.
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I had no choice since doing a clean install and Vista wasn't taking my key.

xenotype said:
QFT. 5 mins on google will likely point you in a better direction than their tech support.
Click to expand...

Believe me. I was on google solid for a couple of days.
 
Deadjasper said:
MB = Gigabyte GA M57SLI S4 (Don't know the Ver. # and can't find it on the board)

Current CPU = AMD Athlon 64 6000+

OS = Vista 64bit

I want to replace the current CPU with a 9950 quad core. Can I do this without reloading the OS? Will I have to reactivate Vista? Is this upgrade even worth the effort?

TIA
Click to expand...

installing a new MB even if it is an identical model, will result in windows vista wanting to activate, I know this from first hand experience.......
 
Probably because most hardware has a serial number identifier so each mb probably has its own serial number identifier.
 
Klob said:
Probably because most hardware has a serial number identifier so each mb probably has its own serial number identifier.
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Didnt know about that. I remember when intel's p3's had a unique identifying code and users went apeshit, until they released a bios update that let you turn it off. Didnt know that other hardware (mobo/ram/cpu) could be uniquely identified. NIC via MAC addys, well sure. Didnt know that the mobo could know itself from the same make /model diff't serial.
 
I have changed out processors many times without having to reactivate Windows.
 
Getting Vista reactivated over the phone in the case of a hardware swap shouldn't be a big deal. Just make the call tell them what you did and you should be ready to go in five minutes.
 
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