Re-installing Win10 on PC with new motherboard -- is this OK with MS ?

Windows 10 Home Premium is currently installed on my desktop PC (1 GB HDD, 4GB RAM).

There's been quite a few problems with the Gigabyte motherboard, and I'd like to change to a new motherboard, while keeping the Intel Processor, RAM, HDD and DVD drive unchanged. Even the case and the power unit would remain unchanged.

I plan to reinstall Windows 7 Home Premium, and then upgrade to Windows 10 using the Win10 .iso.

But would that be OK by Microsoft's system and rules ? Am asking because apparently Windows 10 when installed and activated gets tied with the specific hardware. Have heard that one can't activate again with different hardware.

Thanks.

Hello esgee,

Yes, you will find that a motherboard change will not automatically reactivate because MS considers your original W10 to be associated with the previous MB. This is a good example of where you need to contact MS by phone and they will be able to reactivate for you provided you explain that you have changed motherboards and are not going to be re-using the old one. It should not be necessary to reinstall W7 just install W10 directly from the .iso; I am assuming you will go for a different motherboard but if not you might be able to simply plug back in the previous HDD and start up OK.

philc43 said:

Hello esgee,

Yes, you will find that a motherboard change will not automatically reactivate because MS considers your original W10 to be associated with the previous MB. This is a good example of where you need to contact MS by phone and they will be able to reactivate for you provided you explain that you have changed motherboards and are not going to be re-using the old one. It should not be necessary to reinstall W7 just install W10 directly from the .iso; I am assuming you will go for a different motherboard but if not you might be able to simply plug back in the previous HDD and start up OK.

That's a relief ! Thanks.

And I certainly will be going for a different motherboard.

Didn't know I can install Win10 directly. That's great. Thanks again. :)

philc43 said:

Hello esgee,

Yes, you will find that a motherboard change will not automatically reactivate because MS considers your original W10 to be associated with the previous MB. This is a good example of where you need to contact MS by phone and they will be able to reactivate for you provided you explain that you have changed motherboards and are not going to be re-using the old one. It should not be necessary to reinstall W7 just install W10 directly from the .iso; I am assuming you will go for a different motherboard but if not you might be able to simply plug back in the previous HDD and start up OK.

If this is a retail copy of Windows 7, it most likely will not require a phone call unless it has been activated a number of times on different hardware. If it is an OEM copy of Windows 7, then the EULA only allows for transfer in the case of a mother that is identical (although it may work if this is a commercial board like Gigabyte rather than an OEM one).

Mystere said:

If this is a retail copy of Windows 7, it most likely will not require a phone call unless it has been activated a number of times on different hardware. If it is an OEM copy of Windows 7, then the EULA only allows for transfer in the case of a mother that is identical (although it may work if this is a commercial board like Gigabyte rather than an OEM one).

This Win7 is a retail copy. And let's see how it works out after I set up the new MB.


Cheers.