Changing motherboard and CPU, do I need another Win 10 key?

[SM125]

Going from AMD to Intel, and I have previously upgraded from Win 8 to Win 10. Everywhere says something different on what will happen with the key so would like a final answer.

If I swap the mobo and cpu, then boot up with a win 10 bootable usb, will the Win8 key work and activate or will I have to buy a Win 10 key?

 

[USAFRet]

Now....Retail should remain Retail. However...it appears it does not.

That seemed to be where M$ was heading with TH2 which accepted Win7/8/8.1 activation keys but now that they removed the TH2 ISO to force people to get 10240 and then update to 10511, yay for a 3-4GB download + 3-4GB update instead of a single 3-4GB up-to-date download, things are back to being unnecessarily ambiguous and complicated again.

Not exactly the best way to inspire confidence and get people who are comfortable with 7/8/8.1 to upgrade even if Windows 10 is a "free" upgrade.

No, ISO is already back on servers, final version is 1511-10586.14. It can be downloaded and used to install clean or update.

Good to know.

 

[SM125]

Quick little update, I checked for updates yesterday and reinstalled to see if it invalidated my key. Upon restarting I was greeted with "Upgrading to Windows 10" (even though I had it already obviously), it then upgraded, kept all of my files and I assume also removed drivers which was ideal in my case.

When checking to see if Windows was still activated it states "Windows 10 on this device is activated with a digital entitlement.", it didn't say this before so I'm not sure if something has changed or this is just something new with the new update.

Just to clarify, I changed both the motherboard and CPU at the same time (AMD to Intel) without re-installing (at the time) and it remained activated up until yesterday, at which it then made me "re-upgrade?" to Windows 10 again.

Still none the wiser as the whole upgrading hardware ordeal and just Windows 10 actiavtion in general seems to be extremely unclear.

 

[CountMike]

Retail version, that's why but yes MS is as clear as mud when it comes to those things.

 

[InvalidError]

Windows 10 actiavtion in general seems to be extremely unclear.

It is. Especially with Microsoft changing their mind about some aspect of activation, upgrade, updates, etc. every other week so whatever you thought you knew from what you read over the past few weeks might no longer be representative of the current state of things next week, just like the TH2 release changed many of the rules, then Microsoft pulled it from download servers to force people to go through updates, and apparently reinstated it a week later.

I wonder how many people and companies got put off of Windows 10 by the multiple flip-flops Microsoft has been doing about multiple issues and controversies related to it. It almost smells like Microsoft will have to offer free upgrades to Windows 11 to finally bury Windows 7/8/8.1/10.

 

[CountMike]

Right there, once you consider all the policy changes since the first Insider (TP) version which I started with, whole mess looks even worse. Starting from general manager change and many other shuffled around it's even partly understandable. Billy should have never let it go that far.

 

[Nykyria]

Quick little update, I checked for updates yesterday and reinstalled to see if it invalidated my key. Upon restarting I was greeted with "Upgrading to Windows 10" (even though I had it already obviously), it then upgraded, kept all of my files and I assume also removed drivers which was ideal in my case.

When checking to see if Windows was still activated it states "Windows 10 on this device is activated with a digital entitlement.", it didn't say this before so I'm not sure if something has changed or this is just something new with the new update.

Just to clarify, I changed both the motherboard and CPU at the same time (AMD to Intel) without re-installing (at the time) and it remained activated up until yesterday, at which it then made me "re-upgrade?" to Windows 10 again.

Still none the wiser as the whole upgrading hardware ordeal and just Windows 10 actiavtion in general seems to be extremely unclear.

I was curious to know how your win10 was doing? If you have had no further issues and win is still activated? I really want to do change over from AMD to intel and have been curious about these issues as well. I have swapped my win 7 to a new HDD (using fresh install with ms code) and then moved the HDD from an older computer/mobo/cpu/ram and installed it in a new rig with no problems, however both rigs were AMD based. So, I've updated to win10 and I'm not really sure about swapping over to intel just yet, but if it can be done then I'm in! Thanks!

 

[mrpuppt]

Greetings...

I had to replace my mobo and was using the free Windows 10 upgrade from a copy of Windows 7. I'm using an AMD chip and did not move over to Intel, I just kept what I had (replaced to same motherboard/chip I had). My copy of Windows 10 is now no longer activated. When I contacted their tech support via chat, they said what has been said here - my copy of Windows is "married" to my old motherboard. I was given two options - find my old Windows 7 product key and they would use that to activate Windows 10, or purchase a new Windows 10 license.

I'm horrible at keeping up with things, and I have no clue where my old Windows 7 product key is. But I don't want to pay $100-200 for Windows 10 from Microsoft just to get a legit key, as I can't afford it. I had a legit key until I replaced my motherboard. However, I have found sites like these that offer keys. Does anyone know if they are legit? This could be a much cheaper solution for my issue....

http://products.odosta.com http://key4vip.com

 

[USAFRet]

I'm horrible at keeping up with things, and I have no clue where my old Windows 7 product key is. But I don't want to pay $100-200 for Windows 10 from Microsoft just to get a legit key, as I can't afford it. I had a legit key until I replaced my motherboard. However, I have found sites like these that offer keys. Does anyone know if they are legit? This could be a much cheaper solution for my issue....

