Will changing video card affect windows 7 activation?

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Sparrow_69

Gawd
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I'm in the process of building a new core i7 system. I have all the parts, except the video card gtx 275 (which I'm still waiting to get by courier). My gf's pc has a pci-e ati x600 video card. I'm itching to put this system together and install my academic copy of windows 7 professional. I'm wondering if the change in video card will affect the activation? From what I've read, the serial is tied to the mobo. Is that correct? Barring a change in mobo, I should be ok?
 
you could be certain it wouldn't by not providing the key & activating until after you have the card installed. You need to pick the correct version for your key however (if it asks) and you should get 30 days before you need to activate, which can be extended ~3 times.
 
Yah you don't need to provide the key on install. I've never had to reactivate after a video card change though and I've done a lot of those. You'll be fine either way.
 
From what I've read, the serial is tied to the mobo. Is that correct?
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Not really.

Activation depends upon a 'hash' checksum calculated by using a portion of the install key code, together with a number of different system components. There is tolerance for a certain amount of component change before the product will deactivate, however a 'motherboard' is really numerous different components so a motherboard change will represent a substantial 'change' to the hardware configuration of the rig.

I've never encountered a situation where a graphics card change alone has generated a deactivation of Windows, in any windows version at all. However, if other changes have already occurred previously then the graphics card change could trigger a cumulative 'too much change' scenario.

Data in relation to the hardware configuration gets 'flushed' and reset at regular intervals, by the way, and a new 'baseline configuration' for the machine set accordingly.


In the unlikely circumstance that your graphics card change cumulatively triggered deactivation, then the install would need to be reactivated manually, by using telephone activation. When you choose 'activate by telephone' you first go through the 'automatic telephone activation' procedure and, after that also fails, you get presented with the option to speak with an activation centre person should you disagree with the outcome. Choose that, and you'll basically just be asked to confirm that your copy of windows is only installed on the one system and then stepped through the procedure for manual reactivation. Be at your PC with phone in hand and pen/paper at the ready should you need to do this, as there is a lengthy code number to be entered and you'll need to get it right :)


By the way. If you don't initially activate your install you get 30 days before the installation will stop working. This could well be enough time for your new graqphics card to arrive, so your most sensible course of action is to simply not yet activate the install. If the delay is more than 30 days then you could use the 'rearm' trick to extend that period for another 30 days.
 
When going from the trial to actually activating with a valid key, I'm assuming everything stays exactly as it was, no re-install or anything? Can't seem to find any info specific to W7 activations, only for vista (which I assume may be similar to what will be used for w7)
 
There is no need to reinstall in order to activate a Windows installation which has not yet been activated.
 
  • You install Windows, entering your install key code but deselecting the 'activate now' option during the installation. (This is a sensible practice to follow for EVERYBODY, because you don't generate activation events for borked initial install/configuration efforts. It's best to activate AFTER you've got everything installed and confirmed as operational, not before you do so!)
  • You then get a 30 day 'grace' period before the installation actually needs to be activated. Windows will be fully functional. If you use it beyond the 30 day grace period then Windows will go into 'reduced functionality' mode.
  • If, before the 30 day grace period has expired, you apply the 'rearm' command then another 30 days grace period will commence from that point in time onwards. The 'rearm' command can be applied 3 times in succession to an unactivated windows installation, so effectively you can extend the 'grace period' to a theroetical 120 days. (The command would have to be issued on the final day of the grace period each time, of course, if you are to extend the period to 120 days overall. Earlier uses of the command would reduce the overall grace period by the relevent number of days.)


Got all that? There's no need to use a 'trial install' which doesn't have the install key entered (and thus 'assigned' to the installation). You only need to untick the 'activate' option when you are installing the thing.

Even if you aren't needing to extend the grace period, you should still untick the 'activate' box during the install, so you can get it all set up and working properly before you go 'wasting' an activation event.
 
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