Motherboard Change and CPU Change

Skrillex24

Honorable
Jul 10, 2013
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So right now I have an FX 8320 with a gigabyte ga 970a ud3p motherboard.
I am upgrading to a i5 6600k and a gigabyte ga z170x gaming 7 motherboard.
I was wondering what is going to happen when I change the motherboards?
I have Windows 8.1 64-bit Enterprise
Will I need to go through Microsoft to get a new activation key? Or will I be fine with my current one?
 


Changing motherboards often requires a reinstall. Going from AMD to Intel increases that probability to a near certainty.
 

Could I just refresh? or would a clean install be best?


 


Clean install.
 
How do I backup my games and stuff? I don't exactly want to save everything on my PC. I just want my steam games, origin games and uplay. Could I just copy paste their files onto an external hard drive?
 


Steam games, copy the steamapps folder to elsewhere. I'm not sure of the procedure for Origin and uplay, but it's probably similar.
 
Do you think I'll have to get a new product key? Cause I know windows 8.1 IS NOT tied to the motherboard. So a clean install should wipe any exisiting settings. I'm not making a back up of windows cause my windows is broken and would be a bad idea.
 


Win 8.1 is NOT the determinant of needing a new OS license. OEM vs Retail is, and what and how you are changing things. 8.1 is no different than earlier versions.
But since you have 8.1 Enterprise, that is altogether different.

Where did the Enterprise license come from? School, a trial, or work, with a VLK?

Will you need to? Maybe, maybe not. Microsoft is the only controlling factor.
You may or may not need to reinstall
If you don't, you may or may not need to reactivate.
 

I got enterprise from school. The full thing for free. I do some work, but it's only because it was free I have enterprise. Saved me 100 when building my pc last year. I know something is going to get messed up...
 


AS said originally, it may or may not need a full reinstaill.
It will need a reactivation. This may or may not involve doing this through the phone robot.
Of (gasp!) talking to a human at MS.
 

Because it's enterprise it doesn't need a full install? I'm confused. I'm probably gonna just reinstall anyway because my windows updates don't work