Do I need to re-buy Windows 10 if I install another motherboard and CPU but keep my HDD?

[detralt]

Like I said above, do I need to re-buy Windows 10 if I install another motherboard and CPU but keep my HDD? I've linked my key to my account on Microsoft but i'm unsure if I need to spend more money on Windows 10

 

[Karadjgne]

No. But you will need to reinstall windows as it'll be all tied up with drivers etc from the old mobo and stands a good chance of conflicts.

 

[Colif]

Was Windows 10 pre installed on current PC?

Before you do anything, check in settings/update & security/activation

If next to activation it says Windows is activated with a digital license, then your licence is still attached to hardware. If you have a MIcrosoft account, you can link it to licence by slicking add an account button. If you don't have one, click this link and make one - https://account.microsoft.com/

If next to activation it says Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account, then your licence is currently linked to your email address.

To answer your question, NO, not if you can link it to email address. All you need to do to move it then is follow the steps under Using the Activation troubleshooter after a significant hardware change on this page - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

 

[USAFRet]

Adding to the above, if you can transfer it to the new hardware, you can't continue to use it on the old hardware.

1 license, 1 PC.

 

[USAFRet]

Read and do this before you change any parts:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

 

[detralt]

Was Windows 10 pre installed on current PC?

Before you do anything, check in settings/update & security/activation

If next to activation it says Windows is activated with a digital license, then your licence is still attached to hardware. If you have a MIcrosoft account, you can link it to licence by slicking add an account button. If you don't have one, click this link and make one - https://account.microsoft.com/

If next to activation it says Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account, then your licence is currently linked to your email address.

To answer your question, NO, not if you can link it to email address. All you need to do to move it then is follow the steps under Using the Activation troubleshooter after a significant hardware change on this page - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

So I linked my account a long time ago so after I change the hardware I just have to sign back in or something and i have Windows reactivated?

 

[daerohn]

If your license is linked to an account your key is also generated depending on your hardware. If the hardware changes alot (MB-CPU-HDD) then what you should do is to call MS online servie, explain that your old PC will not be used again and they will make you enter some commands via CMD. After that you will have to phone activate your copy of Win 10. Recently been that road. However you need to call the technical support not the activation guys. The activation guys insist you to buy a new copy. The technical guıys will help you with it.

 

[Karadjgne]

Last time I had to change a mobo with license, since I already had it registered, just went to my Microsoft account after new registration and deleted the old listing, leaving me with just 1 pc on this license. Microsoft isn't bothered by multiple instances of unregistered windows, they give windows away for free, all they worry about is 1 pc per 1 liscence unless you have a commercial license that covers multiple pcs