Re-Installing Windows 10.

[russellashley]

Just replaced my motherboard and now im wondering how i can reinstall my OS. I have the same HDD from my old PC built into this that contains the OS. I bought a Windows 7 key years ago to upgrade from Vista and then upgraded to 10 after that. Issue is i dont have the original Windows 7 key and also as ive replaced the MOBO and it was an OEM key i dont think i could use it anyway.
Is there anyway of getting my OS back at all from harddrive?

 

[Wolfshadw]

If the system currently boots up with the new motherboard, try Magic Jelly Bean - Key Finder to retrieve your product key. If the system does not currently boot, you can try replacing the old motherboard to get it to boot.

Once you have the product key, you can try and use it with a direct Windows 10 install (no upgrades from Vista to 7 to 10) using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. If the product key works, you're good to go. If not, you can run Windows 10 without activation until you can afford to purchase a new valid key.

-Wolf sends

 

[mazboy]

Actually, Microsoft has a secret database with your License Key on it, and it knows if you've been naughty or nice. The worst you will have to do is contact Microsoft Customer Support (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus/) and spend a few minutes online while the nice bot makes the changes. It isn't like the olden days when it was you either had the key or you bought a new license.

I highly recommend you do a clean install of the OS onto your old drive, with it installed in the new system. You will save a lot of grief doing it in the beginning. The below listed installer will let you install the OS without a license key, and, in fact, you can run Win10 without a key indefinitely with very few restrictions (mostly with not being able to customize the interface: colors, backgrounds and such).

Use this source to make a bootable Win10 USB installer for the latest version of Win10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Make sure, when given the choice, to do a "custom" install, NOT a "reset" or "restore" (trust me on this...)

Immediately after the install do this: settings->Update & Security->Windows Update->Check for updates
Immediately after that, if you have a discreet GPU, download and install the driver for it directly from the manufacturer's website.

At this point you should be ready to load your programs and restore your data and off you go!

 

[USAFRet]

Just replaced my motherboard and now im wondering how i can reinstall my OS. I have the same HDD from my old PC built into this that contains the OS. I bought a Windows 7 key years ago to upgrade from Vista and then upgraded to 10 after that. Issue is i dont have the original Windows 7 key and also as ive replaced the MOBO and it was an OEM key i dont think i could use it anyway.
Is there anyway of getting my OS back at all from harddrive?

If you had considered this before changing parts, easy.
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

Since you didn't, you may have to call MS to get it activated with the new hardware.

For a clean OS install, here: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-3567655/clean-installation-windows.html
Don't worry about your original &, or the Vista in between.

 

[russellashley]

I didnt have any choice as my old motherboard was faulty and my old pc wouldnt turn on. Thanks all, it looks like it shouldnt be too hard to get sorted.