I'm looking to upgrade my Mobo, will I need to buy windows new as well?

[elliotpage]

So basically I currently have a Dell XPS 8300 PC with various upgrades inside however I am now looking to upgrade my Motherboard as this new GPU that I want apparently isn't compatible with my current motherboard.

Will I also need to buy a new version of windows if I am to upgrade my motherboard?

Also could anyone point me in the direction of an LGA1155, 4 ram slot, micro ATX board that supports UEFI. Many thanks

 

[USAFRet]

What version of Windows do you have currently?
Where did it come from?

 

[punkncat]

Hard to say. In essence you have an OEM load which is purchased by you for that 'stock' Dell computer.
I would register it with your Microsoft account and try.

 

[elliotpage]

initailly it was windows 7 OEM with the Dell system, but was then upgraded to windows 10 when it was released and rolled out for free to windows owners. Does this mean my windows 10 is non OEM??

 

[elliotpage]

Hard to say. In essence you have an OEM load which is purchased by you for that 'stock' Dell computer.
I would register it with your Microsoft account and try.

ok so I've registered this pc with microsoft, should this mean that i can transfer windows?

 

[USAFRet]

initailly it was windows 7 OEM with the Dell system, but was then upgraded to windows 10 when it was released and rolled out for free to windows owners. Does this mean my windows 10 is non OEM??

For a Win 10 that was upgraded from something else, you almost certainly do NOT have to buy a new OS license.

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
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

 

[pkincy]

The correct answer is you don't have to rebuy. The real fact however is you will have to jump through a number of hoops to get your OS activate. 2 years ago it was automatic. A year ago it was online. 6 months ago it was a quick phone call to the Microsoft Store. This month it was an hour call to the Microsoft Store. You will need a pdf of your invoice for the MoBo as they will want to upload that. Then they actually left the line and spent 20 minutes verifying I actually had purchased a new MoBo and then they hemmed and hawwed for another 40 minutes. Frankly I think they just want to make it hard and try and make you decide $209 is cheaper for you than all the time it takes to get it activated free. But it got done. Now I did RMA a board 6 months ago, so it is possible that their database indentified me as a potential bad actor and hence they made me go though more hoops than normal. At any rate it got done.

 

[punkncat]

^ I have not had that issue after registering with Microsoft account...read as sign in with...

I just recently changed a mobo and proc and it gave me zero issue. Wish I could say that about my Office suite, lol.
The thing that may or may not cause issue is it being the OEM rather than "retail", although I am not sure MS cares so much about that as they do the data mining possible on the platform. 😉 YMMV

 

[elliotpage]

Ok so I've managed to link windows 10 with my Microsoft account as recommended above and have ordered a new mobile. Will let you know how it pans out

 

[elliotpage]

Installed my new motherboard last night, booted the pc and windows just loaded as normal, didn't have to activate or anything! Looks like it was down to me linking it with my Microsoft account first but thanks for the help everyone x