[SOLVED] Can someone look over my build before I begin to transplant it to the "other" computer I ordered, including windows?

KomiiTail

Reputable
Jun 4, 2014
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Ok here we go, first time posting. I have always wanted to build my own computer but I always had that dread that you get when first timers do it. I have upgraded my first computer the same way i'm going to do this one. Anyway here's my build of what my finished product will look like after I transplant all the hardware into the "cyberpower" case. I ordered a whole new motherboard and a GPU and 3 Seperate HDDs. 2 SSD and 1 HDD. I'm only keeping one 7k HDD that comes with windows installed. I'm keeping the processor that is an i7

CPU: i7-8700K 3.70GHZ 12MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1151 (Coffee Lake)
CPU COOLER: 360 MM CORSAIR HYDRO Series H150i PRO RGB AIO
HDD: 6TB 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM (OS installed, I need to find a way to put the OS on a solid state...) It also has something called (Plus 16GB Intel Optane Memory HDD Acceleration ) whatever that means. IF you do please tell me.
HDD: SanDisk Ultra 3D NAND 2TB Internal SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s
HDD: Crucial MX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5
HDD: (Quick internal storage) WD Red 8TB NAS Internal Hard Drive - 5400 RPM
RAM: CORSAIR Dominator Platinum RGB 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200 x 4
MOTHERBOARD: MSI MEG Z390 ACE LGA1151 (Intel 8th and 9th Gen) M.2 USB 3.1 Gen 2 DDR4 Wi-Fi SLI CFX ATX Z390 Gaming Motherboard
PSU: 600 Watts - Thermaltake SMART series 600Watts 80 Plus Gold high-efficient Power Supply (Really need help on this, more on it below)
WIRELESS/BLUETOOTH: ASUS PCE-AC55BT B1 AC1200 Wireless Bluetooth 4.2 PCIe/Mpcie Adapter
SURGE PROTECTOR/OUTLET: Tripplite TLP66USBR Protect It! 6-Outlet Surge Protector, 4 USB Ports, 6 ft. Cord, 1080 Joules, Diagnostic LED, Black Housing
GPU: NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 WINDFORCE 8GB

I looked at https://outervision.com/power-supply-calculator and with this build it uses 470W and recomends 550W. So 600 should be ok right? I have my eye on something bigger and better but my house is VERY old and some of the heaters I have brought home have straight up malfunctioned my wiring and turned off, exploded, and shut down the side of the house. I am worried about messing with the power grid but 600W is what my current computer has so all is good with 600W. If it isn't broke.... is that how the saying goes?

Now, I bought windows pre installed on this cyberpower PC. Do I own the license to windows? I also bought windows on this current computer I own. I have a KEY to it. Does that mean I have the OEM? How would I go about installing it on this new motherboard I am buying? well more importantly to a solid state 1TB that will be my OS drive linked to my new ACE motherboard. Do i have to buy ANOTHER version of windows? Is there a way to install windows and then use the key that I have written down and retire the current computer that i'm using that is linked to this key? I also have Acronis. I want to copy the contents of a few drives into one drive... but then again I think its going to be a mess because once I switch the windows directory that everything is linked to its going to be a mess isn't it? I dread to think.

Does acronis do that, clone drives via ISO?
How do I save/copy windows from the preinstalled mechanical HDD on to my 1TB solid state, and if not possible, can I use the key from the copy I have for the version i'm using for this computer that i'm typing from? How do I get windows installed on the new computer once its a blank slate? I do not have a windows 10 CD nor a USB drive. Help! sorry total newbie here! If none of this works just tell me and I will sadly buy a new copy of windows.

Lastly do I need any risers or special gear to buy before I decide to take the old motherboard out and put the new one in? Thank you!!!
 
Solution
So, just for verification:
You will basically have 3 systems. For OS purposes, we, and Microsoft, regard the motherboard as "the system'.

Sys A that you already own and use
Sys B, the CyberPower
Sys C, all these new parts


The OS that came with the CyberPower system needs to stay with that motherboard.
The OS that YOU purchased can (probably) go with the new MSI Z390 motherboard.

Does Sys A still operate?
If so, read this:
For the OS activation, read and do this before you change any parts:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change



All of this WILL require a full wipe and reinstall...

