Installing a new motherboard without re-installing windows.

RedMageLP

Distinguished
Jun 15, 2013
10
0
18,510
I'm about to buy a new motherboard and CPU and was wondering if I can install the new hardware and just boot my current windows installation from my hard drive instead of doing a clean install. I have lost my windows 7 disk along with the serial key.

for reference my current cpu is an AMD fx-4100 and my motherboard is a Gigabyte ma-880gm-USB3

the new cpu is an Intel i5-3570k and the new motherboard is an Asus P8Z77-V LX 2 (ATX)
 

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
You say it's Win7, so tes chances are very good, even better if your OS was up to date as far as updates. Just put the rig together plug in the drive and boot, WIN7 generally will start, basically tell it self ooops, and start loading default drivers for the new hardware, (helps to have the latest drivers from the mobo site handy on a thumb drive, but have done this successfully numerous times, even going from an AMD to an Intel rig and vice versa - if it is successful (and for me generally it's always), you will need to reactivate Win, which is no big deal either. Think there's been like three-four people here on Tom's that I've told that have done this now in what less than two weeks
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


As said earlier and elsewhere...just try it. If it works, it works. If it doesn't...backup and regroup.
 

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
You however said 'doubtful', the other 'Experts' said flat out No (and have prob never even tried), having done it dozens of times with successes about 75-80+% - nice to provide the option as I KNOW it can an often does work, and others right here at Tom's have done it.... Will XP/Vista do it, haven't really tried, have had Vista come through a couple, but basically don't even try, time wise you have a good idea within minute or so of booting, if it get's into Win7 (and the copy is updated) chances are good, I carry a hard drive with me that has Win7 Ultimate on it for troubleshooting
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Yes I did say 'doubtful'. I also initially said (and usually say for situations just like this) - just try it.

Not to go off on a rant here, but I see this far too often here and elsewhere:
"Will this specific configuration of that stuff combined with some other stuff work?"

No sense of exploration or investigation. Awaiting someone else to provide the final answer.
And invariably, some say yes, some say no, some say maybe.

Just try it. There is little to lose. And the result might provide a specific data point for someone else with that specific hardware/software configuration.
 

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
I agree with you, it can't hurt to try, just gets annoying here when 'experts' give a flat out 'No' when they have no idea at all what they are talking about, see this especially in the memory section, and I've been a volunteer over at GSkills forums as an Admin since about 2009 - there are so many experts, problem is most are talking experience from DDR and DRR2, and have no idea about today's DRAM