Can I replace my motherboard and reuse the Windows 7 OEM product key that's registered to the original motherboard?

[hahaha2360]

I have an old Windows 7 OEM PC that I've had for a while and would like to replace most of the parts, like the proccesser and motherboard. I've read elsewhere that I can call Microsoft and get the key transferred to the new motherboard, but I'm not sure if this would work. Can someone please clarify?

If this works, I plan upgrade to Windows 10, then do a clean install of the 64-bit edition, as the current Windows 7 is a 32-bit. I'm not sure if this would work with the product key shenanigans that would be happening.

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Old System Specs:

OS: Windows 7 32-bit OEM
CPU: AMD Athlon II X2 250
GPU: Nvidia 6150se nForce 430
RAM: 2GB DDR3
PSU: Whatever came with the case.
Case: Foxconn KS-188
Motherboard: Foxconn M61PMP-K


New System Specs:

OS: Windows 10 64-bit (hopefully)
CPU: AMD FX-8320
GPU: EVGA GTX 560 Ti (acquired from my brother (also, is this worth $60 at the current time?))
RAM: 8GB DDR3
PSU: EVGA 500B
Case: Foxconn KS-188
Motherboard: ASRock 970M Pro3
-------------------



Would it work?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jonas Dixon]

When upgrading to a new motherboard the windows won't recognize it as the same computer and therefore usually make the product key invalid. To get a new key you have to call microsoft support. I've had the exact same problem and i can verify that you can get a new key.

Hope this helps you!

 

[DSzymborski]

OEM Windows is tied to the motherboard. Microsoft is frequently helpful here, but System Builder licenses aren't meant to still work with motherboard upgrades, so don't absolutely count on it working.

You typically have better luck with an OEM license that isn't one tied to a specific manufacturer.

In the past, Microsoft has generally left this a rather gray area. On a technical level, individuals building PCs for themselves aren't allowed to use the System Builder licenses, but Microsoft has never really enforced this.

 

[hahaha2360]

When upgrading to a new motherboard the windows won't recognize it as the same computer and therefore usually make the product key invalid. To get a new key you have to call microsoft support. I've had the exact same problem and i can verify that you can get a new key.

Hope this helps you!

Thank you! I've read that you could do that, as evidenced in the post, but wasn't sure if it would actually work. I'm assembling the parts soon and will try this. Thanks again!

 

[Jonas Dixon]

No problem, glad i could help!

 

[hahaha2360]

No problem, glad i could help!

Turns out that Windows 7 doesn't want to play nice with the new motherboard. After a few hours of switching the hard drive between the old motherboard (sitting on a cardboard box outside the case. lol) and the new one and uninstalling all the drivers that relate to the old motherboard. Every time I would boot it up with the new hardware, Windows would boot up to just before the login screen, then crash, then go to Startup Repair, which would then fail to solve the problem. Windows 7 still runs on the old motherboard perfectly fine. I don't have the Windows 7 install disk, so I can't perform a clean install through that.

Any ideas?


EDIT:
I later tried plugging the drive of an old laptop that I had upgraded to Windows 10 into my computer (not the one sitting on the cardboard box) and voila! It booted up perfectly and the computer is now running Windows 10! Only problem is that it's one of the free upgrades and I can't connect it to the internet, so it's not a viable solution.