Buying OS licenses from shady sites:
www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2736528/windows-key-blocked-copy-recognized-genuine-ssd-fix-problem.html
http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/9/8006693/the-truth-behind-those-mysteriously-cheap-gray-market-game-codes

Not OS, but game licenses (same concept):
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-01-26-it-looks-like-ubisoft-is-going-after-third-party-key-sellers

 

[mrpuppt]

I'm horrible at keeping up with things, and I have no clue where my old Windows 7 product key is. But I don't want to pay $100-200 for Windows 10 from Microsoft just to get a legit key, as I can't afford it. I had a legit key until I replaced my motherboard. However, I have found sites like these that offer keys. Does anyone know if they are legit? This could be a much cheaper solution for my issue....

Buying OS licenses from shady sites:
www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2736528/windows-key-blocked-copy-recognized-genuine-ssd-fix-problem.html
http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/9/8006693/the-truth-behind-those-mysteriously-cheap-gray-market-game-codes

Not OS, but game licenses (same concept):
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-01-26-it-looks-like-ubisoft-is-going-after-third-party-key-sellers

The old adage "if it's too good to be true..." Makes sense. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Nykyria]

Greetings...

I had to replace my mobo and was using the free Windows 10 upgrade from a copy of Windows 7. I'm using an AMD chip and did not move over to Intel, I just kept what I had (replaced to same motherboard/chip I had). My copy of Windows 10 is now no longer activated. When I contacted their tech support via chat, they said what has been said here - my copy of Windows is "married" to my old motherboard. I was given two options - find my old Windows 7 product key and they would use that to activate Windows 10, or purchase a new Windows 10 license.

I'm horrible at keeping up with things, and I have no clue where my old Windows 7 product key is. But I don't want to pay $100-200 for Windows 10 from Microsoft just to get a legit key, as I can't afford it. I had a legit key until I replaced my motherboard. However, I have found sites like these that offer keys. Does anyone know if they are legit? This could be a much cheaper solution for my issue....

http://products.odosta.com http://key4vip.com

Honestly, I'm kinda leery when it comes to buying software online. I've went through amazon a few times and have had no issue. That's actually where I plan to get my next sub from if I change over to intel and my current version of windows doesn't work. However, I think you have kind of helped me as I keep most of my stuff and if the win7 key is all that I need then maybe it's possible after all! Thanks!

 

[mrpuppt]

Greetings...

I had to replace my mobo and was using the free Windows 10 upgrade from a copy of Windows 7. I'm using an AMD chip and did not move over to Intel, I just kept what I had (replaced to same motherboard/chip I had). My copy of Windows 10 is now no longer activated. When I contacted their tech support via chat, they said what has been said here - my copy of Windows is "married" to my old motherboard. I was given two options - find my old Windows 7 product key and they would use that to activate Windows 10, or purchase a new Windows 10 license.

I'm horrible at keeping up with things, and I have no clue where my old Windows 7 product key is. But I don't want to pay $100-200 for Windows 10 from Microsoft just to get a legit key, as I can't afford it. I had a legit key until I replaced my motherboard. However, I have found sites like these that offer keys. Does anyone know if they are legit? This could be a much cheaper solution for my issue....

http://products.odosta.com http://key4vip.com

Honestly, I'm kinda leery when it comes to buying software online. I've went through amazon a few times and have had no issue. That's actually where I plan to get my next sub from if I change over to intel and my current version of windows doesn't work. However, I think you have kind of helped me as I keep most of my stuff and if the win7 key is all that I need then maybe it's possible after all! Thanks!

That's what I was told this morning. Since I can't find my old Win 7 key, then I'll be limping along with an un-activated Windows for the time being. 😛

 

[CountMike]

Grab Enterprise, will be good for 90 days without nags, should be able to extend for another 90, join insiders and everything is 100% functional.

 

[SM125]

Quick little update, I checked for updates yesterday and reinstalled to see if it invalidated my key. Upon restarting I was greeted with "Upgrading to Windows 10" (even though I had it already obviously), it then upgraded, kept all of my files and I assume also removed drivers which was ideal in my case.

When checking to see if Windows was still activated it states "Windows 10 on this device is activated with a digital entitlement.", it didn't say this before so I'm not sure if something has changed or this is just something new with the new update.

Just to clarify, I changed both the motherboard and CPU at the same time (AMD to Intel) without re-installing (at the time) and it remained activated up until yesterday, at which it then made me "re-upgrade?" to Windows 10 again.

Still none the wiser as the whole upgrading hardware ordeal and just Windows 10 actiavtion in general seems to be extremely unclear.

I was curious to know how your win10 was doing? If you have had no further issues and win is still activated? I really want to do change over from AMD to intel and have been curious about these issues as well. I have swapped my win 7 to a new HDD (using fresh install with ms code) and then moved the HDD from an older computer/mobo/cpu/ram and installed it in a new rig with no problems, however both rigs were AMD based. So, I've updated to win10 and I'm not really sure about swapping over to intel just yet, but if it can be done then I'm in! Thanks!

I wouldn't recommend doing the same as I did as it seems to be a lottery whether or not it will work, however, since switching to Intel about 2 months ago I have had zero problems (so far).

I removed as many AMD related drivers as I could find after booting in, and I have had zero crashes or performance issues of any sort, also as it stands today my Win 10 is still activated, albeit with a digital entitlement as I upgraded from Win 8.

If I wasn't in such a rush to get the PC up and running again without losing anything I would have gone the normal way with a fresh install of windows.