Replacing computer parts

kevin_45

Reputable
Nov 11, 2015
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So i'm replacing my MOBO, CPU, RAM and hard drive and don't have too much experience with replacing parts. Is it similar to when you build the computer except you just have to take the old part out or is there more that i need to know? Also i want to put everything on this hard drive on to my new one without having to buy windows again. Is that possible? I have a normal hard drive now but i'm getting a SSD. Thanks in advance
 
Solution


Basically, you are building a new system.
At the very least, you will have to reinstall the OS.
You will probably need to purchase a new OS license.


Basically, you are building a new system.
At the very least, you will have to reinstall the OS.
You will probably need to purchase a new OS license.
 
Solution
There are 2 versions of windows. A slightly cheaper version that ties itself to either your Motherboard or your CPU(I never checked), and a slightly more expensive version you can reinstall on any computer but only have 1 active machine. I think the cheaper one is a distributer copy, basically a version for people selling computers, they buy in bulk cheap and the copies are not meant to be reinstalled on new machines.

If you just swap everything there is a very good change you will be bogged with driver issues if windows license doesn't automatically get rejected, which would be a separate issue.

As an explainer, For each piece of hardware in your machine, the OS keeps a driver(a software file that tells the OS how to work with the hardware). The motherboard itself is a bunch of separate pieces of hardware. Plug and Play is a bunch of generic drivers that work with most things automatically. It may be windows figures out and installs the right drivers and things work fine, or it may not find some or all of the ones you need and crash.

It's a hit/miss sort of thing, I've done it before though.
 


This is called OEM vs Retail license. License, not 'versions'.
And it is the motherboard, not the CPU.