PC Upgrade while keeping Windows

[Jcharby]

I am looking to upgrade my current PC setup by installing a new motherboard and CPU
-If it might help, here is the current PC build
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9v7p6h
-and here is the parts i would be upgrading with (Minus the GPU)
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/8qdzpb

What I am wondering is if it is possible for me to make those changes, and not have to purchase another copy of windows. My Windows 10 is not OEM, and came on a flash drive that I purchased from BestBuy, and I installed it onto an SSD. I had just recently talked with someone at GeekSquad from BestBuy and they told me that the Product ID code from my computers properties page is the Key that i would put in to reinstall windows after i upgrade the parts. Im just wondering if they were correct about that, and how exactly i would go about the installation. Would it be the same as the first time i installed Windows from the BIOS? Or will something be different? If any other information is needed to try to aid me with this please just ask and i will do my best to get that information to you.
Thanks in advance,
-Jack Charbonneau

 

[shrapnel_indie]

First: You can get a better cooler than the Hyper-212 EVO for about $5 more: The Cryorg H7 -> https://pcpartpicker.com/product/93Crxr/cryorig-cpu-cooler-h7 ... and that CPU will need it if you plan on overclocking at all. (Others will say wait for Ryzen to upgrade with AMD.)

Since your OS is not OEM, you should be able to transfer your license without issue. Just make sure to not use the previous installed copy any more.

As to the code to activate Windows goes, the ProductID is no longer the key. It used to be years ago with Windows 9x and ME, but not any more. You should have gotten a key with that flash drive... probably on some documentation (like a COA) that was inside the box, and would be in the format of: *****-*****-*****-*****-***** where "*" is replaced with a number or letter. If you don't have that key, you got problems installing and activating it. Meaning, despite you legally purchasing it, without a valid COA key, you'd be in danger of the dreaded "pirated copy" message and potential legal action.

EDIT: There are ways of retrieving the key however... and if you have a MS account, you might not need it if they actually tied the OS to the account.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/how-view-your-product-key-in-windows-10-3632749/

 

[Colif]

Do this before changing anything and you can use same key on new PC: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change without needing to find product ID

Also, don't need to know key anymore as its all linked to your Microsoft Email address, not the actual PC. Once you do that step above, you just do another step on next PC and it transfers the key over.

You will need version 1607 of win 10 to do that so might want to download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB, as it will give you the latest version.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

First: You can get a better cooler than the Hyper-212 EVO for about $5 more: The Cryorg H7 -> https://pcpartpicker.com/product/93Crxr/cryorig-cpu-cooler-h7 ... and that CPU will need it if you plan on overclocking at all. (Others will say wait for Ryzen to upgrade with AMD.)

Since your OS is not OEM, you should be able to transfer your license without issue. Just make sure to not use the previous installed copy any more.

As to the code to activate Windows goes, the ProductID is no longer the key. It used to be years ago with Windows 9x and ME, but not any more. You should have gotten a key with that flash drive... probably on some documentation (like a COA) that was inside the box, and would be in the format of: *****-*****-*****-*****-***** where "*" is replaced with a number or letter. If you don't have that key, you got problems installing and activating it. Meaning, despite you legally purchasing it, without a valid COA key, you'd be in danger of the dreaded "pirated copy" message and potential legal action.

EDIT: There are ways of retrieving the key however... and if you have a MS account, you might not need it if they actually tied the OS to the account.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/how-view-your-product-key-in-windows-10-3632749/

Actually none of this is true anymore, Windows 10 has changed the whole procedure. Colif is correct and all the OP has to do is follow Colif's directions.

 

[Jcharby]

Do this before changing anything and you can use same key on new PC: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change without needing to find product ID

Also, don't need to know key anymore as its all linked to your Microsoft Email address, not the actual PC. Once you do that step above, you just do another step on next PC and it transfers the key over.

You will need version 1607 of win 10 to do that so might want to download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB, as it will give you the latest version.

I linked my windows activation to my microsoft account, but could you possibly clarify what the next step is? I checked my windows 10 version and i currently am running the 1607 version, so do i still need to use that second link?

Also, will i lose my Microsoft Office on the new computer or will that get carried over some how through the PC drives or the Windows reinstallation?

 

[Colif]

Do this before changing anything and you can use same key on new PC: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change without needing to find product ID

Also, don't need to know key anymore as its all linked to your Microsoft Email address, not the actual PC. Once you do that step above, you just do another step on next PC and it transfers the key over.

You will need version 1607 of win 10 to do that so might want to download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB, as it will give you the latest version.

I linked my windows activation to my microsoft account, but could you possibly clarify what the next step is? I checked my windows 10 version and i currently am running the 1607 version, so do i still need to use that second link?

2nd link is to create a win 10 installer with the right version as prior to version 1607, you couldn't transfer the licence.

Also, will i lose my Microsoft Office on the new computer or will that get carried over some how through the PC drives or the Windows reinstallation?

Which version of office are you using right now? If you have a Office 365 subscription then it should be linked to your Microsoft account and you would need to reinstall it on new PC once you swap.

if you have another version, you would need to find the install discs.

 

[Colif]

i thought it mentioned making USB when i first quoted it, now I see you edited it and I wasn't going mad

the next step?

once you have new PC built, use the Win 10 installer with version 1607 to install it on new PC
follow this guide: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html
once you reach screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will keep installing.
Once its finished, you may need to follow the same link I showed to originally link email address and it will show you how to activate new PC

 

[Jcharby]

i thought it mentioned making USB when i first quoted it, now I see you edited it and I wasn't going mad

the next step?

once you have new PC built, use the Win 10 installer with version 1607 to install it on new PC
follow this guide: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html
once you reach screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will keep installing.
Once its finished, you may need to follow the same link I showed to originally link email address and it will show you how to activate new PC

Ok, Thank you very much. About the Office question, I am using Office 2016 and i bought it online and downloaded it via an email link/key i believe. Would i just go through that same process again?

 

[Colif]

You will need to know email address and password, you can go here and see what is on your account: https://login.microsoftonline.com/ - you can download office 2016 from here as I used it to get office after last install of win 10.

you can also get there by going into any office 2016 program, and looking in File/Accounts tab, and then click manage account from there, but this only helps on current PC.

 

[shrapnel_indie]

As to the code to activate Windows goes, the ProductID is no longer the key. It used to be years ago with Windows 9x and ME, but not any more. You should have gotten a key with that flash drive... probably on some documentation (like a COA) that was inside the box, and would be in the format of: *****-*****-*****-*****-***** where "*" is replaced with a number or letter. If you don't have that key, you got problems installing and activating it. Meaning, despite you legally purchasing it, without a valid COA key, you'd be in danger of the dreaded "pirated copy" message and potential legal action.

EDIT: There are ways of retrieving the key however... and if you have a MS account, you might not need it if they actually tied the OS to the account.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/how-view-your-product-key-in-windows-10-3632749/

Actually none of this is true anymore, Windows 10 has changed the whole procedure. Colif is correct and all the OP has to do is follow Colif's directions.

Thanks for letting me know. My Windows 10 machine is down right now so I couldn't verify with it, so I went with what I did remember... and unfortunately, I do remember back quite a few years in comparison to what I remember about Win10 itself.