[SOLVED] Just bought an older mb so I can install Windows 7, but shop refuses to install Windows 7!

[echolane]

I own a dual boot Win 7, Win 10 system installed on an Intel motherboard DZ87KLT-75K and Core i7 CPU. Something is wrong and intermittently the system will crash so I bought a used version of the same Intel mb so I can continue to use Win 7.

The local computer store I consulted beforehand about building this said they would install this for me if I could find the same mb. They even suggested that if the Bios is the same on the new mb, they can just transfer everything without reinstalling. But meanwhile (believe it or not), those folks had a fire and they don’t have a new site yet. Another builder has refused to work on something where they might have to install Windows 7, saying they were concerned about liability! So I have a $300 motherboard which maybe no one wants to work on.

I hope I can find someone to at least install the mb, but it looks like I will have to install both OS’s. myself. That scares me. Is there any impediment from Microsoft about proceeding with this?

 

[CountMike]

No impediment, just download W7 ISO from MS and install it yourself.

 

[echolane]

No impediment, just download W7 ISO from MS and install it yourself.

I personally own both Windows 7 and Windows 10 software which I purchased as legitimate upgrades. But a Microsoft employee told me that Win 10 could not be installed on a different mb from from which it was first installed. i don’t believe Windows 7 suffers from the same limitation but I am worried about Windows 10.

 

[CountMike]

I personally own both Windows 7 and Windows 10 software which I purchased as legitimate upgrades. But a Microsoft employee told me that Win 10 could not be installed on a different mb from from which it was first installed. i don’t believe Windows 7 suffers from the same limitation but I am worried about Windows 10.

Limitations may apply only to registration/activation of OEM windows versions, Retail versions are free to install as many times and on as many motherboards you want.
With W7 you may have to contact MS for activation in case of OEM version because they allow it in case you have to replace MB due to it's failure.
Same applies to W10 but it may not be necessary if you registered it with an MS account.

 

[djdynamix]

If, as you say, the motherboards are identical, you shouldn't need to reinstall anything.

You should just be able to transfer your processor, RAM and Hard Drive to the new board and go. At worst, you might have to reactivate your operating systems, but everything else should just work.

If the new motherboard is similar but not identical, you can use "Sysprep" in Windows to do it, once again without reinstalling anything except, in this case, a few drivers. As I've never used Sysprep on a machine with dual-boot set up, I'm afraid you would have to Google or ask here for how to use Sysprep with dual-boot.

I hope that helps.