KomiiTail

Reputable
Jun 4, 2014
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I have the parts I ordered coming to my house set aside. and I am transplanting those said parts into a computer that I ordered, very bare bones, no GPU lowest RAM i could get, no monitor no heatsink just bare bones except for a HDD with windows and the i7-8700k.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
So, just for verification:
You will basically have 3 systems. For OS purposes, we, and Microsoft, regard the motherboard as "the system'.

Sys A that you already own and use
Sys B, the CyberPower
Sys C, all these new parts


The OS that came with the CyberPower system needs to stay with that motherboard.
The OS that YOU purchased can (probably) go with the new MSI Z390 motherboard.

Does Sys A still operate?
If so, read this:
For the OS activation, read and do this before you change any parts:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change



All of this WILL require a full wipe and reinstall in this new hardware.


Not sure why you purchased a CyberPower just to gut it and replace everything.
 
Solution

KomiiTail

Reputable
Jun 4, 2014
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I purchased the CyberPower for a template of sorts to see how they connected the PSU to the motherboard and the fans to the motherboard and the ON/OFF switch to the MOBO and how they did the wiring pretty much. I hope to study it and learn how to mimic it on the new motherboard. What do I do with the OS from cyberpower and that motherboard? It's just an eternal back up? Or it just becomes its own system? hmm... new project it seems for another day right?
System A still operates, i'm using it right now to compose this. My new monitor came in for this... its a bit overwhelming. I never knew the point of increasing your mouse speed. I actually thought it was dumb and it made me mad everytime I did it by accident. "How stupid, why would anyone increase their mouse speed to something so fast...." well, now I know. This monitor is huge.

Sorry I went off topic, I will definitely read that article. THank you SO much for the help. This will help me so much. I appreciate it greatly.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
A CyberPower system should not be your template of "How to..." :LOL:
Frequently, they are 'not right'. But moving on:

The OS license that came with the CyberPower should stay with that motherboard. Either sell it, or build up another system.
 

KomiiTail

Reputable
Jun 4, 2014
8
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4,510
I have a quick question, can I just make an .iso image/back up of this drive with acronis and load that into my new MOBO? Or just plug my new harddrive INTO that new mobo? I was reading the article.. and am a bit confused, so I can just register it with the new hardware correct? I'm sorry for taking up your time USAFret. Thank you for your service... i'm 100% P&T. Army Vet here.
 

Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
Right now, your old drive has the OS. That's going to contain all the drivers, all the registry stuff, all the info and directions about your old motherboard and old hardware. A straight up clone will copy all of that old, useless junk to the new drive. Which you put on a new and different mobo. Which needs new drivers, new directions and info for new hardware etc etc. That's highly likely to cause conflicts, slowdowns, confusion, freezes, even possibly bsod. You are showing up for today's muster wearing yesterday's greens, when everyone else is in dress.

It's highly recommended to start a fresh install with just the OS drive (new) connected to the mobo, no other drives. This puts all the new hardware, new drivers, new info for the new pc in the right spot. When all that's done, windows updated, all the bs overwith, then hook up the other drives. Reinstall any software you need to, Migrate whatever you need to, like documents, saved games, pictures, whatever. When you are finished, with all migrating and moving, you'll have a OS that's setup for the new pc, not setup for the old pc. Then just format the old drive, wiping out the old OS and starting out with everything fresh.

Then just log into your Microsoft account and activate the new copy of windows. Not the CyberPowerPC registration as that's not the CyberPowerPC registered copy of windows which is tied to the CyberPowerPC motherboard.

Cloneing by ISO is for when the only thing changing is the physical drive itself, like moving your squad from an old busted jeep to a new Hummer. By changing everything like the mobo, gpu, drives etc you are not keeping the old squad and moving to a new Hummer, you are getting a new squad, new Hummer and are going to have issues when you call the new guys by your old squads members names. If you think Sgt. Schultz is gonna be mad if you refer to her as PFC Billy Bob, imagine what an MSI motherboard will do with the old Asus or Gigabyte motherboard drivers.
 
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Now, I bought windows pre installed on this cyberpower PC. Do I own the license to windows?
You own a license to use THAT installation of windows on that SPECIFIC machine. You cannot transfer the installation of windows that came pre-installed on the cyberpower PC to another machine.

I also bought windows on this current computer I own. I have a KEY to it. Does that mean I have the OEM?
You also own a license to use THAT installation of windows on that SPECIFIC machine. You cannot transfer the installation of windows that came pre-installed on the current computer you own to another machine.

That is OEM licensing in a nutshell--the license stays with the machine, and dies with the machine.

