Possible to "move" Insider Preview to a different system?

I think I already know the answer to this, but will ask anyway in hope I'm wrong. I started with Windows 10 Insider Preview back in mid 2015 when I could freely download a Pro ISO after registering as an Insider. As it wasn't originally a bought copy, an updated freebie is running now and is digitally activated. I'm planning to update my main PC with a new motherboard and CPU. When I do that, I'd like to move the current motherboard and CPU to the PC I'm using for Insider Preview since they are both newer and better than those in it now. Is there any way of doing that, even with a call to Microsoft?

The Windows 10 I'm running on that PC wouldn't survive past May 31 if I opted out of the Insider program since Microsoft originally provided it only for use in that program. That June 2015 download of 10 Pro didn't upgrade any previous Windows version, but was installed clean. It activated, as have subsequent builds. I just want to know if I can change motherboard, CPU and RAM and keep it or be forced to buy Windows 10 for that PC if I want to continue using it for Windows Insider.

Let me see if I have that.

You run Insider on a pc and want to upgrade the MB to the one currently used as your main. Insider pro or home has always been a retail channel.

What OS is currently on your main?

If it's Windows 10 and same edition as your Insider, it has digital entitlement, and you can continue using it for Insider program updates. If Windows 8 or 7 then you should able to gain a digital entitlement by upgrading or running Gatherosstate.exe to create a genuineticket xml when you install, unless you wish to retain 7 or 8.

Your Old Insider MB will still retain a digital entitlement linked to your MSA. You can move this to your new MB and run a downloaded full retail copy of windows 10 of the same edition. Activation will be linked to your MSA., so therefore free. If you need to phone Microsoft, you have taken the taken the previous windows 10 installation off the PC and it is not installed on anything else.

Your Old Insider MB could legitimately run a non-windows OS or go back to the XP or Vista it once hosted, presumably since it did not upgrade from 7 or 8. It does have the quirky situation of retaining the digital entitlement to 10 under the current situation.

Fafhrd said:

Let me see if I have that.

You run Insider on a pc and want to upgrade the MB to the one currently used as your main. Insider pro or home has always been a retail channel.

What OS is currently on your main?

If it's Windows 10 and same edition as your Insider, it has digital entitlement, and you can continue using it for Insider program updates. If Windows 8 or 7 then you should able to gain a digital entitlement by upgrading or running Gatherosstate.exe to create a genuineticket xml when you install, unless you wish to retain 7 or 8.

Thanks for the reply. It is Windows 10 Pro, same as the Insider Preview version.

Your Old Insider MB will still retain a digital entitlement linked to your MSA. You can move this to your new MB and run a downloaded full retail copy of windows 10 of the same edition. Activation will be linked to your MSA., so therefore free. If you need to phone Microsoft, you have taken the taken the previous windows 10 installation off the PC and it is not installed on anything else.

That could be a problem, possibly solvable by timing. The Windows 10 installation currently on my main PC would remain on that PC with the new motherboard, etc. It's my understanding the "free" Windows 10 carries the same rights as the 8.1 it upgraded. And 8/8.1 was retail rather than OEM, which should be transferable. Of course, I realize that will require a call to Microsoft.

larc919 said:

Of course, I realize that will require a call to Microsoft.

Probably it will not. If you link it to your MS account you should be able to transfer it to new hardware using the activation troubleshooter.

I think the free windows 10 (coming from clean install of preview with no previous qualifying OS) work the same as any other retail version.

Microsoft Account - Link to Digital License on Windows 10 PC

In any case the free upgrade doesn't seem to have finished. As of yesterday you can still activate Windows 10 with windows 7 keys so if transfer fails you should be able to just put in your key. It worked for me anyway.

lx07 said:

In any case the free upgrade doesn't seem to have finished. As of yesterday you can still activate Windows 10 with windows 7 keys so if transfer fails you should be able to just put in your key. It worked for me anyway.

Thanks for that info. Glad to know it's still working.

Marked solved. Here's an update:

A Windows Insider installation not piggybacked on regular Windows 10 is apparently tied to the Microsoft Account of the Windows Insider. I switched motherboard, CPU and RAM in my Insider box and it was activated when I logged in and checked. I did have to verify my Microsoft Account to get set for the Fast Ring again, but as soon as I did that and rebooted everything was back to normal. That motherboard had been in a PC that was activated for retail Windows 10 Pro, but I had already changed that installation to a new motherboard via Activation Troubleshooter. Still, I can't rule that out as a possible factor. :)