For your new build, you will need to buy a new copy of windows to install on the new computer.

Now.....can you, if you have an original product key, that has NEVER been used to re-install windows to the machine that it came affixed to, use that key to install windows to another computer?

Some people will tell you, "Yes. That will work."

I, on the other hand don't suggest that you do that.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You own a license to use THAT installation of windows on that SPECIFIC machine. You cannot transfer the installation of windows that came pre-installed on the cyberpower PC to another machine.


You also own a license to use THAT installation of windows on that SPECIFIC machine. You cannot transfer the installation of windows that came pre-installed on the current computer you own to another machine.

That is OEM licensing in a nutshell--the license stays with the machine, and dies with the machine.

For your new build, you will need to buy a new copy of windows to install on the new computer.

Now.....can you, if you have an original product key, that has NEVER been used to re-install windows to the machine that it came affixed to, use that key to install windows to another computer?

Some people will tell you, "Yes. That will work."

I, on the other hand don't suggest that you do that.

Not necessarily.
Win 10 has muddied the waters.

The CyberPower machine, probably cannot transfer that license to other hardware.
The other system, unknown. If that system were originally Win 7 or 8, and then upgraded to Win 10, it can indeed transfer to new hardware. Even if it were originally an OEM license.
The Upgrade undoes the OEMness.
If it is a Windows install that he purchased and installed, it can also be moved to new hardware.

It is worth a try, to see if that license will transfer to different hardware. If it does great. If it fails, you've lost nothing by trying.

Bottom line, though.
There are 3 systems, and 2 OS licenses. One of which may or may not be transferable to other hardware.
 
Not necessarily.
Win 10 has muddied the waters.
OK...I was composing my answer with the presumption that all installations were 'OEM' in nature, were originally W10, and that no 'Retail' releases were involved; while overlooking the use case of a prior 'OEM' version of W7 - W8.1 being upgraded to W10.

My natural assumption would be that Redmond's usual greed would have at least maintained a means to carry some sort of 'OEM' flag across to lock the upgraded installation to the machine particulars (whatever calculus they apply to NIC MAC, μP_serno, etc).

I am going to have to look into this a bit further--maybe experiment a bit with it--as it has potential bearing on three of my family members' machines.

While it would still be inadvisable to image from one system to a new system--because of the drivers implications--this does open up the possibility of creating restore media on one system and using it on the new system...

Definitely a new one on me--thanks for the heads-up.
 

DSzymborski

Curmudgeon Pursuivant
Moderator
Others have hit on some of the other major points, such as when you can use a license and the fact that you need to do a full wipe and reinstall, but I gotta ask about the power supply. I'm not quite sure what you have - the only Thermaltake Gold-rated in the Smart series are the DPS G and there's no Gold 600W, as far as I can tell. In fact, I can't find any 600W Thermaltake PSU that's rated Gold.

Which is a problem, because if this one of the Bronze ones, it's a far older, far lower-quality group-regulated version that uses cheaper capacitors that I wouldn't start pairing with an $800 PSU. The Gold ones are a modern CWT platform, the Bronze ones just slapped a microcontroller unit into the more junky group-regulated series.

So my question is: can you verify what PSU you actually have?
 

Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
Microsoft usually allows a onetime transfer of liscence, if it's retail and tied to you the owner if it's for the purposes of machine repair/upgrade. You can call Microsoft direct and they'll walk you through the process, but it boils down to changing their records of your machine. This un-registers the old machine, so if that motherboard was used again windows will eventually send you a flag telling you you have 10 days to get it registered or loose whatever abilities a registered version has. Basically that's done to prevent 1 licence being used across several machines. OEM copies are different, they get tied to the motherboard itself, not to you, so may or may not be transferable. 3rd party OEM are different again, those are the Dell, Sony, HP etc which are tied to the machines serial number. That number is tied to a type of mobo, not the specific one, so won't work on another type of motherboard, so if you had a Dell p2b, you could replace it with another Dell p2b, but not an aftermarket p2b or even a Dell p4x etc. Dells way of keeping you a compliant customer.

Win10 has vastly simplified all that on their end, not really yours, their thought being new mobo = new machine = new license.

According to TT, there's only a few gold rated in 6xx wattage, the SmartSE 630, the 650w DPS G, 650w litepower, 600w toughpower GX1, 650w toughpower GF1. The smart series are for stock replacements, not gaming machines, only the toughpower are decent
 
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